Индо-Гангская равнина: География, история и цивилизации Южной Азии.

Geographical plain in South Asia

The Indo Gangetic Plain, also known as the North Indian River Plain, is a 172 million acres (69,605,992 km2) fertile plain encompassing northern regions of the Indian subcontinent, including most of modern day northern and eastern India, most of eastern Pakistan, virtually all of Bangladesh and southern plains of Nepal. Also known as the Indus–Ganga Plain, the region is named after the Indus and the Ganges rivers and encompasses a number of large urban areas. The plain is bounded on the north by the Himalayas, which feed its numerous rivers and are the source of the fertile alluvium deposited across the region by the two river systems. The southern edge of the plain is marked by the Deccan Plateau. On the west rises the Iranian Plateau. Many developed cities like Delhi, Dhaka, Kolkata, Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi are located in the Indo Gangetic Plain.

The region is known for the Indus Valley civilisation, which was the first ancient culture of the Indian subcontinent. The flat and fertile terrain has facilitated the repeated rise and expansion of various empires, including the Maurya Empire, Kushan Empire, Gupta Empire, Pushyabhuti Empire, Pala Empire, Delhi Sultanates, the Mughal Empire and Maratha Empire – all of which had their demographic and political centers in the Indo Gangetic plain. During the Vedic and Epic eras of Indian history, this region was referred to as "Aryavarta" (Land of the Aryans). According to Manusmṛti (2.22), 'Aryavarta' is "the tract between the Himalaya and the Vindhya ranges, from the Eastern Sea (Bay of Bengal) to the Western Sea (Arabian Sea)". The region is also referred to historically as "Hindustan" or the Land of the Hindus. The name 'Hindustan' (हिन्दुस्तान) is Persian; it means literally 'country of the Hindus/Indians'. Its first member, Hindu (हिन्दु), was borrowed from the Sanskrit word sindhu (सिन्धु) m./f. 'river', while stān is a cognate of the Sanskrit word sthāna (स्थान) n. 'a place'. The term was later used to refer to the whole of the Indian subcontinent. The term "Hindustani" is also used to refer to the people, music, and culture of the region. In the 12th century, much of the Indo Gangetic Plain was ruled by the Rajputs. Most prominent of them were Chauhans of Ajmer along with Gahadavals Or Rathores of Varanasi and many petty Rajput kingdoms. Rajput as a separate caste also emerged in Indian social structure around the Ghurid invasions of India. In 1191, the Rajput king of Ajmer and Delhi, Prithviraj Chauhan, unified several Rajput states and decisively defeated the invading army of Shihabuddin Ghori near Tarroari in the First Battle of Tarain. Shihabuddin returned, and in spite of being outnumbered, decisively defeated the Rajput Confederacy of Prithviraj on the same battlefield, in the Second Battle of Tarain. Prithviraj fled the battleground, but was captured near the battle site and executed. Malesi, a Kachwaha Rajput of Jaipur, led a last stand for the Rajputs against the Ghurids after Prithviraj escaped. The defeat of the Rajputs marks a watershed moment in medieval India's history, as it not only shattered Rajput power in the Indo Gangetic Plain but also firmly established a Muslim presence. Following the battle the Delhi Sultanate became prominent in the region, and collapse of organised Rajput resistance in northern India led to Muslim control of the region within a generation.

Until recent history, the open grasslands of the Indus Ganga Plain were inhabited by several large species of animal. The open plains were home to large numbers of herbivores which included all three of the Asian rhinoceros (Indian rhinoceros, Javan rhinoceros, Sumatran rhinoceros). The open grasslands were in many ways similar to the landscape of modern Africa. Gazelle, buffalo, rhinos, elephants, lions, and hippo roamed the grasslands as they do in Africa today. Large herds of Indian elephants, gazelles, antelopes and horses lived alongside several species of wild cattle including the now extinct aurochs. In the forested areas there were several species of wild pig, deer and muntjac. In the wetter regions close to the Ganga, there would have been large herds of water buffalo grazing on the riverbanks along with extinct species of hippopotamus. So many large animals would have supported a large population of predators as well. Indian wolves, dholes, striped hyenas, Asiatic cheetahs and Asiatic lions would have hunted large game on the open plains, while Bengal tigers and leopards would stalk prey in the surrounding woods and sloth bears hunt for termites in both of these areas. In the Ganges there were large concentrations of gharial, mugger crocodile and river dolphin controlling fish stocks and the occasional migrating herd crossing the river.

Farming on the Indus Ganga Plain primarily consists of rice and wheat grown in crop rotation. Other crops include maize, millets, barley, sugarcane, and cotton. The main source of rainfall is the southwest monsoon which is normally sufficient for general agriculture. The many rivers flowing out of the Himalayas provide water for major irrigation works. Due to a rapidly growing population (as well as other factors), this area is considered at high risk for water shortages in the future. The area constitutes the land between the Brahmaputra River and the Aravalli Range. The Ganga and other rivers such as the Yamuna, the Ghaghara and the Chambal River flow through the area.