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Brightly coloured umbrellas unfurl and Nature takes off her dusty jacket to flaunt her fresh green cloak. The air is filled with a unique symphony. A symphony, which is a mingled measure of the sounds of children frolicking in the rain, the pitter-patter of the raindrops on open umbrellas and the gleeful screams of raindrops as they splash into the puddles and the world around you.
Take a look around and you will see the way life has donned new colours. The cheerful colours of the freshly laundered surroundings, the greenery, the multicoloured paper and wooden boats that kids unleash onto puddles of rainwater, motorists and daily commuters in colourful raincoats, the happy, flushed faces of a couple huddled together under an umbrella, children screaming with delight as they play football in the rain, office goers standing in the cold rain relishing piping hot tea and snacks from roadside eateries and many more.
In Kerala, monsoon is not a time when life comes to a standstill. Rather, this is the time when life begins. Here, the monsoon comes with an attitude and character. At times, it pours steady and strong and on others, it appears to be quite coy. With interludes of sunshine, the magic is complete. The pure delight of seeing the sun peek out from behind a pregnant raincloud to bathe the land below in a swath of golden warmth while every bit of Nature stands drenched is something that needs to be experienced to be understood.
Monsoon is also the time during which Ayurvedic rejuvenation treatments are considered to be most effective. As nature recoups with the rains, the atmosphere remains dust-free and cool, opening the pores of the body to the maximum, making it most receptive to herbal oils and therapies.
The most romantic of seasons, the monsoon is an ideal time to enjoy a hot cup of coffee with a loved one, while the rain outside croons melodies. It is one of those little things that tend to touch your heart in a deep, profound way.
Kerala has mainly two rainy seasons. The southwest monsoon that arrives in the month of June is called Idavapathy (June-July). Idavam is a month as per the Malayalam calendar and pathy means halfway. Since the rains arrive by the middle of Idavam it is called Idavapathy. And the northeast monsoon makes its appearance in October-November that coincides with the Malayalam month of Thulam and takes the name of Thulavarsham (varsham means rain).
The monsoons in Kerala offer a different understanding to each traveller. It is almost like each spell of the rain sings a different song to each person.
In God’s Own Country, the monsoon is not just a season. It is an experience.
