Monsoon
Before I moved to India, I had always read about the “monsoon” and wondered what it was all about. Constant torrential rain? Rain so hard you couldn’t go outside? Rain you might drown in? It sounded so exotic, and a little scary. Now I’ve lived here a while, and lived through the monsoon, it’s not so exotic or scary (though it’s still pretty cool).
Then occasionally comes a rain that feels like what I imagined a “monsoon” was supposed to be like. Like it’s raining right now outside my office. It looks like this.
Those buildings are basically across the street, and that patio now has three inches of standing water and getting deeper. I’m glad I’m indoors.
If you truly want to experience the monsoons, you must go to the coasts. Especially the west. It pours so hard, you cant see a thing in front of you. You are in-door bound for eternity. People stock up like for the winters. It really pours and pours hard!
Bangalore is moderate in every sense. Very nice.
The thing about rain in the west is that, just 2 minutes after the rain there is no sign that it rained. all the water drains away quickly and no slush left behind.
And ofcourse the northeast.. mausinram.. its indeed scary.. bengloor is cozy
This year, the monsoon is both late and moderate..the year I moved to Bangalore, sorry, Bengaluru, there was the highest rainfall for the century…it was every bit what you imagined about the monsoon!
Yes, we do give thanks for not being amongst those who have to be out in the rain…the monsoon is beautiful, IF one can be dry and well-fed!
like chitra said, either go to the ghats or coasts below to experience true monsoons. now that is what is called monsoon. like the Inuits and the snow, those folks have a name for rain and all its rhythms.
Hmmm … I know what three inches of water feels like. Squishy shoes.
I also know what two feet of water feels like, when a daredevil friend of yours wants to drive through a water-logged road and thinks it’s only six inches.
Make a trip to the West Coast before the monsoon ends. u will love it