The monsoon evokes varied emotions and brings to mind cherished memories from childhood
There’s something Janus-like about the rain. It’s easy to be poetic at the start of the monsoon season, when summer’s grip is loosened by the first sharp showers. Take a morning after, when the earth is like a fruit cake, moist and indefinably fragrant. When the first cup of tea tastes different because it has rained overnight and that special morning light, washed clean, peeps in through the windows. When flowers, bruised and spent, lie on the tousled grass. When a large family of parrots, freshly green and vocal, wing out of the guava tree they treat as home. These reflections at the start of the monsoon season, when one can afford to be romantic about, not resigned to, the rain. Soon enough, new species of winged things, some too small to see, will be disturbed from the gardens into houses. Termites and other insects will burrow their way up in sandy channels through cracks in the floor. Garden mice, their dens flooded, will seek refuge indoors. And in most houses, incessant rain creates large patches of damp which in turn creates new, free artwork for walls and ceilings. Soon enough too, poorly maintained roads will get flooded as choked drains overflow, traffic snarls will become commonplace and the average person’s life and daily commutes to work will get totally thrown out of gear.
I grew up in a place where the rain plays a larger than average part in one’s life. The vagaries and characteristics of the south-west and north-east monsoon, quite different in character from each other became part of the fabric of everyday living, as did the ultimate accessory that ruled our lives the humble umbrella.
この記事は Eclectic Northeast の July 2016 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Eclectic Northeast の July 2016 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Time For Home Improvement!
Here are some home improvement projects that even absolute beginners will get right
Coping With Anxiety
Here are a few ways that you can deal with anxiety that you may be feeling because of the on-going pandemic
The Spread Continues
According to official reports, African Swine Fever has killed more than 1,700 pigs in Mizoram
Take the Unexplored Path
If you are looking for an underrated destination to explore this year, plan a trip to the charming town of Likabali
The Lotus Blooms Again
The Congress-led grand alliance bites dust in Assam as BJP retains power again in 2021
Painting Heritage
An up-and-coming artist from Nagaland wants to share his culture and heritage through works of art
MUSINGS OF A SOLDIER: TIT-BITS
People often ask me about my life out of uniform. Honestly, I have had no problems. Not so far. Instead, I find it quite refreshing. No routine, no parades, no briefing, no impending operations. Having donned the uniform since the age of thirteen until I hung up my boots last year, could I ever visualize life out of uniform? Not really. But, as I said, the transition has been quite smooth–no hang-overs, no regrets. People have been very positive in their interactions. Government departments have been responsive whenever I have approached for assistance.The genuine respect for the uniform is quite evident and it makes my heart swell with pride. Arunachal, to that extent, is the most nationalistic state in the country, I daresay. It has been kind of a revelation for me to experience the freedom of being a common man in an environment of positivity!
Look Good, Feel Good!
Here are four cruelty-free makeup brands that deserve a spot in your vanity bag
Face-to-Face With Conflict
In ‘Bulletproof: A Journalist’s Notebook on Reporting Conflict’, award winning journalist and author Teresa Rehman shares her experience of reporting from a conflict-ridden region
Bringing the Family Together
Tabletop games will encourage your family to take some time away from the screen and reconnect with each other
