The Western Ghats - Super-Region

The Western Ghats Super-Region - Overview

The geological Hill and Coastal Regions of the West flank of the Dakshina Bharata Plateau, high in precipitation.


Malaya was the original name for "the Western Ghats" as a whole though has long since been unapplicable. The hills of the north half are geologically somewhat different called the Sahyadri inhabited by Konkani people, while the South half remained the Malaya and inhabited mostly by Malayalam speaking people. The junction between the 2 is Kannada-Tulu speaking. Thus "the Western Ghats", name given by the British may be the only name which can correctly describe the entire super-region. Malaya (the Western Ghats) is the origin of the names Malayalam (language),: Malay - the (Malay) people and language of all of "Malay"sia and Indonesia.




The Western Ghats Super-Region - Basic Overview








Regions of the Western Ghats Super-Region

Konkan - Region

Malnad - Karavali - Region

Malaya Nadu - Region

Ethnically, Linguistically, Geologically and Historically : the Purna Hills in the North and Gomantak in the South is the extant of Konkan, Gomantak and the river Payasvini the extant of Malnad-Karavalli, and the Payasvini river and Kanyakumari the extant of Malai Nadu.
It can be noticed that Malnad is the same word as Malai Nadu with the removal of "y", and both being "Malaya" as described in the introduction.

While the North and South portions of the Western Ghats - Super-Region are mostly homogeneous the central part is geologically and ethnically divided into 2 distinct Regions, the Coastal and the Upland. A word/term in reference to both of them together does not seem to exist - therefore the combined term Malnad-Karavali:

Languages of the Western Ghats Super-Region

Konkan Region - Konkani and Marathi

Malnad-Karavali Region - Tulu, Kannada and Kodavu

Malai Nadu Region - Malayalam and Tamil