A manual of the geology of India

Front matter

*7 87 3

A MANUAL

OF

Preface

THE want of a general account of Indian Geology lias been felt for some years. The regular Geological Survey of India may be considered to have cotnmenced in 1851 ; and but few of those who took part in the work during the earlier years now remain in the Service. It is desirable, before all the older Members of the Survey pass away, that some record of the early observations, many of which are unpublished, should be rescued from oblivion, for the benefit of future explorers. The published Memoirs and Records of the Survey, moreover, have now become too numerous and bulky for general use ; and it is difficult for any one, without much study, to gather the more important observations on the geology of the country from amidst the mass of local details. Many papers on Indian Geology are also scattered through various Indian and European periodicals. As a guide to all who have occasion to acquire a knowledge of Indian Geology, or who desire information from a love of the science, some compendium of the observations hitherto collected has become absolutely necessary; and the present Manual has been drawn up, by direction of the Government of India, to supply the deficiency.

It was originally desired by the Government that this work should be prepared by the late Dr. Oldham, or that the compilation should have the advantage of Ills supervision. As Dr. Oldham was the first Superintendent of the Survey, and

VI

PREFACE.

remained at the head of the Department from its commencement in 1851 to 1876, he would, unquestionably, have been admirably qualified to carry out the work ; and it was his own desire to do so, as the completion of his labours in India, hailing health, however, and the pressure of other duties, prevented him from even commencing the task ; and when, at length, he was unable any longer to remain in the country; the duty of preparing a Summary of Indian Geology was left to his successor. At this time, the only preparation that had been made for the work was the partial compilation of a general Geological Map of the Peninsula.

The double authorship was not entirely a matter of choice ; although undertaken, and carried out, most willingly by both the writers. Both have been engaged in the wrork of the Survey almost from the commencement ; and as each has, in the course of his service, examined very large areas of the country, the combination secures the description and discussion, from personal knowledge, of a much larger portion of India. At the same time, the advantages of wider experience and thought may not be found an adequate compensation for want of uniformity and occasional discrepancies— the natural results of divided authorship. To secure, so far as possible, the responsibility of each author for the facts and opinions stated, the initials of each are affixed in the Table of Contents to the chapters contributed by him. Every such chapter has been read and revised by the other writer ; but the alterations have in no case been of more than trivial importance ; so that each chapter may be practically taken as an individual contribution. The number of subjects is so large, and the connexion between them, in many cases, so slight, that the lack of uniformity will not, it is hoped, seriously detract from the usefulness of the Manual.

In addition to the subjects discussed in the present work, it was, at first, proposed to add an account of the Economical Geology, and to treat in a special chapter of the known Mineral Itcsources of India. But the length to which the • Manual has already extended, has rendered it advisable to

PREFACE.

VU postpone this very important subject, and to reserve it for a separate volume.

Although many of the details in the work now issued have not previously been published, and although the discussion of the observations involves several new deductions and suggestions, the book is, in the main, a compilation ; and it is quite possible that, especially in treating of areas and formations of which the authors have no personal knowledge, full justice has not always been done to the views of original observers. It has, in several instances, been thought more important to point out possible causes of error, than to endorse opinions which, although very possibly correct, are not sufficiently supported by published data to be accepted as conclusive. In all such cases full references to previous publications have been furnished ; and an examination of the details given in the latter will, it is hoped, serve to correct any errors of interpretation on the part of the authors of the present work.

The numerous and large areas left blank in the annexed Map shew, at once, how far the present publication falls short of completeness, and how imperfectly the promise implied in the title is fulfilled. A note upon the Map further explains, that large portions of it have been coloured from very imperfect information, from sketch surveys or rapid traverses, affording no sufficient opportunity for a proper study of the formations. It had, however, become imperative, as a duty to the public, for reasons already mentioned, to bring together a summary of the work accomplished since the commencement of the Survey ; and it was equally essential for the Survey itself, that some general record of the results obtained up to date should be compiled. These objects could only be attained by attempting a general Map and Review of the Geology of India ; but the reader must not forget that the present attempt is more of the nature of a progress report than of a finished work.

The Map, it is feared, will be found defective in several other respects. Under the circumstances, it was impossible vw

PKEFACE.

to prepare a special reduction of the topography ; and, amongst the Maps of India available in the Surveyor General’s Office, there was, practically, no choice but to accept that on the scale of 64 miles to the inch, then well advanced towards completion, as a basis for the geological details. The scale is inconveniently small for all parts of the country that have been geologically mapped in any detail, and the mountain ranges have not been inserted ; so that many features discussed in the text are not indicated. But the most serious drawback is in the names of places. Many towns of importance are omitted, owing to the small scale ; and other names of interest, for purposes of geological description, such as those of fossil-localities, or of villages near important sections, are wanting. Nor is this all. The spelling of Oriental names is a well-known cause of perplexity ; and the confusion has been increased by the unfortunate circumstance that, while one system has been adopted by the Great Trigonometrical Survey, and employed in all the maps, including those of the detailed Topographical Surveys, issued by the Department, an entirely distinct system has been employed by the lie venue Survey, by whom the maps of all the best known parts of the country have been prepared. Under the first system, each letter in the Indian language is represented by a corresponding letter in the Boman character ; diacritical marks and accents being employed to distinguish such consonants or vowels in the latter as are required to represent two or more sounds, and the Italian or German sounds of the vowels being used, instead of the English. Under the second system, an attempt is made to represent the original sound by English spelling ; double vowels being largely used, but no diacritical marks. The imperfection of the latter plan is manifest ; because, in the first place, the sounds, of the vowels especially, in English, are variable, and incapable, in many cases, of representing those of Oriental languages ; and secondly, the representation of the true names by supposed equivalents is arbitrary, depending chiefly on the ear, often very imperfectly trained, of the

PREFACE.

IX transcriber. Wlien maps of large areas, as in tlie present case, are compiled, the mixture of names, spelt according to two different systems, is inevitable. The attempt at a general revision of tlie nomenclature, however desirable, would have involved serious delay.

Of late, the Government has adopted a compromise in the question of spelling, and lists of the principal places in each province have been issued; the familiar and well-known names being spelt in the manner that has become customary by usage, whilst transliteration is employed in all other cases, with the exception that no diacritical marks are used for consonants. This system is obligatory for all official publications ; and it has, consequently, been adopted in the present work. In some cases, however, the lists for particular provinces have not been published in time to be available ; and in the following pages it is not unfrequently necessary to mention places not contained in the lists, and the proper vernacular pronunciation of which is unknown to the writers. In such cases, an. attempt has been made to spell the name according to the recognised system ; but it is only fair to warn the reader that no dependence can be placed on many names of places, especially upon those in the south of India, when taken from old maps.

In the preparation of the Map, a large share has been taken by various Officers of the Geological Survey, all of whom have contributed. The colouring and printing have been carried out at the Surveyor General’s Office, under the superintendence of Captain Riddell, R.E., to whom the authors beg to express their obligations for the labour he has given to the work, and for the assistance he has afforded to them personally.

In the plates of fossil plants and animals at the end of the work some of the most common and characteristic forms of organic remains found in India are represented. The plants have been selected and arranged by Dr. Feistmantel, and the tertiary Mammalia by Mr. Lydekker. All the plates are lithographed by Mr. Schaumburg, whose work

X

PREFACE.

will answer for itself. The majority of the figures are from original drawings, or from the “ Palasontologia Indica;” the remainder are copied from other works ; hut these copies have, in many cases, been compared with specimens.

PAKT I.

Nature of present work

PAGE

i

Limits

ii

Physical geography of India

ii

Sub-division into Peninsular and Extra- Peninsular areas ....

ii

Rivers of Peninsula ....

iii

Mountain ranges of Peninsula

iii

Mountain ranges of Extra-Peninsular area

vii

Sind and Western Punjab .

vii

Himalaya

viii

Ranges aud Rivers of Burma, &c .

X

Geological formations in general

xi

List of Peninsular formations

xii

List of Extra-Peninsular formations .

xiv

Summary of geology ....

xviii

Metamorphic rocks ....

xviii

Transition rocks

xix

Vindhyan series

xxi

Probable conditions of deposit .

xxiii

Palseozoic rocks of Salt Range .

xxiv

Oldest rocks of Northern Punjab, Kashmir, &c

xxv

Oldest rocks of Himalaya .

xxvi

Gondwana system . . . .

xxviii

Physical geography of Gondwana period

xxxii

Relations of Gondwana flora and fauna

xxxii

Climate of Gondwana epoch

XXXV

Jurassic marine rocks ....

xxxvii

Cretaceous marine beds

PAGE

. . xxxviii

Distribution of cretaceous land

xxxix

Deccan traps

xli

High-level laterite

xlv

Tertiary coasts of Peninsula

xlvi

Extra- Peninsular mesozoic rocks

xlvi

Tertiary rocks

Distribution of eocene land .

liii

Later tertiary beds

liv

Siwalik fauna

liv

Origin of Himalayas .

lvi

Origin of Indo-Gangetic plain

lx

Distribution of recent fauna

lxiv

Ethiopian affinities of Oriental mals ....

mam-

Ixvi

Ethiopian affinities of Indian mals ....

mam -

lxix

Affinities of land shells

lxix

Survival of older types in the area ....

[ndian

lxx

Glacial epoch .

lxx

Sub-recent changes of level .

lxxi

Previous summaries of Indian geology : Calder, 1833

lxxii lxxii

Carter, 1854

lxxiii

Greenough, 1854

lxxiv

Later sketches

lxxv

List of European formations

lxxv

Classification of animal kingdom

lxxix

Chapter I. Peninsular Area

AZOIC ROCKS — GNEISSIC OR METAMORRHIC SERIES. — (h. B. M.)

FACE

5 5

Introductory remarks . .

Three-fold division of azoic rocks Three gneissic regions .

PAGE

Main or Eastern area Bundelkhand area Arvali area . .

xn

Contents

A key section

• • •

PAGE

Chapter II. Peninsular Area

TRANSITION OR SUB-METAMORPHIC ROCKS, LOWER SERIES. — (h. B. M.)

Pi BE

General remarks 28

Tlie Bijawar basin .... 28

Bijawars of Bundelkhand ... 29

Gneissoid bottom-beds of the Ken . 30

Bijawars, Dh&r forest area ... 31

Middle Narbada area .... 32

Son-Narbada watershed area . . 33

The Son area 34

Behar area 36

PAGB

Gneissoid bottom-beds of Lakiserai . 38

The Shillong transition series . . 40

South-West Bengal .... 43

The Arvali region .... 44

Bijawars of Bagh and Jobat . . 43

The Champanir area .... 46

The Arvali proper .... 48

Korana hills 52

Malani beds 53

Chapter III. Peninsular Area

TRANSITION OR SUB-METAMORPHIC ROCKS, UPPER SERIES. — (h. B. M.)

General characters

PAGE

. 55

Cheyair group ....

PAGE . 62

Gwalior area ....

. 66

Nallamale group ....

. 64

The Kadapah area

. 60

Krishna group ....

4 65

Paupugni group ....

. 62

The Kaladgi area . . ,

. 65

Chapter IV. Peninsular Area

VIND11YAN SERIES. — (h. B. M.)

PAGE

•

PAGE

General remarks

. 69

Son area

. 77

Lower Vindhyans : Karnul area .

. 69

The Bundelkhand area

. 81

The Palndd area ....

. 72

Upper Vindhyans . . «

. 84

The Bhima basin ....

. 73

The Son-Narbada boundary .

. 85

Mahanadi and Godavari areas

. 74

Boundary in Bundelkhand . .

. 87

CONTENTS.

xm

Boundary on the Ganges

PAGB

. 87

Arvali boundary ....

. 88

. 88

Relation to the Lower Vindhyans

. 90

FAGB

Disturbance of the Upper Vindhyans . 91

Diamonds .92

Upper Vindhyan outliers ... 92

Chapter V. Peninsular Area

Introductory remarks ....

PAGE

Petrology . . . .

. .

FAGB

Geological position and characters, and

Relations to Talcbirs and thickness derivation of name ....

•

Area occupied

Possible representation of group else-

Fluviatile origin probable .

where . . , .

.

Geological relations in India

•

Correlation with geological sequence in

Sub-divisions

•

Europe and other countries

Paleontology

•

Contradictory evidence

Relations to carboniferous

flora of

Ancient zoological and botanical regions

Australia ....

.

Value of paleo-botanical evidence

Relations to Karoo series

of South

Probable range of Gondwana system

Africa ,

.

from permian to upper Jurassic

Barakar group

. •

Origin of GondwTana basins and their

Petrology . . . .

relations to existing valleys

Relations to Talcbirs .

. .

Surface of Gondwana areas .

Thickness ....

Division of the Gondwana system into

Ironstone shales .

. .

groups

Raniganj group .

. .

Tiilcbir ......

Motur group

. .

Composition and petrology .

Bijori group . ,

.

Boulder bed

Kamthi and Hengir

Resemblance to volcanic rocks

Mangli beds and their fossils

m m

Resistance to weathering

Panchet group

.

Extent and thickness ’.

Petrology ....

B #

Pid semitology

Paleontology

Probable conditions of deposition

Almod

.

Karharbari group, — Reasons for distinguishing the group

Chapter VI. Peninsular Area

gondwana system — continued. — (w. T. b.)

FAGB

Upper Gondwana groups . . .135

Mahadeva series 135

Pachmarhi group Denwa erroun

FAGB i -iv

XIV

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Bagra group 138

Dubrajpur group 138

Characters and association of bedded

traps 139

Rajmahal beds in Southern India . 140 Thickness and relations to Lower Gond-

wanas 141

Area of ^volcanic action . . . 142

Relations to Uitenhage flora of South Africa 146

Relations to Jabalpur and Cutch floras

PAGE

Ragavapuram shales ....

Tripetty sandstones ....

Sripermatur group ....

Sattavedu group

Trichinopoly or Utatur plant-beds

Kota-Maleri group ....

Palaeontology .....

Jabalpur group

Umia group of Cutch (Kachh)

Narha beds

Chapter VII. Peninsular Area

GONDWANA SYSTEM — Continued. DETAILS OF COAL-FIELDS, &C.— (w. T. B.)

PAGE

Distribution of Gondwana basins . 161

Relations to existing river valleys . 161

Groups of basins 162

Origin of different groups of basins . 163

I.— RajmahAl begion . . . 165

Rajmahal Hills ..... 165

Talchirs 166

Damudas 166

Distribution of Damudas and Dubrajpur beds 168

HAEBAEI EEGION ....

A. — Small basins of Birbhum, Deogarb,

Tangsuli .

Kandit Karayah field Sahajori field .

Jainti or ICaraun field

B. — Small basins of North-Eastern

Hazaribagli, including Karhar-

bari

Karharbari (Kurhnrbalee) coal-field

Chapter VIII. Peninsular Area

gondwana system — continued. DETAILS OF COAL-FIELDS, &C. — (w. T. B.

PA OB

III.— DAllfiDA VALLEY EEGION —

A. — Damuda valley coal-fields . . 177

1. Raniganj (Raneegunge) . . 178

2. Jharia (Jherria) .... 185

3. Boakro 187

5. South Karanpura . . . 191

6. Karanpura 192

B.— Coal-fields of Northern Hazari bagh, Southern Behar, and Palamaun (Palainow)

7. Chopd

8. Itkuri

9. Daltonganj

10. Unsurveyed basins in Palamaun and Lohardagga ....

11. Morhar River, south-west of Sher-

ghotty

PAGE

198 198

CONTENTS.

XV

Chapter IX. Peninsular Area

GONDWANA SYSTEM — continued. DETAILS OF COAL-FIELDS, &C. — (W. T. B.)

PAGE

IV. — Son (Soane), Mahanadi, and

Beahmani keqion . . . 199

1. South Rewah and Soliagpur . . 201

2. Jliilmilli . . . • • 204

3. Bisrampur 205

4. Laklianpur 206

4a. Outliers in Cliutia Nagpur . . 207

5. Korba, (Rampur, Korba, and Ude-

PAGE

6. Raigarli and Hingir . . 208

7. Talchir coal-field . . . .210

Outliers of Talchir beds in Mahanadi

valley 213

V. Satpuba eegion . . . .213

2. Upper Tapti nrea .... 220

3. Areas on Lower Narbada, west of

Hoshangabad .... 220

Chapter X. Peninsular Area

GONDWANA SYSTEM — Continued. DETAILS OF GONDWANA BASINS. — (w. T. B.)

PAGE

VI. Godavabi eegion . • . 223

1. Inliers near Ellichpur . . . 224

2. Inliers west and north-west of Nag-

3. Kamthi area 225

4. Bandar coal-field .... 226

5. Outliers near Khair and Arjuna . 227

6. Wardha-Pranliita-Godavari basin —

(a) Wardha (Chanda) coal-field . 227 (4) Central portion .... 232

(c) South-eastern extension to neighbourhood of Ellore and Rajamaliendri

7. Kamaram coal-field

8. Singareni coal-field

VII. East Coast eegion .

2. Athgar (Atgurh or Atgarh) basin .

3. Outcrops east of Rajamaliendri

4. Ellore

5. Ongole

6. Sripermatur outcrops

7. Trichinopoly or Utatur .

PAGE

247 249

Chapter XI. Peninsular Area

MARINE JURASSIC ROCKS. — (w. T. B.)

Distribution of marine jurassic rocks

in India '

Area occupied by jurassic rocks in Cutch ......

Relations of Cutch jur assies to higher formations . ... .

Physical geology ,

Sub-divisions

Pachham group (Bath)

Chari group (Kelloway and Oxford) .

PAGE

252 252 252 254

PAQB

Katrol group (Upper Oxford and Kimmeridge) . .. . . . 258

Umia group (Tithonian and Portin'1) • • . .259

Table shewing distribution of Cepha-

lopoda 262

Jurassic beds in the great desert north

of Cutch 263

Balmir sandstones .... 264

Jesalmir limestones .... 264

Ammonite bed of Kuchri . . . 264 f

XVI

CONTENTS.