Short answers, pulled from the story.
The massive volcanic eruption occurred sixty-six million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period. This event created the Deccan Traps which consist of multiple layers of igneous rock more than one kilometer thick.
The region experiences a semi-arid climate with very little rainfall because the Western Ghats block rain-bearing winds from the Arabian Sea. Summer months of April and May are dry and hot with maximum temperatures often rising more than forty degrees Celsius.
Several dynasties including the Satavahanas of Amaravati, the Pallavas of Kanchi, the Chalukyas of Badami, and the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta ruled the region during this time. The Vijayanagara Empire later conquered most of the southern part while the Bahmani Kingdom and its successors known as the Deccan Sultanates ruled the upper portion.
After Indian Independence in 1947, the majority of the region was organized into four states: Bombay State, Hyderabad State, Madras State, and Mysore State. The Reorganisation of Indian States on linguistic lines occurred in the 1950s resulting in new state boundaries.
The Dravidian family of languages comprises approximately seventy-three languages with Telugus and Kannadigas forming major demographic groups in the central region. Marathi people who speak an Indo-Aryan language form the majority in the northwestern part while English is widely spoken in urban areas.