BharatNotes
Deccan Traps
/ˈdɛkən træps/One of the largest volcanic features on Earth — a massive lava plateau in west-central India covering approximately 500,000 km² (originally ~1,500,000 km²), formed by flood basalt eruptions approximately 66–65 million years ago, linked to the Reunion hotspot and the Cretaceous-Palaeogene mass extinction event.
Context & Background
The Deccan Traps created the characteristic stepped topography of the Deccan Plateau ("trap" from Swedish trappa, "staircase"), the fertile black cotton (regur) soil of peninsular India, and rich deposits of minerals including manganese, bauxite, and iron ore.
UPSC Exam Relevance
GS1 (Physical Geography, Indian Geography). Prelims: age (~66 Mya), area, type (flood basalt), Reunion hotspot linkage. Mains: role in shaping the Deccan Plateau, black soil formation, and the K-Pg extinction debate.
