Rain is grace; rain is the sky descending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life." - John Updike
Birds, animals, plants and humans - especially farmers, wait with bated breath and count the days till the rainy season. The entire planet seems to come to life when the first monsoon shower graces the city! The monsoon season chases away the unsurpassable heat of the summer season and provides respite to the parched Earth.
The phenomenal scent of petrichor emanates from the leaves and grass. The delighted birds sing in their mellifluous voice and the peacock spreads its vibrant feathered-wings to dance. The ‘chataka’ or the pied cuckoo that only drinks rainwater directly from the sky, migrates to places where it might rain, indicating to the farmers that it would rain soon.
Farmers pray to the rain God - Lord Indra. Tribal farmers perform rituals of lying on the ground with sticks in their hands outside the Shiva Temple in Ranchi as a prayer for a good harvest and health!
The villagers wait impatiently, enduring every excruciating second until the first drop of water falls onto their land. Unlike the city-dwellers who get a constant supply of water throughout the year, the villagers go days without water, due to water scarcity in the rural areas. They depend on rain to replenish their seasonal rivers and wells to quench their thirst. This is portrayed in the movie ‘Lagaan’ where the entire village hit by a drought, rejoices in utter happiness when it finally rains.
The rainy season is a boon not only to birds, farmers and villagers but also to natural vegetation. The plant life seeks respite from the scorching heat and joyfully absorbs the much needed water provided to it. They look invigorated with bright green leaves and sway to the tunes of the wind.
Crops grown during the rainy season in India (Kharif crops) include rice, jowar, bajra, paddy, maize, and cotton plants. India, having an agrarian economy, receives adequate rainfall, due to its convenient geographical location, making it an exporter of various crops.
This is why the monsoon-showers not only shower India with water but also showers it with respite, joy, prosperity and growth!
The rainy splendor
Sources of Information:
Robinage Newspaper, issue June 1 to 15, for information about the chataka
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