The Western Ghats (Sahyadri mountains) are mountain ranges in the west of peninsular India. They run north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau and separate the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The range starts near the border of Gujarat and Maharashtra, south of the Tapti River and runs approximately 1600 km through the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala ending at Kanyakumari, at the southern tip of the Indian peninsula.
About sixty percent of the Western Ghats is located in the state of Karnataka.
The area is one of the world’s eight Hottest biodiversity hotspots. The Western Ghats are mountains formed by the faulted edge of the Deccan plateau. They are believed to have been formed during the break-up of the super continent of Gondwana some 150 million years ago. The Western Ghats constitute one of the 25 global hotspots of biodiversity with an array of unique plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.
The Western Ghats extend from the Satpura Range in the north, go south past Goa, through Karnataka and into Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The major hill range starting from the north is the Sahyadhri (the benevolent mountains) range. This range is home to many hill stations like Matheran, Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Kudremukh and Kodagu. The range is called Sayadri in northern Maharashtra and Sahya Parvatam in Kerala.
The Biligirirangans southeast of Mysore in Karnataka, meet the Shevaroys (Servarayan range) and Tirumala range farther east, linking the Western Ghats to the Eastern Ghats. In the south the range is known as the Nilagiri malai in Tamil Nadu. Smaller ranges, including the Cardamom Hills and the Nilgiri Hills, are in northwestern Tamil Nadu. Nilgiri Hills is home to the hill station Ootacamund. The Western Ghats in Kerala is home to many tea and coffee plantations. The major gaps in the range are the Goa gap, between the Maharashtra and Karnataka sections and the Palghat Gap on the Tamil Nadu/Kerala border between the Nilgiri Hills and the Anaimalai Hills.
The languages spoken along these regions are, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Konkani, Malayali and English
Climate in the Western Ghats varies with altitudinal gradation and distance from the equator. The climate is humid and tropical in the lower reaches tempered by the proximity to the sea. Elevations in the north and in the south have a more temperate climate. In some parts temperature touches the freezing point during the winter months. The coldest periods coincide with the wettest in these parts. Tropical cotton for summer and Woolen for winter is recommended clothing.
All foreign visitors are required to carry a passport valid at least for 6 months. Special restrictions apply to Pakistani and Afghan nationals. It is always advisable to make photocopies of important documents such as passport, visa and air tickets. They will be required in case the originals are lost.
As the Western Ghats comprises of quite a few states, it its best to check the nearest place of connectivity to move around from as almost all the states have good connectivity to the rest of the country by air rail and road routes. Mumbai, a prime metro of the country comes under the Western Ghats and is comfortably connected nationally and internationally to major prime destinations, domestically and internationally.
Local Transport:
The most common mode of local transport is taxis and auto-rickshaws.
Auto rickshaws are an important and frequently used mode of transport throughout. It is a convenient and comfortable way of traveling. Taxis are another popular means of transport. One can book the taxis for the required period of time from Private as well as government recommended operators.
Buses are one of the most popular public transports in the country with Government as well as private operators running and providing good services.
There are some beautiful dotted hill stations and beautiful cities set amidst the Western Ghats, which make for a perfect holiday destination. Few of them are Goa, Mumbai, Cochin, Manglaore, Coorg, Vythiri, Matheran, Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Kudremukh and Kodagu.
The nearby States to the Western Ghats are: Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Tamilnadu.
The Western Ghats make for adventurous, exciting and refreshing holidays. It is certainly a suggested to-visit place in India.
