Why the West coast of India receives above 400 cms of rainfall while Deccan Plateau which is not very far from the coast receives just 40-60 cms of rainfall?
The Western Ghats is a continuous mountain range that runs along the West coast of India. The rain bearing South-West monsoon winds strike the Western Ghats and cause heavy rainfall in the windward side, so Western coastal areas receive 400 cms of rainfall.
However, the Deccan Plateau lies in the rain shadow area of Western Ghats. The mountains block the rain bearing winds which causes the plateau to remain dry so it receives only 40-60 cms rainfall.