In love of monsoons, ‘malpuas’ and ‘pakoras’

For years, I have been in the habit of sitting out in the veranda of my house early morning and being in the company of mother nature.

Come hail, rain, storm, summer or winter, my routine is never missed. The lure of air conditioner in the summers, the warmth of quilt in the winter or any other reason does not stop me from coming out of my room.

An invisible force drags me out of my bed and brings me out. At times, laziness does overpower me, but after a few minutes, I spring up again.

Very few people are aware of our Vikrami calendar these days. But I always keep a track of it. According to our family tradition, every Sankranti (first day of the month) pooja is performed, prasad (halwa) made in the kitchen and then anything else follows. This is how we Indians welcome our new month. Deep inside, I have a feeling of fulfilment when our old ‘parampara’ is followed.

Of all the months, I look forward to ‘Saavan’, also known as ‘Shravan’, which in Sanskrit means to listen. This is the month of incessant rains, which keeps you indoors. Our ancestors and sages could have been listening to the scriptures during this month.

Our ancient knowledge is so precise and perfect that all phenomena of nature, including turning of days and nights, rising of moon and its decline and changing of seasons, are all stunningly logical.

But for me, ‘Saavan’ has a different meaning. It is listening to the nature. Nature that gives us a hundred and one opportunities for listening. I think the best sound one hears is the ring of raindrops on your window panes. It gives me an ethereal pleasure when I hear them and watch them as well.

The sound of rising tides in the ocean is also awesome. The sound of leaves dripping with rain drops, the splash of water when you walk barefoot on the grass while it is raining, the chirping of birds and buzzing of insects — it all adds up to the beauty of this season.

I have observed that whenever the sky is overcast with clouds, one’s mood also changes. Howsoever gloomy you may be, the sight of rain and clouds make you feel cheerful. Without any rhyme or reason, you start humming some lyrics which are close to your heart.

To crown it all, the craving flavour of a hot cup of tea or coffee along with ‘pakoras’ makes it a sublime day and you have the urge to have it more and more.

In North India, ‘malpua’ is a special delicacy to be savoured along with so many other varieties of sweets.

Your spirits soar high while enjoying every moment of ‘Saavan’ as fun and frolic are associated with this month.

Sitting on a ‘jhoola’ (swing) is an integral part of this season. We used to enjoy the swing of a long rope tied with a strong tree. How can I even count the blessings of this month?

I feel ‘Shravan’ month caters to all five senses — smell (first raindrops on the earth), sight (myriad hues of nature), sounds (which I referred to earlier), taste (all the seasonal delicacies) and touch (the feeling of fresh raindrops on your skin). So, hail ‘Saavan ka Maheena.’ Enjoy every precious drop of rain and don’t forget to munch those ‘pakoras’ with

‘kadak chai’. After all the weather calls for it!