The Sandan Slot Canyon in the Deccan Traps:Its Morphology and Mode of Origin

Slot canyons, with extremely small width–depth ratios, are rare geomorphic features that develop under limited range of fluvial conditions. We report the occurrence of such an uncommon canyon, developed on the crest of the Western Ghats in the Deccan Traps. The canyon is a tourist hotspot. Geomorphic studies reveal that the Sandan slot canyon is 2–30 m wide and up to 100 m deep. Based on compelling field evidence we hypothesize that the morphology of the slot canyon is the product of the interplay between flash flood-induced excavation of a dyke and slope failures.