“This is the breadbasket of India,” Grandfather said. “The soil is rich, the rivers are many, and the rhythm of seasons feeds a billion people.” “And don’t forget the little pockets,” he added. “In parts of Punjab and Himachal, we have a Mediterranean-like climate—mild, wet winters and dry summers. In the rain-shadow areas of the Western Ghats, we have Semi-Arid climate, where scrub forests thrive on just a few inches of rain.”
Meera imagined a place where winter temperatures dropped to minus thirty degrees. Snow covered the mountains for most of the year. Here, the climate was . Only the hardiest shrubs, junipers, and wildflowers survived. The air was thin and dry. People wore thick gonchas (woolen robes) and relied on the short, cool summer to grow barley. types of climate in india
“This is the climate most Indians know,” Grandfather said. “It teaches patience. You work hard in the cool winter, you endure the summer, and you celebrate when the rain finally comes.” “Now, go west, to Jaisalmer,” he whispered. “This is the breadbasket of India,” Grandfather said
Meera shivered, then suddenly felt sticky and hot. She imagined the climate of the Western Ghats and the northeastern states. Here, it rained almost every day for eight months. The air was heavy with humidity. Giant ferns, orchids, and towering trees formed a green roof that never let sunlight touch the ground. Elephants, hornbills, and lion-tailed macaques lived in this perpetual steam bath. In the rain-shadow areas of the Western Ghats,
“This is where our rivers are born,” Grandfather said. “The snow and glaciers melt slowly, feeding the Ganga and the Indus. Without this frozen crown, the rest of India would be a desert.” “Now, close your eyes,” he continued. “Jump from the ice to the wettest place on Earth—Mawsynram in Meghalaya.”
Meera felt a blast of hot wind. The ground was sand and rock. Trees were almost absent—only dry, thorny bushes and the hardy khejri tree survived. This was the climate. Daytime temperatures soared past 50 degrees. Nights were freezing cold. Rain was a myth, sometimes not falling for two or three years.
“That is our story,” Grandfather said. “And every year, the monsoon winds tie it all together. They leave the ocean, cross the burning deserts, climb the icy mountains, and pour life into every river and field. India is a land of extremes, Meera. But that is what makes it beautiful.”