Geology of the Nepal Himalaya. Regional perspective of the classic collided orogen / Геология Непальских Гималлаев. Региональная перспектива классического коллизионного орогена

Perhaps no sector in the Himalaya is endowed with so exciting a geological setup as Nepal. Forming a bridge between the Western and Eastern Himalaya, Nepal occupies a pivotal and significant place in the geology of the Himalaya. Stretching from the low lying foothill in south to the highest peak of Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) in the north and covering a vast time span from the Proterozoic to Holocene, the Nepal Himalaya preserves unique geological events. Varied kinds of igneous rocks, metamorphosed sequences and sedimentary rocks of disparate environments make a captivating geological mosaic.
Yet this fascinating terrain did not receive the attention of geologists as it deserved. The early contributions were restricted to isolated sectors, leaving many gaps in the understanding of the geology of Nepal. It is thus fitting that these gaps are being filled by Prof. Megh Raj Dhital—son of the soil, in this book. I have been in touch with him for quite some time and have held several discussions. He has painstakingly compiled the data scattered in numerous publications and arranged these into several chapters with informative maps, charts and figures with his own inputs. To begin, the reader is introduced to the role of plate tectonics in the creation of the Himalaya. The most fascinating aspect of the Himalaya to one and all is its charming scenery; naturally the physiographic subdivisions have to be dealt in a book on geology as the topography is controlled by the rocks. Political boundaries were created much after the Himalaya came into existence; the geological elements of Nepal, therefore, should find continuity in the adjoining Western and Southeast Himalaya and the Peninsular India. An elaboration of this aspect forms a basis for regional understanding of the geology of the Himalaya. The geology of the Lesser Himalaya constituted of unfossiliferous rocks that have been tectonically disrupted is nightmare to any stratigrapher; seven chapters are devoted to their exhaustive account. Elaboration of complicated geology of the Higher Himalaya and the enigma of inverted grade of metamorphism in the Himalaya is of interest to one and all. Richly fossiliferous rocks of the Tethyan Himalaya evoke curiosity even amongst layman and no book on geology of Nepal could be complete without their description. Siwalik rocks, representing almost the final phase of the mountain building, find copious place. The Terai and intermontane basins are unique to the Nepal Himalaya; their genesis makes an interesting reading. Neotectonics having environmental significance should be a must to the planners and administrators. The plethora of information of 36 chapters has been summarised with conclusions in the final chapter. One may differ with Prof. Dhital’s conclusions, but the narrative is exhaustive and makes an absorbing reading. He has succeeded in his task and discharged the debt he owes to the Nepal geology. This book completes the panorama of the Himalayan geology stretching from the West to the East. <...>