It might be hot and sunny in the UAE, but Kerala, India, is experiencing a different season altogether. According to its tourism board website, monsoons in Kerala do not follow the usual pattern of incessant rains continuing for weeks. Instead, it rains for a few hours every day, with sunny interludes. The gradual withdrawal of the southwest monsoon, known locally as Edavappathy, is underway, but the region is still expecting to see more rain thanks to the northeast monsoon from the Bay of Bengal. In October, the dark rain clouds travel all the way to the south of India through the Palakkad Gap in the Western Ghats. On his visit to Kerala after eight years abroad, Gulf News reader Ansari M. Joshi found just what he was looking for. He said: “I have always loved the monsoon. As if in answer to my prayers, the skies opened up with showers just as I reached Kochi. I wanted to capture those moments.”
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One result of consistent rain is the blossoming of plants and trees around the state. Joshi took this photograph while traveling along the lush green forests and tea gardens of a hill station called Valpara.
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Joshi said: “The waterfalls were at their best due to the monsoon season. Even waterfalls that usually have trickling water, were gushing with force.”
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Of the quiet landscapes and full skies, Joshi said: “It was really a beautiful experience, where one could forget everything and just revel in the beauty of Nature. It helped me de-stress completely and return to the UAE fully recharged.”
