Weather. Rain. मौसम| Lots Of It.

Monsoon. It has a looming and frightening ring to it, doesn't it? I couldn't have picked a better time to go to India. Just a hint of sarcasm there.

This season has been notoriously associated with floods in urban cities, wiping out villages, destroying crops, creating health issues and sickness, and more importantly, causing many deaths. Well, this is for the most part true, but there are some positive sides to this feared rain.

First, a little background on what exactly monsoon really is:

Monsoon, or मौसम (pronounced mausam in Hindi), means weather, and usually begins around June 1 lasting until September. The first state to get hit with the rains is the southern state of Kerala, making its way north to Maharastra and then Delhi by the end of June. The entire country is saturated with rain by July. The rains build up over time slowly, and when the downpour hits with intensity and vigor, that is the official monsoon announcement for wherever it is.

After the monsoon has made its appearance known with booming thunder, piercing lightning, and chaotic rain, the weather begins to calm down by producing rain that lasts a couple hours here and there. The sun can come out one minute and then be hidden by dark clouds the next. The humidity levels begin to rise during this time.

There are places that receive more rain than others such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Darjeeling, and Shillong. The last two that are listed get some of the most rains in the world because they are located in the Himalayas and get so much moisture from the Bay of Bengal.

From what I have read traveling during monsoon in India can have its perks. The lands are lush, vibrant, and green throughout the country. A good monsoon means that farmers will have plentiful crops to harvest once the season is over. The country is often hot during the other parts of the year, and heavy rain provides water to many communities. Many people travel to other cities to get fresh water and this can be deadly because of the heat.

Whats even better is that so many communities have holidays and festivities that are just for the monsoon season. For example, Teej celebrates the onset of the monsoon and all the great things it will bring for India in the coming months. There is also Aadi Perukku that is celebrated by the Tamil people which basically pays homage to various water properties in India such as lakes, rivers, wells, water basins, and where ever the water level rises.
When I've told people who have been to India the months I will be there they all have gasped! and remind me to be safe. It seems pretty crazy, but I am not scared just nervous to experience it. The way I look at it I have been living in a state that is known and associated with having loads of rainy days throughout the year. It's really not that bad. Who wouldn't love all the green that Oregon has to offer? I think I can manage just fine. Although, there is the humidity and that can be dreadful. To help prepare myself I just reflect on the fact that I lived a majority of my life in the central valley of California where temperatures can reach the 100s on a daily basis and average temps of 90 degrees is just the norm. I can deal with it. No prob. No pain, no gain.

Monsoon is definitely something to look forward to as part of my experience.