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Monday, April 15, 2013

Magical Monsoon and Delhi


Half way there in the challenge today.

Day 13. Letter M.




Staying in Delhi blesses you with seasons. Yes, I wrote we are blessed. Because many cities across the globe either never come out of the hot spell or are almost always under the snowing. However with global warming and environmental changes, the water compartmentalization of the seasons too around the world is getting blurred. So the summers start as early as March, monsoons go on till September-October and winters are shrinked to December-January. All said Delhi still sees all the seasons and you will always find people who have one of the seasons as their favorite and the one they hate putting up with!

So, being a true Delhiite, how could I not have my favorite?! And, given the title of the post, no prizes for guessing. I heart monsoons!

In Delhi, we are a very different lot. By the time it is June and the temperature is touching 50 degree Celsius, we pray to the One Above for rains, pray for an early monsoon. And when we see an over-clouded sky followed by a downpour, we update our Facebook status with the first rain pictures, about how the weather is so romantic that we want to go for a long drive, at that very moment all we want is a kadak masala chai with pakoras. This romance doesn’t last long though. We soon crib about the water-logging, traffic snarls at major traffic intersections, power-cuts and many other things that can possibly be blamed on the monsoon! Then, we start praying for the rains to end and winter to set in.

I agree there are problems when it rains in Delhi but the same happens in Mumbai too and Mumbaikars (atleast all those I know) love the monsoon there! My point is why to crib and sulk and blame it on the weather, when you know there is no escaping the thundering of clouds, the pitter-patter of raindrops and the water-logged roads.

All the seasons would have different emotions attached to them; monsoon is about romance and old-fashioned love. It doesn’t mean if you are single (like me) you don’t enjoy the weather. It is about feeling happy and comfortable around the familiar. The over-cast sky, unpredictable rain, the smell of earth soaked with rain, a nice song playing on radio with a coffee mug and some fried goodness in your hands, it is such a feel-good and comforting weather to be in.
 
Some pictures I took at different points of time in monsoon, almost 3 years apart:

Majestic Connaught Place on a beautiful rainy evening. View from my office situated at the 12th floor.




Rain washed India Gate.




And moi, on my birthday last year when it rained all day! Could I have asked for more?? :-)



20 comments:

  1. Clearly you are in love with Delhi and everything about it. Good to read about everything you write about Delhi :)

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  2. I guess every soul out there... has special memories of monsoon and their own town ! :)

    Something completely magical about the monsoons !!!

    Sigh I wish someday it would rain on my birthday ! :P too bad its in December ! :P

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  3. You look lovely. As a kid I lovvved the monsoons in Mumbai - the flooded streets guaranteed no school that day.

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  4. Monsoons in Delhi ... How I look forward to them !

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  5. wow!! Cool photo of you, Naina!! love it!!

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  6. Such vibrant pictures and such cheerful words ...you're so right these days we limit our happiness to just a facebook update !:)

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  7. Even me and many will be excited when it rains . I also upload the first rain pic every year :)
    Delhi rains were late but good but I remember the power grid failure and heavy rains to add to the effect last year !
    Anyway cool pics

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  8. I can see Bombay almost in the same vein simply because I love the rains. :) Loved this post Naina

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  9. Come over to Kerala some time... we have over 7 months of rains :) :)

    Bhavya
    Just Another Blog

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  10. Nice pics! I love rains but mostly from the comfort of my home! I had written a post which had a long list of why I hate rains! :D

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  11. Awesome pics. I would hate to be in a monsoon, though we get much rain here in the UK it is just a steady downpour. Great post.

    Yvonne.

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  12. I love rain and thankfully we get a lot of it in Kerala.

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  13. You are a true Delhi lover. I feel the same about my Bombay:)

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  14. Same pinch Naina...I too heart monsoon.

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  15. Love the last picture of you - you're really lapping it up, aren't you? So now I'm trying to guess when your birthday is!
    I hated the monsoons when I first moved to Mumbai but now I do love them too.

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  16. I love monsoons too. I love rains wherever I am :-) Last pic is too good! You look radiant!

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  17. I enjoyed learning more about monsoons. Lovely pictures. Hi, I am your newest follower from the A to Z challenge. I am number 528 on the list.

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  18. Cute picture of you with the umbrella, but am not a fan of ran myself. The smell after rain is of mud and I dislike that. I like warmth and sun. A-Z

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  19. I love rain and snow. Actually, I love pretty much all weather. It all inspires me in one way or another. I love all the seasons.

    #atozchallenge, Kristen's blog: kristenhead.blogspot.com

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