The correct answer is option 1: Western Ghats. The Western Ghats is a mountain range located along the western coast of India. It runs parallel to the Arabian Sea and extends for about 1,600 kilometers (990 miles) from Gujarat in the north to Tamil Nadu in the south.
The Western Ghats act as a barrier for the southwest monsoon winds coming from the Arabian Sea. These winds bring moisture and precipitation to the Indian subcontinent during the summer months, known as the monsoon season. As the monsoon winds hit the Western Ghats, they are forced to rise, causing the air to cool and condense, leading to heavy rainfall on the windward side of the mountains.
Therefore, the Western Ghats receives the first monsoon in summer as the monsoon winds hit it first before reaching other parts of India. This rainfall is vital for the region`s ecosystems, agriculture, and water resources. It also contributes to the high biodiversity found in the Western Ghats, making it one of the world`s hotspots of biodiversity.