Geography
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What this topic is really about
The Western Ghats run parallel to the Western (Malabar) coastline of India.. The Western Ghats run continuously parallel to the western coast of India, which includes the Malabar coast, blocking moisture-laden monsoon winds.
The Krishna River originates in the Western Ghats, flows eastwards across the Deccan Plateau, and drains into the Bay of Bengal. In contrast, rivers like the Narmada and Tapti flow westwards into the Arabian Sea due to rift valleys, making them incorrect choices.
See the mechanism
The Western Ghats act as a barrier to moisture-laden monsoon winds, blocking them from reaching the western coast. Trace the diagram above to fix how the pieces of Geography fit together.
An exam-style question, fully explained
The Western Ghats run parallel to which coastline?
- Identify what the question tests: The Western Ghats run parallel to which coastline.
- The Western Ghats run continuously parallel to the western coast of India, which includes the Malabar coast, blocking moisture-laden monsoon winds.
- The Eastern Ghats, not the Western Ghats, are associated with the Coromandel coast on the eastern side of the peninsula.
- Why it matters: The Western Ghats act as a barrier to moisture-laden monsoon winds, blocking them from reaching the western coast. This is in contrast to the Eastern Ghats, which are associated with the Coromandel coast on the eastern side of the peninsula.
Traps the examiner sets
- Many people often get confused between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, and mistakenly associate the Western Ghats with the Coromandel coast.
- The Labrador Current and the Canary Current are also ocean currents in the North Atlantic, but they are cooler and do not have the same warming effect on Western Europe's climate.
- The Eastern Ghats, not the Western Ghats, are associated with the Coromandel coast on the eastern side of the peninsula.
- In contrast, rivers like the Narmada and Tapti flow westwards into the Arabian Sea due to rift valleys, making them incorrect choices.
- Option A is incorrect because the river is only officially designated as the Ganga after the confluence of the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers at Devprayag.
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