Unity and diversity of the monsoon climate
Topic: Climate of India and the Monsoon · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 4 "Climate"
Meaning
The whole of India follows one monsoon rhythm: hot dry months, then rain, then a cool dry season. That is the unity. Within this shared rhythm, regions differ sharply in temperature, daily range and rainfall. That is the diversity.
Western Rajasthan can reach 55°C, while the area around Leh can fall to −45°C. The daily range (the gap between day and night temperatures) is only 7-8°C in Kerala and the Andamans. In the Thar Desert it can be 50°C by day and 15-20°C at night. Rainfall goes from over 1,080 cm at Mawsynram and Cherrapunji to under 9 cm at Jaisalmer. These contrasts explain why farming, housing and water use differ so much across India.
Example
Churu in Rajasthan can touch 50°C on a June day, while Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh reaches only 19°C. On a December night, Drass in Ladakh can be at −45°C while Chennai stays at 20-22°C. Tura in the Garo hills of Meghalaya can get Jaisalmer's ten-year rainfall in a single day.