Raindrops keep falling on my head

The much awaited Monsoon finally arrived in my part of India, last month, albeit a bit delayed. Raindrops keep falling on my head every time I step out of my house, but it is still lacking that enthusiasm to become  a heavy downpour.

The arrival of Monsoon in India means lush greenery blankets everything. The smell of the damp earth rises and seeps into your entire being and stirs a longing. The parched earth is soaked and everywhere you see the earth is welcoming this precious nectar.

I have always had mixed feelings about the Monsoon. Most people consider Monsoon to be a romantic season. 
There are things I don't like when it rains too much.

The muddy roads: It is such a pain to go walking, you always end up with muddy shoes, muddy feet, dirty clothes..I guess you got my drift

The clothes don't dry for days and they even smell if not aired properly. 

You can never wear white clothes for the fear of getting splashed with rainwater.

Everything that is crisp and crunchy goes soggy.

The FLU and runny noses. The cough and cold, and people falling ill at the drop of a hat.

Frizzy hair and unruly mane.

I miss the Sunshine terribly and I have had my fill of rains after living for 3 years in UK.

But I do love some things that are a part of Monsoons.

The air cools down after the hot Summer months.

Roasted corn on the cob, hot soup, the smell of Earth, the Greenery.

Waterfalls and lush Green hills.

Eating hot Onion Pakodas with Ginger tea.

Monsoon has its magical effect even on the leading ladies of Bollywood. It used to be compulsory in the 1990's for every heroine to get drenched in the rains wearing a white sari to entice the Hero. There are many songs about rains in our Movies and romance has been the essence of most of them.

Here is my pick of the top 20 songs.

1) Lagi aaj sawan ki phir wo - Chandni

2) Parbat se Kali Ghata Takarai - Chandni

3) Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhagi si - Chalti ka naam Gadi

4) Rimzim Gire Sawan-  Manzil

5) Badal Yun Garajta hai - Betaab

6) Choti si Kahani se - Ijaazat

7) Tip Tip barsa Pani- Mohra

8) Rijhim Rimjhim - 1942 A love Story

9) Ghanan Ghanan- Lagaan

10) Bhaage re mann kahi -Chameli

11) Hum Tum- HumTum

12) Ye Saazish hai boondo ki-  Fanaa

14) Barso re Megha - Guru

15) Boondon se Baate- Thakshak

16) Aankhon se tune ye- Ghulam

17) Ye raat bheegi bheegi- Chori Chori

18) Ab ke sajan saawan mein- Chupke Chupke

19) Ghode Jaisi chal, Hathi jaisi dum - Dil to pagal hai

20) Sawan Barse tarse dil  - Dahek            

So what do you love and hate about Monsoons, and what is your favourite rain song?

I will leave you with this wonderful song which inspired me for the title of this post :)

Enjoy.
            






Comments

  1. This year I cannot complain. I welcome the rains despite all the other hassles due to the acute water scarcity that we are facing here. But otherwise, I love the rains as long as I don't have to contend with gutters overflowing, commuting and traffic jams. Sitting inside the house, there is nothing better than a ran-splattered day. I love and hate all the things you've mentioned. And, my most favorite rain song is rim jhim gire saawan!

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  2. I too have a love hate relationship with the monsoons. I must confess I've come to like them more after 6 monsoons in Mumbai - however, I have the option of staying at home when it's raining heavily!

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  3. What an ode to the monsoons! Loved your lists of likes and dislikes and some of the songs too, though not all of them. There are many many old Hindi songs on rain, I am unable to remember them right away. I will post them when I do :)

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  4. My views exactly. Have seen the rainy season of Mumbai for 8 yrs... my God, it was terrible, if you are outdoors. Love it when you enjoy it from the comfort of your balcony/window with a cup of tea and hot snacks!

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  5. ‎'Monsoon'

    for me , right from my childhood...have been the best season ever...

    Me, being the heat and hot type body, rains always soothed my physical status after summers.


    Monsoon for me in my college days or till very recent days was .

    quickly change into a smart capris and tshirt, with open hair, calling a friend , telling her you are coming, and then a ride on a scooty and then enjoying your galli crush and then romantic chedchaads , and then stopping for a while, having corn , and then a long chat with the friends....... and just loving the stage of life..
    enthusiasm, that urge of meeting someone, having some romantic moments...few

    and now,

    scooty has changed to my small car, with romantic CD being played

    leggings are the most smart and convenient for office day in rains, so capris have changed to those.

    instead of calling a friend, calling office and telling that u r getting late....

    but....vini..things which have not changed..

    enthusiasm of the season.........freshness..greenery..

    that infinite wait for someone special......

    that endless hope of having someone just next you

    that urge of those romantic drive

    and yes.....you get closer to mother nature in this season most.

    My favourite song in this season is a very old song sung by asha , picturised on nutan

    'KALI GHATA CHAY MORA KIYA TARSAYE......

    AISE MAIN KAHI.....KOI MIL JAYE

    BOLO KISI KYA JAY RE

    KYA JAY RE
    KYA JAAAAY

    .....KALI GHATA CHAY MORA JIYA TARSAY...

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  6. The advantages of rain outweighs all other negative points I suppose.
    By the way you missed out the song from "Barsaat ki Raat" and "Chalti ka naam gadi"

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  7. I loved the rain except that my clothes just refuse to dry :P

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  8. Monsoon = Leakage = Expense = Grrrr. Generally agree with you Vinita. For me too after 3 years in UK, I cannot wait for the rains to get over with their basic function of filling water reservoirs and providing farmers with relief. Wish we could get it to rain only there. Yes rains have their moments but also have their headaches like power cut. I remember the days when the minute storm clouds first appeared each year, MSEB would promptly shut down power in anticipation of fallen branches and broken wires. Still happens but less frequently. Progress ....? Of course once in a while it is nice to chill out and watch the rain come down whilst having Kanda Bhaji or kekda bhaji as it is called in Pune

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  9. well i shud not moan , the last week has been beautiful here in uk SUNNY and warm and NO RAIN yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy but today looking out of the window as i type the comment I can see blakc clouds ....


    but still I love rainnnnnnnnnnnn and how can you forget jagjit singh's gazal yeh daulta bhi le lo, yeh shaurat bhi le lo ,


    mujhko lauta do bachpan ka sawan
    woh kagaz ki kishti woh barish ka paani




    Bikram's

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  10. Good that you love the rain else it would have been so difficult to stay in UK. I loved UK in the Summers...so pretty and warm. I was staying in Lancashire where it rained quite a bit.

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  11. Good to see you here Yateesh :) I don't hate it all that much except when the power is off and you have to fight off mosquitoes.
    I like it when I am sitting and enjoying the rain in the relative comfort of my home.

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  12. Hey Raj..so good to see you here. I agree I hate it when they are limp and damp..ughh

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  13. Hey Joe...yes I agree rains are important but they also create havoc when we have too much of it.
    Yes I just listed the ones that came at the top of my head :) There are many old songs too..

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  14. Oh wow Shraddha you are one romantic person :)
    Yes it was fun when I was younger and did not have the load of so many worries. I also got drenched in the rains and had bhutta. Now it is an inconvenience when it rains rather than being a pleasant experience...

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  15. Yes absolutely true. Mumbai rains are terrible...especially when some bridges get blocked and traffic becomes a nightmare..

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  16. Thanks Zephyr :)
    I agree there are many old songs that I have missed. I wrote the ones that were at the top of my head :)

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  17. Ah yess the famed Mumbai rains. Somehow when I was in Mumbai, I never felt the romance...I always thought it was too humid, stinky and dirty :(

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  18. I agree, even I welcome the rains as there was a near drought situation in Pune. Yeah, it is always great to see the rains sitting in your home :)

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  19. You must post some photos of a lush and green India. My impressions are limited to images of cows in the streets and great poverty. As you can see, I need an education. So educate me, please.

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  20. Oh no..that is the saddest part of all. Everyone projects India like that but India is so much more than that. I will definitely do that Jayne :) I am doing a post on that pretty soon.

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  21. Ah, you are just like me!!! And, I like all the songs that you have mentioned and "Raindrops keep falling . . ." is an eternal favourite.


    It is raining here at the moment and your post makes me just sit back and smile.


    Joy always,
    Susan

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