Which of the following mountain ranges is commonly said to form the traditional dividing line between North India and South India?

Introduction / Context:
India is often described in terms of broad cultural and physical regions such as North India and South India. While these divisions are not strict political boundaries, certain mountain ranges are historically considered to mark the transition between them. This question checks whether you know which range is widely regarded in Indian geography and history as the traditional dividing line between the northern plains and the southern plateau region.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We must choose from four mountain ranges: Himalayas, Western Ghats, Vindhyas, and Satpura.
• The task is to identify the range that forms the traditional north-south divide.
• We assume the conventional school level geography and history perspective.
• This is about perceived regional division, not a legal boundary.

Concept / Approach:
Historically, the Indo Gangetic plains to the north and the Deccan Plateau to the south have been separated by a zone of uplands and hills. The Vindhya range, running roughly east west across central India, has long been mentioned in texts as the boundary between Aryavarta (northern heartland) and the lands to the south. Although the Satpura range also lies in central India, it is the Vindhyas specifically that appear repeatedly in cultural and geographic descriptions as the north south separator.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Eliminate the Himalayas because they form the northern boundary of India, not the internal north-south divide. Step 2: Note that the Western Ghats run along the west coast and separate the coastal strip from the Deccan plateau but do not divide North and South India. Step 3: Compare the Vindhya and Satpura ranges, both of which lie in central India. Step 4: Recall that school history and geography books explicitly state that the Vindhyas are considered the traditional dividing line between North India and South India. Step 5: Therefore, identify the Vindhyas as the correct answer among the options.

Verification / Alternative check:
Another way to verify is to recall references from ancient Indian texts and historical descriptions of Aryavarta, which is often defined as the land between the Himalayas in the north and the Vindhyas in the south. In many maps, the region south of the Vindhyas is marked as the Deccan. This repeated association across historical and cultural sources reinforces the idea that the Vindhyas form the symbolic boundary between northern and southern India.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The Himalayas act as a massive northern wall for the entire subcontinent and do not divide the country into north and south parts. The Western Ghats separate the western coastal plain from the interior plateau but are oriented along the coast rather than across the country. The Satpura range, though important, lies generally to the south of the Vindhyas and is not the range most commonly cited in textbooks as the traditional north-south divide. Hence, these ranges do not fit the specific phrasing of the question.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners may confuse the Satpura and Vindhya ranges because they are neighbours and sometimes discussed together. Others may accidentally choose the Himalayas just because they are the most famous mountains of India. To avoid these errors, memorise the roles of each range: Himalayas as the northern wall, Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats as coastal barriers, and Vindhyas as the classic north-south separator with Satpuras lying further south.

Final Answer:
The mountain range commonly regarded as the traditional dividing line between North India and South India is the Vindhyas.