PALGHAT GAP

major break in the Western Ghats mountain range, in southwestern India. Located between the Nilgiri Hills (north) and the Anaimalai Hills (south), it is about 20 miles (32 km) wide and straddles the KeralaTamil Nadu border, serving as a major communication route between these two states. Highways and rail lines through the gap connect Palghat in Kerala with Coimbatore and Pollachi in Tamil Nadu. Palghat Gap also influences southern India's climate; the southwest monsoons as well as storms from the Bay of Bengal cross the mountains through the opening.