MALWA PLAINS

alluvial plains in central Punjab state, northern India, between the Ghaggar and Sutlej rivers south of the Bist Doab (plain). The Malwa Plains are named for the Malloi peoples (Malavas) who ruled the Punjab in the 4th century BC and offered stiff resistance to Alexander the Great. The Guptas supplanted the Malavas in the 4th century AD. The region came under Muslim rule in the 10th century and, except for a short period of Rajput ascendancy c. 10301192, remained under Muslim rule until the decline of Mughal power. The plains are bordered on the north by the Siwalik Hills. The terrain is slightly undulating, and there are occasional sand dunes and sand ridges in the southern part of the plains bordering the Great Indian (Thar) Desert. A few perennial rivers, including the Ghaggar, Patiali, Dangri, and Markanda, cross the plains, which are marked by former river channels. Scattered tropical dry deciduous forests, mostly of teak and dhak, are found. Agriculture dominates the economy of the plains; crops include cereals, pulse (legumes), cotton, sugarcane, and oilseeds. The region produces a surplus in food grains, particularly wheat. Small-scale industries produce machine tools, footwear, sewing machines and parts, plastic goods, and water pipes and fittings. Tractors, dry-cell batteries, polyester films, nylon, and automobile tires and tubes are manufactured on a large scale. The region has a network of roads and railways connecting Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Abohar, Bhatinda, and Maler Kotla, the important towns.