A Monsoon Busride
Bangalore is unquestionably at its best during the monsoon months. It hasn't rained so far this monsoon in the city, but it did rain on two days. On one of those days, I had the privilege of witnessing it from a bus moving through the city's relatively quieter residential areas in the southwest. In order to get an idea of how beautiful it is, one first has to imagine the atmosphere at the time. It seems like a different place altogether during the monsoon rains. During the monsoon rains, it isn't uncommon to question whether you're at a mountain resort or in a congested city of 8 million.
On the bus ride home last wednesday, I witnessed among the pleasantest sights I have seen. Now I'm sure there are a lot of people who are reading this blog wondering why I refer to most of my experiences (bus ride during monsoon, hair cut from Tony) so superfluously. I am fully aware of my tendency to do this and I do it because each and every time I am experiencing a particularly memorable event, I am not able to imagine a better scenario. It goes along well with my optimistic, uncomplicated (Mani would prefer the term, "simplistic") personality. Anyway, back to the bus ride.
I don't know whether it's my imagination or whether it's because Bangalore is situated 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) above sea level, whatever the case, the clouds in Bangalore during the rains seem to be lower than any other city (thereby not including hill stations, etc) I've been in. I'm not talking about fog here, but actual rain clouds. Anyway, when a light or moderate, steady rainfall is underway, Bangalore's already salubrious climate (as I write this, the actual high temperatures for the previous day are as follows: Philadelphia, 38 degrees. Bangalore, 28 degrees) is made even more pleasant by a very cool, moist, and pleasant breeze.
The experience is best viewed from one of Bangalore's southwestern residential areas where the streets are wide, the houses are graceful and there are towering coconut trees from each nd every property. The view, of wide streets and swaying coconut trees, with a backdrop of low clouds give one a very tropical impression, but when supplemented by the cool, moist breeze that I've already talked about, one might wonder whether they are in heaven. Then the honking and chaos on the streets brings you back to reality. Nonetheless, at no time of the year is Bangalore more beautiful than on cool, rainy days and I'm distressed that we've had only a handful so far. It's raining everywhere in the country (as well as the state, all reservoirs are full and are releasing excess water) but here. This is a good thing since the last thing we want is nice rain in the city and drought in rural and catchment areas, but why can't it rain here as well. Oh, well, the peak monsoon is yet to come. I hope August and September will be better than July.
On the bus ride home last wednesday, I witnessed among the pleasantest sights I have seen. Now I'm sure there are a lot of people who are reading this blog wondering why I refer to most of my experiences (bus ride during monsoon, hair cut from Tony) so superfluously. I am fully aware of my tendency to do this and I do it because each and every time I am experiencing a particularly memorable event, I am not able to imagine a better scenario. It goes along well with my optimistic, uncomplicated (Mani would prefer the term, "simplistic") personality. Anyway, back to the bus ride.
I don't know whether it's my imagination or whether it's because Bangalore is situated 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) above sea level, whatever the case, the clouds in Bangalore during the rains seem to be lower than any other city (thereby not including hill stations, etc) I've been in. I'm not talking about fog here, but actual rain clouds. Anyway, when a light or moderate, steady rainfall is underway, Bangalore's already salubrious climate (as I write this, the actual high temperatures for the previous day are as follows: Philadelphia, 38 degrees. Bangalore, 28 degrees) is made even more pleasant by a very cool, moist, and pleasant breeze.
The experience is best viewed from one of Bangalore's southwestern residential areas where the streets are wide, the houses are graceful and there are towering coconut trees from each nd every property. The view, of wide streets and swaying coconut trees, with a backdrop of low clouds give one a very tropical impression, but when supplemented by the cool, moist breeze that I've already talked about, one might wonder whether they are in heaven. Then the honking and chaos on the streets brings you back to reality. Nonetheless, at no time of the year is Bangalore more beautiful than on cool, rainy days and I'm distressed that we've had only a handful so far. It's raining everywhere in the country (as well as the state, all reservoirs are full and are releasing excess water) but here. This is a good thing since the last thing we want is nice rain in the city and drought in rural and catchment areas, but why can't it rain here as well. Oh, well, the peak monsoon is yet to come. I hope August and September will be better than July.
posted by Vivek at 8:47 PM
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