(Image credits – Pinterest)
The season of monsoon beginning from the first week of June and extending till September gives us immense relief from the harsh and hot summers. The rains are welcomed by one and all, giving relief to our parched souls and soil of the Indian subcontinent.
sulag sulag jaaye mann,
bheege aaj is mausam mein
lagi kaisi yeh agan”
One of the most memorable Hindi film songs signifying the season of monsoon, sung by Kishore Ji and Lata Ji, perfectly depicts the spirit of monsoon.
To start with, the dark clouds relieve us from the blistering sun and then pour out the drizzle to drench us and quench our thirst, which we all, including the flora and the fauna had been longing for.
The monsoon season is the lifeline of the Indian farmers. Apart from turning the scorched land into lush green everywhere, there begin the festivities in all parts of the country.
Boost to the Farmers
Around 50-60% of the Indian population (directly or indirectly) depends upon the agricultural sector, and currently, it contributes around 18% to the country’s GDP.
So it’s mostly the farmers, 82% of them being small and marginal, who wait anxiously and pray for the good monsoon each year, for their livelihood.
Stunning Landscape
During the monsoon, the entire dry land turns into a beautiful landscape. India is blessed with lush green forests, valleys, breathtaking waterfalls, lakes, and the grandest of mountains.
The scenic beauty of the regions of the Western Ghats, Kerala waterways, and the unexplored North-East is captivating. This accelerates the tourist flow even in this season, apart from the winters.
Incredible Wildlife
Monsoon offers a celebration for wildlife, covering all the species of insects, reptiles, mammals, and birds, brimming with life.
The awesome Indian wildlife turns out to be a treat, for the nature enthusiasts, in all the forested areas in our country. In a way, a good monsoon also helps to maintain the ecological balance.
Monsoon Festivals
Come monsoon, and there are a plethora of festive activities to be seen, in every nook and corner of our country. Different states follow different and unique traditions of their own.
Particularly during the holy month of ‘Shravan’ in July, people not just worship the Gods, but also sing, dance and give away feasts, to welcome the rains. The rainy days stretch from ‘Ganeshotsav’, to sometimes up to ‘Navratri’ in October.
Monsoon Shopping
Go to any market and mall during monsoon, anywhere in India, and you will always find most of the shops offering little to huge discounts on sales, to attract the customers.
Mostly it is a clearance sale in this season, before bringing in fresh stocks before ‘Diwali’. People have a gala time while indulging in festive shopping.
Common Traits
Just look around and you will spot the most common habits among people, unique to this season only.
Children love to slide away paper boats in the streaming waters; youth loves to take part in all kinds of outdoor sports as well as dance in the rain; housewives dish out hot ‘pakodas’ in the kitchen; poets pen down a few lines about romance; musicians compose some amazing notes, especially based on Raag ‘Megh-malhar’, and so on.
Apart from humidity, we all feel the lovely breeze flowing now and then, which charges us up for the entire day. This season urges us to rejuvenate ourselves, start a new venture, or just do about anything with a refreshing outlook. Such is the magic of monsoon. Such is the sound of rain…
