Which one of the following places does not fall on leeward slope?

The leeward slope, or rain-shadow area, is the side of a mountain range sheltered from prevailing winds, resulting in significantly lower precipitation [3]. In the context of the Western Ghats, moisture-laden Arabian Sea winds strike the windward (western) side, causing heavy rainfall in coastal plains and mountain slopes [2]. Mangaluru is located on the Western Coastal Plain, making it a windward station that receives high rainfall [2]. Conversely, Pune and Bengaluru are situated on the eastern side of the Western Ghats, placing them in the rain-shadow or leeward region [2]. Leh is located in the Trans-Himalayan region, which lies in the rain-shadow of the Great Himalayas, making it a high-altitude cold desert on a leeward slope. Therefore, Mangaluru is the only city among the options that does not fall on a leeward slope.

Sources

1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 24: Hydrological Cycle (Water Cycle) > Orographic Rainfall > p. 339
2. [3] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 14: Climate > Rainfall > p. 137
3. [2] INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Climate > Monsoon Winds of the Arabian Sea > p. 35