Western Ghats

The Western Ghats rise east of Karkala and the coastal settlements of Tulu Nadu. Moist winds from the Arabian Sea bring heavy monsoon rain to their western slopes, supporting evergreen forests and streams that descend towards the coast. The hills form a steep boundary between the narrow coastal plain and the Deccan plateau. Routes through their valleys linked inland communities with ports such as Mangalore, while the high forested ridges sheltered the river sources of the region.