Question 1

True or false: The Deccan Plateau covers most of southern India and includes the Western and Eastern Ghats.

Accepted Answer

True. The plateau spans eight Indian states, bordered by the Ghats mountain ranges that separate it from coastal plains.

Question 2

True or false: The plateau's black soil is ideal for growing cotton, a major crop in the region.

Accepted Answer

True. Black cotton soil, formed from weathered basalt, retains moisture well and is perfect for cotton cultivation across the plateau.

Question 3

True or false: The name 'Deccan' comes from the Sanskrit word 'dakshina', meaning 'south'.

Accepted Answer

True. Dakshina (south) evolved into 'Dakkan' and then 'Deccan', referring to the southern region of the Indian subcontinent.

Question 4

True or false: The Deccan Plateau is the driest region in India, receiving less than 500 mm of rain annually.

Accepted Answer

False. The rain-shadow side of the plateau is dry, but many parts receive 600–900 mm; the Thar Desert is India's driest.

Question 5

True or false: The Deccan Plateau is primarily composed of basalt from ancient volcanic eruptions.

Accepted Answer

True. The plateau was formed by massive volcanic eruptions about 66 million years ago, leaving thick layers of basalt rock called the Deccan Traps.

Question 6

True or false: The Godavari River, India's longest, originates in the Deccan Plateau.

Accepted Answer

True. The Godavari rises in the Western Ghats of the Deccan Plateau near Trimbakeshwar, Maharashtra, and flows eastward.

Question 7

True or false: The Deccan Plateau was once home to a vast inland sea called the Tethys Ocean.

Accepted Answer

False. The Tethys Ocean lay north of the Indian plate; the Deccan Plateau was land during its formation, not a sea basin.

Question 8

True or false: The Deccan Plateau is still volcanically active, with minor eruptions recorded in the 20th century.

Accepted Answer

False. The Deccan Traps volcanic activity ended about 65 million years ago; there are no active volcanoes on the plateau today.

Deccan Plateau Trivia Questions