Gurnoor writes on how students can connect their work in Asian Worlds to modern day monsoon events in India.
By Gurnoor Dang '28
I have been learning about the Indian geographic landscape and weather patterns in my Asian Worlds class, taught by Dr. Jason Chang—a unit which serves as a rite of passage for all College Prep students. It was eye-opening coming to understand how for centuries monsoons have sustained India by nourishing staple crops and supporting rural economies. Though, it was equally fascinating to learn how these rains have also historically brought floods that displaced communities, disrupted commerce, and spreaded disease.
Thinking about my in-class learnings, I’ve tried to think about how today, in India, monsoons continue to be a challenge. Along these lines, I found out that this year on July 31st, at least 158 people died in India due to landslides caused by monsoon rains. The most affected region was Kerala, a state in southwest India. The landslides are the worst disaster to strike Kerala since 2018, when more than 350 people were killed in massive floods. Wayanad, a hilly district in the Western Ghats mountain range, is prone to landslides during the monsoon season.
This information is exactly what we read in our history textbook. The heavy rainfall in the Western Ghats is caused by the southwest winds. Since the surrounding oceans do not heat up as quickly in the summer months as the land, the warmer air rises up over the land, allowing winds to come in from the southwest. These southwest winds are heavily laden with moisture from the Indian Ocean, so when they hit the Western Ghats, they rise up and drop their moisture. This release of moisture is what makes up western monsoon rains. Kerala's topography, with its steep slopes and numerous rivers, makes the region particularly vulnerable to flooding during periods of heavy rain. Therefore, the next step is to do some more thinking about predicting monsoon patterns so that Indian communities can better prepare for these rains and prevent the loss of human life.
Connecting the dots between classroom teaching and modern-day occurrences strengthens our understanding of underlying historical themes and allows us to do some critical thinking about theoretical concepts. This also gives us an opportunity to apply our learnings to make an impact in the world. Thanks Asian Worlds teachers!
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