Ghats, Eastern and Western

Twin mountain ranges in south India, east and west of the central plateau; a few peaks reach about 3,000 m/9,800 ft. The name is a European misnomer, the Indian word ghat meaning ‘pass’, not ‘mountain’.

They are connected by the Nilgiri Hills.

The Western Ghats extend from the Tapti valley as a steep-sided coastal range to the Cardomom Hills and the southern tip of India, Cape Comorin. Forcing the southwest monsoon to rise steeply over its 900 m/3,000 ft crest, heavy rainfall is produced along the Ghats which supports dense forests. Inland is the drier Deccan in its rain-shadow. The Eastern Ghats are less pronounced with a lower elevation and more broken character.