Six ways to enjoy The Monsoon Mania in Mangalore!

The wet season is here and the endless pitter-patter seems to be preventing all of us from getting out of the comforts of our cozy beds! It has been pouring for almost 2 weeks now! Indeed it is a relief from the harsh heat which has been haunting Mangalore for several months now. If you are planning to come to Mangalore and stay for a considerable period then I suggest you be prepared for the heat and the rain. We all know that the Indian subcontinent has a varied type of climate and Mangalore is under the direct influence of the Arabian Sea branch of the Southwest monsoons – too much nerd talk? In short, you cannot escape the rains. Whether you like it or not, you are stuck with it my friend! The dictum around here is that ‘there is no point in carrying an umbrella’, you are doomed to get drenched anyways!

So, here are some ways in which we enjoy this crazy monsoon weather!

• Let it all go:  Stressed about college?  Frustrated by the large amount of books piling up on your desk? Well what are you waiting for? Throw away that umbrella of yours and get drenched! Make sure you are not the only person jumping around in the rain. Invite your friends and have fun jumping in the pools of muddy water , staring at the weird rainbow patterns in the  reflective puddles of water and simply enjoy the falling raindrops!

• Observe your surroundings:  Sounds boring? Well you don’t know what you’re missing. When you’re walking back from college just take a look around you. People trying to dodge getting splashed by vehicles, kids jumping from one place to the other trying to avoid the puddles , some using their umbrellas as a shield and of course, the carefree attitude of some people who just walk freely in the rain! I feel that during monsoons people of all ages evoke their superpowers within them since everyone seems to have their own way of tackling it although some may make it look like pure slapstick comedy!

• Food and drinks: Now this one is simple. While it’s raining, find a window with a good view and sip a hot cup of coffee. You will find yourself in a serene place and you have my word for it. Or turn into a temporary glutton and eat your heart out! And besides the heat generated by your body will keep you warm. Finally, have a cone of ice cream. Ice cream in cold weather you say? Well the joy of that, you have to find out for yourself!

• Hit up the canteen: The new and improved canteen in KMC seems to have caught the eye of almost everyone. Moreover, I feel that the whole set up is in such synchrony with the Mangalore weather. The coffee-tea counter during the rainy season and the cold juice counter during the tormenting hot days even though both are open throughout the year!

• What to wear and what not to wear! : Girls I suggest you bid adieu to your beautiful pairs of heels and sandals and say hello to boots or flip-flops! And guys , save your leather shoes for sunny days. Even though umbrella is the best accessory during rainy days, the Mangalore rain is one of a kind. No matter how big your umbrella is, you will get wet! So, jackets are a must! And girls, no white leggings, kurtas etc. unless you want to have surprising new patterns on it… with mud. I advise you carry a plastic bag wherever you go to keep your wet umbrella or raincoat when you do not need them.

• Face the enemy: Mildew and mold are our biggest enemies during this weather. So make sure you check your clothes for fungus. One way of dealing with them is to give some space between your clothes in the closet and not to hang up clothes which are not completely dry, in your closet. Even then it is very hard to tackle the fungus issue so… be warned!

Well that’s it for now! For those of you who still find it difficult to adapt, here are a few lines from H.W Longfellows poem ‘The Rainy Day’:

“Be still, sad heart, and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.”

Happy blogging guys!