CHERRAPUNJI, a village in the Khasi Hills district of Assam. It is notable as having the heaviest known rainfall in the world. Its annual average is 429in., but the fall varies greatly; 905in. were registered in 1861 (366in. falling in July), and only 283in. in 1873. This excessive rainfall is caused by the fact that Cherrapunji stands on the edge of the plateau overlook ing the plains, where it catches the full force of the monsoon from the Bay of Bengal.