Stalactite, Stalagmite and Pillars are the depositional landforms of

Stalactites, stalagmites, and pillars (also known as columns) are depositional landforms primarily found in limestone caves, formed by the action of underground water [2][4]. As water containing dissolved calcium carbonate seeps through cave roofs, it evaporates or loses carbon dioxide, leaving behind mineral deposits [2][3]. Stalactites are icicle-like structures that hang from the ceiling and grow downwards [1][5]. Stalagmites are thicker formations that rise from the cave floor, often directly beneath a stalactite where water drips [1]. When a downward-growing stalactite and an upward-growing stalagmite eventually meet and fuse, they form a continuous vertical structure known as a pillar or column [2][5][6]. These features are collectively referred to as speleothems and are characteristic of karst topography created by subterranean water processes [7].

Sources

1. [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 17: Major Landforms and Cycle of Erosion > Stalactite and Stalagmite > p. 229
2. [4] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Limestone and Chalk Landforms > Characteristic Features of a Karst Region > p. 78
3. [3] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 13: Types of Rocks & Rock Cycle > Chemically Formed Sedimentary Rocks > p. 171
4. [1] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 6: Landforms and their Evolution > Stalactites, Stalagmites and Pillars > p. 53
5. [5] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/stalactite
6. [6] https://www.britannica.com/science/stalactite
7. [7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speleothem