List Of Volcanic Features And Volcanoes In India

1. Barren Island 

Located in the Andaman Sea, the Barren Island is home to South Asia’s only known active volcano. The island is part of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago of India and is about 138 km northeast of Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Union Territory. The first recorded volcanic eruption here occurred in 1787. Since then, the Barren Island volcano has erupted over 10 times and the most recent one was in January, 2017. The 1991 eruption was one of the most devastative ones, especially for the island’s fauna. The volcanic island is located in the midst of a volcanic belt at the edge of the meeting point of the Burmese and Indian tectonic plates. The Barren Island is named so as it is not inhabited by humans. Vegetation is limited to only a few species while fauna living here include 16 species of birds, a few rodent species, bats, and a small goat population. 

Although the Barren Island itself is inaccessible to tourists, the water surrounding the island is one of the world’s best scuba diving spots. The crystal clear water provide excellent visibility of the aquatic life and geological features below the sea waters. 

2. Narcondam Island

A small volcanic island located in the Andaman Sea, the Narcondam Island’s highest volcanic point is 710 meters above mean sea-level. It is 256 km away from northeastern Port Blair. The island is small in size and encompasses an area of 6.8 square km. The volcano here is classified as dormant but exhibited some volcanic activity in 2005 which is believed to have been triggered by the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean. The Narcondam Island is heavily forested. The island is nearly uninhabited with only a single village existing here. The waters around the Narcondam Island is a popular diving destination. The steep slopes and rocky ridges of the island support barrel spongers, soft corals, and gorgonian fans. Gray reef sharks, whitetip shakes, bumphead parrotfish, and more marine fauna can be observed here. The Narcondam Small Flying Fox, Andaman Dwarf Gecko, Andaman Day Gecko, Sea Snake, etc., thrive in the island. The Narcondam Island Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected reserve in the island and houses the endemic  Narcondam Hornbill, a bird that is only found in this island.

3. The Deccan Traps

One of the largest volcanic features on Earth, the Deccan Traps is a large igneous province located in west-central Asia’s Deccan Plateau. Here, multiple layers of solidified flood basalt covers the ground and is about 6,600 ft and covers an area of about 500,000 square km. It is estimated that the Deccan Traps formed about 66.25 million years ago towards the late Cretaceous period during a series of volcanic eruptions that lasted for about 30,000 years. Such events led to large-scale species die-offs as is evident from the beds of fossils found between the lava layers. 

4. Baratang Island

An island in the Andaman Islands archipelago of India, the Baratang Island is located 150 km north of the city of Port Blair. The island occupies an area of 242.6 square km. The Baratang Island is famous for housing the only known examples of mud volcanoes in the country. The volcanoes are active and have exhibited sporadic periods of eruption with the most recent being in 2005. The last major eruption occurred in 2003. A couple of villages are located here inhabited by about 5691 people. The Baratang Island is a popular tourist destination in the region and offers accommodations to tourists visiting the island. Mud volcanoes, limestone caves, the Baludera Beach, and the Parrot Island are major attractions here.

5. Dinodhar Hills 

Located in the Kutch District of Gujarat near the Nani Aral village, the Dinodhar Hills is a tourist destination and pilgrimage spot in the region. The hill is an inactive volcano with its peak at a height of 386 meters above sea level. The main attraction for pilgrims here is the Dhoramnath shrine that was built in 1821. The hill top offers spectacular views of the Great Rann and surrounding wetland area. Local wildlife can be observed here and it is an excellent destination for trekking purposes.

6. Dhosi Hill 

An extinct volcano, the Dhosi Hill is located in the north-western end of the Aravalli mountain range on the border between Rajasthan and Haryana. The hill is about 1170 meters above sea level and hosts a temple, fort, caves, pond, and forest. The site is also famous for three waterfalls that are mentioned in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The fort here is in ruins but has a rich history as it was built by Hemu about 500 years back. A reservoir exists at the top of the Dhosi Hill that is used by pilgrims for bathing and is believed to have rejuvenating properties. Pilgrims visiting the place perform a circumambulation of the hill and offer their prayers at the temples located here.