Next to the Himalayas is the Indo-Gangetic plain, which figures prominently in the pages of history for being the seat of many principal empires. The plain is about 4,80,000 square kilometers, covering the most thickly populated area and the most fertile part of India. The region derives its strength from rivers such as the Indus, Ganga, the Brahmaputra and their tributaries. These rivers bring enormous loads of silt from the mountains and deposit them on the beds. The snow-covered Himalayas provide a perennial supply of water to the northern plain for irrigation and agriculture.
The Gangetic plain also includes the sandy deserts of Rajasthan and the Aravali mountain ranges. The Harappan and the Vedic civilizations flourished in this region. During Vedic times it was known as Aryavarta, the main seat of Indian civilization. Religions like Jainism and Buddhism also flourished here, it was the most thickly populated region of India. The snow-fed rivers and the alluvial soil have sustained a teeming population.
The Indo-Gangetic plain extends from the delta of the river Indus to the delta of rivers Ganga and Brahmaputra though the only access from Punjab to Ganga basin is joined by a narrow strip known in ancient times as Kurukshetra. The Indus with its tributaries plays an important part in the evolution of Indian culture. The Harappan culture developed on its banks. The Indus is to Sindh what the Nile is to Egypt or the Tigris and the Euphrates are to the Mesopotamia valley. The Ganga with its important tributaries is the backbone of the region.
Haradwar, Allahabad, Gaya, Benaras etc. are places of pilgrimage on the banks of this river, which are visited by millions of pilgrims. The Brahmaputra that flows through gigantic gorges passes through Assam and joins Ganga at her mouth. The northeast is famous for the cultivation of tea, coffee and fruits.
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The Vindhya Mountains, along with impenetrable forests of Dandakaranya and Mahakantaravana form the southern boundary of Gangetic plain beyond which the Aryans found it difficult to penetrate.
The Aravali mountain range divides Rajaputana (Rajasthan) into two unequal parts. On the northwest lies the Thar or the Great Indian desert which acted as a strong barrier against foreign invasion. Arid, hot and desolate, it extends for 480 kms. Between Indus and Aravali, the area has two important cities, Jeysalmer and Bekaner.
The Gangetic plain has great religious and political importance. Number of holy places of Hinduism like Haradwar, Mathura, Allahabad, Benaras, Gaya, Kurukshetra and Buddhist places like Saranath, Gaya, Lumbini, Kosambi, Kusinagar are located in this region. Important ruling dynasties of India like the Nandas, Mayryas and Guptas flourished here. The Vedic culture, literature and religious originated and flourished here along with Buddhism and Jainism. Being the political headquarters of the country it had been frequently visited by foreign invaders from the Persians and the Greeks to the Europeans.