Which one among the following is the most plausible explanation for the location of the Thar Desert in Western India ?

The primary reason for the location of the Thar Desert in Western India is the absence of mountain barriers to intercept moisture-laden winds.

• Lack of Orographic Rainfall: Orographic rainfall occurs when mountains force moist air to rise, cool, and condense. In Rajasthan, there are no mountain ranges to the North to block the South-West Monsoon winds.
• Parallel Orientation of the Aravallis: The Aravalli Range runs from South-West to North-East, which is perfectly parallel to the Arabian Sea branch of the South-West Monsoon. Because the mountains do not obstruct the wind's path, they fail to force the air upward to cause rain.

Due to this lack of an effective geographical barrier, the monsoon winds pass over the region without shedding their moisture, resulting in the extreme aridity that characterizes the Thar Desert.