Western Ghats

The Western Ghats rise sharply east of Bombay and the Konkan coast, forming the edge of the Deccan plateau. Monsoon winds bring heavy rain to the western escarpment, and rivers run down through valleys towards the Arabian Sea. The hills around Nashik contain the sources of eastward-flowing rivers as well, including the Godavari near Trimbak. Passes across the range linked coastal ports with inland towns, while hill forts watched over several of these approaches.