Geological Heritage of the Kashmir Valley, North-Western Himalaya, India

Kashmir Valley, the north-western part of India, is home to important geological rock formations, sedimentary deposits, and landforms. These geological entities have preserved the imprints of the Permian–Triassic mass extinction, the evolution of the Himalayas, the waxing and waning of glaciers, ancient civilizations, and paleoclimate dynamics. One of the most impressive rock formations is the Permian–Triassic Boundary (PTB) section. This section exhibits potentially essential information about the character and causes of the Late Permian mass extinction. Likewise, the jointed nature of the Panjal volcanics and the uplift associated with the Himalayan tectonics have resulted in the characteristic relief responsible for the development of waterfalls. The picturesque waterfall, known as Aharbal waterfall, has emerged as one of the best tourist hotspots on the Vishav River. The Karewa deposits witnessed many human civilizations and habitations besides being bystanders to the climatic record of the last 4 million years. Also, the loess-paleosol sequences, low and high-altitude lakes, karst landscape, and glacier geomorphic features impart scenic beauty to the valley. These sedimentary deposits and landforms are valuable proxies for inferring the Quaternary climatic conditions. Because of their scientific, climatic, educational, and geological importance, these prime geoheritage sites need to be protected and developed for geotourism, which would help boost the region's economy.