- 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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