History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v4.c59.s1.1

v4.c59.s1.1

The dominating feature of the Deccan land is the Western Ghat or Sahyadri range, forming a towering wall along the entire western edge of the peninsula. Between the Ghats and the Indian Ocean lies a long narrow strip of land of varying breadth, called Konkan (between Bombay and Goa) and Kanara (south of Goa.) It is an area of certain and heavy rainfall,—from 100 to 120 inches in the year,—with rice for the predominant crop, and dense mango-groves, plantain orchards and coconut-palms adding to the beauty of the landscape and the wealth of the inhabitants. Here the districts of Thana, Kolaba and Ratnagiri (with the State of Savant-vadi),—a total area of over 10,000 miles,—are now predominantly Marathi-speaking.