- I love rains, as long it’s not dirt roads. People skip traveling in the rainy season, but I travel to nature-friendly destinations when the monsoon comes knocking. I have visited Goa in monsoon and the Darjeeling hills twice during rains. Let me tell you, monsoon is a magical season when you spend surrounded by nature!
Shravan in Hindi and Shrabon in Bengali is a season full of hope and freshness. Just like spring, it invites green. But while spring welcomes new sprouts, Shravan or monsoon encourages growth.
One mans weeds is another man’s garden !
The three things I do when it rains
- Plan food around it.
- Plan my travel around it
- Laze and curl up with a book
In Hindu mythology, Shravan was the time when Lord Shiva swallowed Halahala. This was the poison, which appeared while the Devas and Asuras churned the oceans for Amrit! Lord Shiva was immortal and Halahala couldn’t harm him, but it did turn his throat blue. It’s because of this, he is also called, Neelkanth or the blue-throated one! The burning throat makes Lord Shiva restless and thus pouring water on the Shivalinga is a devotional ritual that is said to bless the devotee. But that’s the mythology part, in the eastern part of India.
The fun part is, Monsoon in eastern India, gives relief from the stifling hot and sweaty summers.
The Food
When I see it raining on a Sunday morning, I plan a lunch of Ilish bhaja and khichuri. When I see it rain in the evening, I run to put my kettle on for that cup of ginger tea. Onion pakoras, begun, are a staple with puffed rice for the evening snack and chai. Beguni is a typical Bengali way of frying brinjal. Thin slivers of the humble brinjal, coated with a batter of gram flour and saunf makes for some mouthwatering
The fun you can have when it rains is amazing.
The travel
When it rains swimming is super fun. We just returned from a family weekend outing in Sonar Bangla Kolaghat, and the swimming pool time was family time. The view of the Rupnarayan and the rains made for a magical and refreshing weekend. Swimming, while there was a light rain, was even better. The icing on the cake, was the fried Hilsa and ilish bhapa and rice for lunch. Life and beautiful memories are incomplete without food.’
Bengali’s have a special relationship with monsoon and all things Hilsa. When it rains I dream of traveling and ilish for lunch and a book to curl up afterward.
Watch the video of another weekend resort at Punyalakshmi Riverfront on the bank of the Ganges!
But what do I do when it rains with my child?
The power goes. There’s a puddle and we make colorful paper boats.
We try to harvest rainwater and just stare at the leaves sparkling while playing catch with the raindrops and the branches swaying. Green plants wind and rain seem to dance to imaginary music.
Finding true Love, roadside pakoras and more
You know someone loves you deeply when they get wet while trying to share his/her umbrella with you. You know the roadside pakora is mouthwatering when you see people standing under the shade and munching while waiting for the rain to stop. Do you travel when it rains?
Let me know in the comments below.
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I had two classmates (twins) at whose place I enjoyed hilsa on rainy days! Your post brought back memories of my childhood.
My love for Hilsa started in childhood too!
Monsoons are fun for me because of two main reasons-Food and Travel. I love going to areas which become lush green during monsoons.and eating fritters with hot cup of tea/coffee just takes the experience to another level.
Exactly my thoughts.
I love monsoon, it makes me happy. I too am a fan of travel during monsoon season, it just makes everything beautiful. Loved reading this.
Thank you
Yes from past two years we are going for holidays in Monsoon and it is heavenly experience.
What was the favourite destination?
Rain certainly makes me nostalgic. Nice post around rains 🙂
Thank you
O wow.. .Even I love rains… .I. enjoy getting drenched in rain with my daughter and even sailing paper boats.. .. Your post watered my mouth for beguni. ..
Yes beguni is mouth-watering!
I love rains too and enjoy things like you mentioned about food and travel, relief from summers but sometimes an overdose of rains do make me feel low.
Yes that’s a problem with many things indeed.
That’s a very interesting post! Few days back, I wrote what I did during one of those rainy days! It’s a very intriguing blog with many facets, just like you! Happy blogging to you! 🙂
What’s your favorite thing about the rainy season?
Beautifully written post. I love to visit our famous Amboli Waterfalls during the monsoons 🙂
I wish to eat Ilish someday, dad was posted to Kolkata during his Army days and he kept telling us about this famous fish 🙂
#MyFriendAlexa #vigorousreads
It’s not just famous, its amazing!
Thanks for sharing the rainy activities :)????
Gald you liked it Adi.
I seem to love monsoons after reading your post!! 🙂 otherwise all I think of traffic jams and walking in dirty puddles… ;(
Rain happens and my home craves for pakodas with chai. There are so many things to do while it rains and I like to do nothing and watch outside my window.
I loved your compilations of the things things you like to do when it rains. I personally, love to swim, but just not in rain. I hate the fact of constant pouring on my head which ultimately leads to me falling sick. Otherwise, I love indulging in eating hot maggies and Pakoras with a mast strong cup of tea.
This post just made me more craving for rain Sitting in the hot weather in UAE, i am dying to enjoy corn in rains
Oh yes, illish is a monsoon delicacy, isn’t it? And of course, pakodas and chai (or in my case coffee) make for the best monsoon snack!
This was such a fun read. We eat khichuri and ilish bhaja/dim bhaja and gulp down gallons of tea with aloor chop, peyaji and begni.
I love rains too, even better time for long romantic drives, marvel natures treasures and yes yum food and garam chai is a must 🙂
Rain is synonymous with food to me. Can you beat Khichuri and Ilish machh bhaja during monsoon?!
A woman after my own heart 😁. I too would focus on relaxing with a good book, having some excellent hot food and just enjoying the rains… Thats presently the scene here in Kerala.
Rains are synonymous with Pakoras. The! Benguni and khichuri brought back many kolkata memories. U captured the essence of rains very beautifully.
Monsoons are the time when we love to cherish the season by having some good food, getting drenched in rains and exploring the rain soaked places.
We do too! Thanks for visiting.
I like the same things like you do; food, book and a drive maybe. Lots of pakoras and a hot mug of green tea.
I don’t like rains. I feel so gloomy. I don’t go out or feel like eating when it rains!
Haha…I loved the part about Bengalis having a special relationship with the monsoons. So true! All my other Bengali friends will vouch for this.
I love the rains except for the muddy roads just like you. And I agree some places are just brilliant in monsoons- Goa and even some parts of Kerala. I went there on a trip recently and I absolutely loved it. Reading a book with a cup of hot chai is the perfect monsoon thing to do.
Even I prefer travelling in the months of September and October. Almost at the end of monsoons so that I can enjoy stunning greenery without being affected by the pouring rain.
I enjoyed reading this post and thanks for sharing.
Thank you
We don’t travel much during the rains because the ghats aren’t too safe then. However I have done Pune Bombay many times and the drive is absolutely beautiful.
I take it, if you’re swimming in the rain, you don’t get much lightning? (The rule, here, is that if it’s within 15 miles, no swimming outdoors!) I used to love walking on the beach during gentle rain showers, though. And swimming – so long as there weren’t thunderstorms nearby! That brought back some happy memories.
The photos of Sonar Bangla looks beautiful. Must be wonderful to spend time there with family. The mention of food is making my tummy grumble. Haven;t had Illish in ages.
You made my mouth water. Such delicious food to eat and who wouldn’t want rain.
Glad you had good family time, Amrita. And thank you for joining us on #WordsMatter.
Lovely suggestions of how to deal with the rains. I love your positive attitude. Unfortunately I’m not a big fan of travelling in the rains as I am petrified of flying in bad weather and my heart sinks when the plane hits an air pocket…..
I used to love making paperboats too 😛 And there is some good old charm to sipping hot tea and having garam pakoras from a roadside tea stall, during monsoons 🙂 Thanks for joining the blog hop again. Hope you have fun 🙂
I want to experience heavy rains in kerala and in north east. Except for dirty clogged roads, traveling during monsoons is fun
Wow! I like your plans about food, travel and engagement during rains. During childhood, we used to go to some 3-4 picnic spots which were beautiful during rains and visit the dam on the Chambal river. Pakodas and other spicy food were made every other day. Sadly, I follow no such traditions in my home. You have given me the inspiration, Amrita. Thanks for the nudge. 🙂
I too plan my food around the rain, and curl up with a good book 🙂 I think that’s just a calming getaway without actually getting away 😀
I love begun bhaja! What a fun way to spend a rainy day.