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Field stratigraphy, sedimentology and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating have been used to reconstruct the southwest monsoon variability in the semi-arid region of southern India during the late Holocene. Facies architecture and OSL dating of the water-lain sediment suggest prevalence of a weak hydrological regime around 3 ka. Following this, a progressive strengthening of monsoon occurred till 2 ka. After 2 ka and until 1 ka fluvial activity was nearly dormant, indicating weakening of the monsoon. Presence of high-magnitude flood deposits, overbank sedimentation and pedogenesis during 1-0.6 ka indicate intensification of the southwest monsoon in the basin. The onset journal of Quaternary Science of aridity was associated with episodic storm surge events that are manifested in the pond sedimentation and localised aeolian accretion. This phase is bracketed between 0.5 ka and 0.2 ka. A renewed phase of monsoonal activity was observed in the form of floodplain aggradation between 180 and 90 years ago. In the past 70 years no significant change in the monsoon performance has been observed. Copyright (C) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.