Summer Rain And Why It’s Different.

March- April is hot summer, but there’s always a relief with a few days of summer rain.

Of late the welcome summer rain has started showing it’s might. With gusty wind, powerful and sudden buildup and sheets of intense rain drops, the atmosphere is a bit scary. To make it worse, you can see and fear some bursts of thunder and lightning.

Some people called the rain, a couple of days back, a cyclone. We just managed that day to close the balcony doors and windows against some powerful wind. A few trees were uprooted in the locality.

Today it was milder and I just managed to step into the balcony to take a slow motion video of the rain over the backwaters.

In spite of all the fierceness, it’s beautiful and certainly cools things down.

But the South West monsoon in July-August is much bigger, quieter from thunder and extremely enjoyable, whether inside or outside driving.

The only prayer is that it will not bring in the floods.

Kerala Rains and Floods. Build Storm Water Drains.

Kerala, the southern most state of India is used to have one of the most disciplined weather seasons.

The monsoon, known as ‘South West Monsoon’ used to arrive first in India in the state, on the first of June. Ironically, that’s the first day of school for the new year.

It used to be somber sight to see waves of coloured umbrellas, moving along roadsides, hoping to protect the new dresses, bags and shoes of the lovely schoolchildren.

But it’s all changed now! The rains don’t arrive on June first. Worse, like this year, it took well into July for the heavens to open.

The land, people, the flora and fauna are all ready to receive and absorb various climate situations, which are very well orchestrated by the nature.

But it’s not so when the rhythm is upset. The late monsoon, when arrived in excess, upset the equilibrium.

Like one expert puts it “the total seasonal supply of rain, when arriving in just three days, make the earth a water bomb”

This is the apt definition for Urul Pottal.

And most of the losses of lives and damage during the current floods are due to the Urul Pottal.

There’s no warning systems or preventive steps available for this disaster, other than that it can occur unexpectedly in extreme rains.

Perhaps a detailed study and solutions like constructing strong storm water drains are urgently required.

Where Are You Rains

There are times when dark clouds are welcome. When an anticipated rain is delayed by well over a month.

It perhaps started as a personal preference for me liking this monsoon season very much for all the rains, but now everyone is talking about a 46% deficit in rainfall.

The huge clouds here in the photo burst, and the downpour was strong, but then it went away making occasional appearances to tempt.

But then, the stark reality is that we are solely responsible for this climate change.

No one else to blame!

Where Are The Rains! Take A Rain Check On Rains.

Monsoon starting from June 1 in Kerala has been strong usually. This year it was late by more than a week and now it seems to have gone away.

I like this South West Monsoon as it’s usually heavy and without any fierce thunder and lightning.

Last year we had excessive rains, in fact some unprecedented floods of the worst kind. Then the finding is that the floods were due to people error in releasing excess water from some 33 dams simultaneously.

The reason for the blunder is simple. The state was eyeing the rising water levels in the dams to generate extra electricity, but got frightened when the rains didn’t stop and the dams were so full and immediate release of water was required.

If rains have continued this year, the learning experience would have seen the excess water released periodically and scientifically.

Instead there’s news that the water levels are some 38% lower than normal.

And now we have the revelation, a real Apocalypse.

Some 21 major cities, mostly in India will dry out of any groundwater by 2020.

Scary indeed and the governments should take war like measures to preserve water and respect nature.

Swimming in the Rain

I was on my second lap in the pool when the heavens opened up and the heaviest rain so far in this monsoon came down.

Three of our neighbour’s school going kids also had just entered the pool. And they got out and left when the rain intensified. And I thought ‘hey guys you’re missing something’.

That’s because running out into the heavy downpour was one of the favourite childhood activities for me. The white sand layered compound of the house where i grew up was good for running and playing in the rain.

I remember, when the rain came suddenly the appropriate clothes were not available at hand, and not to miss any part of the fun, it was okay to go in without any clothes.

I remember the gene working inside us, when recently while in my nephews house the rain came suddenly, and it felt natural for us to jump out to enjoy it.

Of course, this time we went for some piece of clothe, but it just covered, barely.

It was thus natural and a pleasure for me to continue to swim in the rain. Perhaps the rain also was curious as it poured during the entire time of my 50 minuets swim.

Total Bliss!

The Rains Are Here! And It’s Beautiful

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Monsoon has arrived and it’s beautiful here. Rains in Kerala are special. That’s when the entire state become air-conditioned with pleasant weather.

That’s not all, it’s beautiful to sit and watch the sheets of water coming down from the skies.

It started the day before. There were occasional rains before that, remains of the summer rains with humidity and worse, some thunder and lightning.

And it gave way to the South West Monsoon. The transition in some 18 hours is phenomenal. The humidity has disappeared and the thunder is gone. Total bliss is ushered in.

Last year in August there were some excess rains and the state perhaps would have withstood it, but for what is assessed to be human error in storing maximum water in some 33 dams and releasing all of them together when the water level continued to rise. The after effects were sad and to be avoided forever.

Normal monsoon is very welcome. The rivers get cleaned up and I fancy several trips to the river I grew up in. And of course the beautiful drive in the rain, through the good roads in the villages.

Last evening was my swimming day and the pre shower and the pool water felt cold but it energised me.

And I have one of the best spots to watch the rain. From my balcony across the sprawling backwaters.

Sincere welcome! Come and have coffee with me, watching the rains.

When The Public Is Taken For A Ride!

“Beware of murky potholes on dug up roads”. The headlines of the leading newspaper today reads like a statutory warning.

Roads in many parts of Kochi, Kerala are dug up just before the elections in April and nobody did anything about it till now.

Apparently the election code didn’t allow repairs- B.S.

And nothing can be done now! The monsoon has started. And this headline on the newspaper is insult to injury.

Sadly the newspaper has chosen to come up with an eye catching news than to be the fourth column for voicing the plight of the innocent victims- the road using public.

Nobody clearly knows why some of the relatively good roads were dug up, not only on one side, but both sides! Some say it’s water pipes, some it’s gas connection and yet another say it’s digital installations. Perhaps they were looking for some previous installations which they have forgotten where they installed.

And there’s news that there are plans to dig through the middle of the road.

How can anyone be permitted to meddle with public property and walk away leaving the mess behind with immunity.

How can elected representatives sleep after causing this havoc to the people they are duty bound to look after.

The authorities responsible are quoted as saying that any restoration work would be after the rains, which is some three months. By then the roads will be rivers with deadly traps for people and vehicles.

Time for action! Or is the silent majority is destined to suffer in silence!