Barso re Megha!

As the fury of the rains tapers down to a drizzle, friends share their monsoon memoirs with SHWETA

Regional rainy revels

News from the west coast of Kerala and Karnataka is that the monsoon has once again graciously blessed these states in full swing. If you NRIs are already making plans to visit India during the monsoon, there are some serene places to consider. Take Chikmaglur for instance. Visit the hills of Bababudangiri, Mullayyanagiri and Kemmanngundi as they remain covered in mist for three months. See Ayyanakere, a large lake just outside the town at the base of the tallest hill in Karnataka. Feel the wet weather of Malnad region, see its foggy hills, gushing streams the green vistas.

The monsoon at Jog Falls, India’s tallest waterfall, is in its element now. Fog and rains play with the views of the waterfall, making it disappear and re-appear every few minutes. The waterfall is reduced to a trickle for most of the year, but it returns to its glory in the monsoons.

Monsoon in Coorg. It is usually raining heavily here, a sight to be seen. All you have to do is drink coffee, eat delicious food and sit in the balcony with a book, watching the rains come down. It’s what makes a perfect holiday.

Monsoon in Cherrapunjee. It was once the place that held the world record for highest annual precipitation. The charm remains.

If all this isn’t enough to entice you to visit the motherland during the rainy season, visualize the atypical monsoon staple - chai-pakoras combined with a hot cup of cardamom infused tea. See you soon.

Arun, Bangalore

Showers of blessings

Sirohi Gupta

I’m very much in love nowadays. With the monsoon rains, that is. These days, I’m not really in the mood for poetic or deeply thoughtful writing. Simply because I have to tackle a dreadful combination of weekly and monthly work deadlines. Grrrrr! But I needed the effects of magical rain to make me feel good, specially the showers in Khandala and aamchi Mumbai! The good thing is that us Mumbaikars have finally got some good rains. This time the monsoon was truly delayed and even when it did rain, it was just too little. But, no complaints now! The rain gods are no longer miserly.

Along with Mumbai, Khandala is also cloudy and pleasant, and the temperatures are just perfect. The greenery is lush, and there is lot of life and activity in nature. Paddy fields have young saplings that form a carpet of green on the surface of the earth. Streams are flowing, full of water. It can’t get more beautiful. My fiancé gave me a lovely birthday surprise by driving us to Khandala and we stopped only at the typical desi tea stall where the roof leaks straight into the boiling milky potion of monsoon flavored tea. Of course, kanda bhaji aka onion pakoras and bhutta (roasted corn cobs) completed the ‘High Tea’ experience.

I used to hate Mumbai rains because of all the inconvenience, getting drenched and my clothes splattered with mud. I still hate that. But somehow my take on rains and monsoon has slightly changed. It is quite a beautiful and if I may say so, romantic season. The grass looks greener. The trees look lush. It is the season to let loose and enjoy. The traffic jams and water logging remain, but somehow now I have begun to appreciate how beautiful nature is during the rains. In hindsight, too bad we Mumbaikars didn’t get to see the solar eclipse because of the clouds.

Darshi, Mumbai

Singing of the rain

The monsoon is my most awaited and favourite season of the year, like most Mumbai-wallas. It makes everyone feel rejuvenated and not to forget, a little romantic too. I’m sitting in my open balcony, breathing in what we always knew as the aroma of wet earth. The plants in the balcony are no longer limp and weary with the heat. The trees down below are bright green, looking fresh. Yes, the monsoon has arrived. Finally, thankfully!

And so, to celebrate my most favourite season Bollywood style, I will tune in to some of my favourite monsoon songs from the ‘black and white’ era. These are classic songs about the monsoon, about clouds, rain and cooling breezes. They evoke a longing for rain and they rejoice in the welcoming of the rain. That’s why I love to listen to O sajna…barkha bahar aayi, ras ki phuhar layi, ankhiyon mein pyar layi; Zindagi bhar nahi bhulegi wo barsaat ki raat; Ek ladki bheegi-bhaagi si, soti raaton mein jaagi si;

Barssat mein, hum sey miley tum sajan tum sey miley hum, barsaat mein and finally, Pyar hua ikraar hua hai pyar sey phir kyun darta hai dil

Monsoon tours are now becoming a popular activity, so why not plan a trip back home during the rains? India’s waiting and so are we…

Leena, Mumbai

Fascinating falls

The deficit rainfall in northern parts of India has been bad news so far this year. What started as a slow and perceived deficient rainfall even in southern India, especially coastal Karnataka and Goa, ended up being surplus by mid-July. Although late, copious rains have filled the State’s reservoirs. I witnessed heavy rainfall in coastal Karnataka, Goa and the western Ghats during my travels this monsoon. I encountered swollen lakes and rivers, broken embankments and general flooding all over the coastal areas between the Western Ghat mountains and the Arabian Sea.

I took a short, well-deserved break and the plan was to leave Mysore early in the morning to reach Jog Falls, India’s tallest waterfall, by lunchtime. After a couple of hours there, we would leave for Goa and arrive the same evening. Jog Falls is best seen when the monsoon fury is tapering and the Linganamakki dam over the Sharavathi River is full. Jog Falls is also the highest plunge waterfall in India, falling from a height of about 829 feet. My trip was in the middle of the monsoon and so what I saw was quite a spectacle, but the Falls were still not at the maximum flow of water. What was mesmerizing was all the mist created by the water falling from such a great height. Clouds of heavy mist would drift in and out, occasionally blanking out the view of the falls and their surrounding hills completely, and then vanishing mysteriously. There was intermittent drizzle from the rain, nothing that drenched us, but enough to create a magical atmosphere overall. It’s no wonder male and female leads in masala Indian movies break out into song and dance routines in such locales, the environment makes anyone want to sing and dance! But I wouldn’t try it, having been born with a mediocre voice and two left feet.

Raghupati Raghav Rajaram, Patiti Pavan Sitaram

We have years of experience in organizing funeral services of various religious and cultural faiths. We now extend our services to Indian / Hindu/Sikh community all around Sydney under the able guidance of Indian/ Hindu Priests from various Hindu Temples and Sikh Gurudwaras of Sydney.

We offer the following services:

1. Provide Hindu Priest, Gyanji for performing last rites.

2. Perform cremation under the guidance of Priest (Pandithji / Gyanji).

3. Offer free boat service for the immersion of Ashes “Asthi Visarjan.” Our boat can carry maximum of 20 people. (Conditions Apply) www.australianfuneralservices.com.au

4. We organize the repatriation of the ashes to India.

Australian Funeral Services will give family and friends the final opportunity to farewell their loved one in a Dignified and respectful Ceremony. At present we have three funeral parlours in Sydney. We can assist in meeting funeral costs via our various payment plans.