A season marked by severe rainfall and named from an Arabic term that means "season" (mausam).
The monsoon is preceded by a period of extreme heat, with
daily temperatures reaching above 100°F.
As the hot air rises, it pulls in a large circulation of wet
air from southern India's coastal areas.
The monsoon is one of the three primary seasons of the year,
and it plays an important role in people's everyday life.
The monsoon rains are critical to agriculture in India since
most of the country's cropland is not irrigated.
In addition to being eagerly anticipated in real life, the
arrival of the monsoon is also celebrated in Indian culture.
A lady nervously monitoring the sky, watching the clouds
roll up as she awaits the return of her lover, is one picture of the monsoon
that comes from love poetry.
Rains made travel almost difficult in former times, making
it a bittersweet time for separated lovers but a pleasant and joyous time for
joined couples.
In the epic Meghaduta by the poet Kalidasa, a man exiled in
southern India addresses one of the monsoon clouds, giving it a message to
convey to his sweetheart.
The deity Krishna is also linked to the monsoon showers.
His black complexion had the appearance of a rain cloud.
In addition, his birthday falls towards the conclusion of
the rainy season, and his heavenly character corresponds to the picture of the
rain lover.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.
