When you travel in Himalayas, you will see the following: 1. Deep gorges 2. U-turn river courses 3. Parallel mountain ranges 4. Steep gradients causing land-sliding Which of the above can be said to be the evidences for Himalayas being young fold mountains?

The Himalayas are geologically young, weak, and flexible fold mountains formed by tectonic forces [2]. Their youthful stage is evidenced by deep gorges and V-shaped valleys carved by fast-flowing rivers [1]. The presence of three parallel mountain ranges—the Great Himalayas, Himachal, and Shiwaliks—is a defining structural characteristic of this young fold system [2]. The sharp 'U-turn' river courses, or syntaxial bends, occur at the eastern and western extremities where the ranges bend southward in deep knee-bend flexures. Furthermore, the steep gradients and high relief, combined with active tectonic uplift and erosional unloading, lead to significant mass wasting processes such as land-sliding. These features collectively demonstrate that the Himalayas are still undergoing active geological evolution, unlike the stable and rigid Peninsular Block [1].

Sources

1. [1] INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 2: Structure and Physiography > THE HIMALAYAS AND OTHER PENINSULAR MOUNTAINS > p. 9
2. [2] CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Physical Features of India > The Himalayan Mountains > p. 7