Sierra Madre Occidental Sierra Madre Occidental The Sierra Madre Occidental is a major mountain range system of the North American Cordillera, that runs northwest–southeast through Northwestern and Western Mexico, and along the Gulf of California. The Sierra Madre is part of the American Cordillera, a chain of mountain ranges (cordillera) that consists of an almost continuous sequence of mountain ranges that form the western "backbone" of North America, Central America, South America and Antarctica. The Spanish name "sierra madre" means "mother mountains" and "occidental" means "western" in English, with these being the "Western Mother Mountains". To the east, from the Spanish "oriental" meaning
Pariyatra Mountains the Mahabharata at "the western side of Mahameru" . It is otherwise identified to the north western part of what is now called as Vindhya mountain ranges. In ancient times only southern parts of Vindhya mountain ranges, which are having higher elevation, were considered as Vindhya mountains, while the other part of this mountain range with less height is named as Pariyatra (north western part) and Riksha (north eastern part). Pariyatra Mountains Pariyatra Mountains is a range of mountains mentioned in the epic Mahabharata and the Puranas. Mahabharata 2.10.31 calls it "Paripatra" 3.85.69 ff. "Prayaga" (according to 3.85.75 also called