The showers tiptoed in, from the middle of June, bringing relief to several parts of India. The skies turned grey and the pitter-patter sound of the rain brought aural solace. Rain has always been romanticised in songs and literature. It has been the muse for writers for ages. Now, in this digital world, where form of expression is also through short videos, rain is once again one of the most-loved topics. For this edition of the Reels of the week, My Kolkata picks some Instagram reels that beautifully portrays the monsoons.
Monsoon nights in Kolkata
From a pluviophile's perspective, rainy nights seem almost surreal. While the murk and puddles might irk many, if you have a soft corner for the monsoon, you might overlook the cons. In this reel, photographer and videographer @behaya_ portrays the beauty of Kolkata on a rainy night. The glowing Victoria Memorial against the gloomy sky, watching the drizzle under a streetlamp and observing each drop mingle into the river Hooghly — everything in this reel brings peace to the heart. The City of Joy, drenched in rain, is a different emotion altogether.
Monsoon in Darjeeling
Rain in the hills always feels like a love story. The Queen of the Hills, Darjeeling, transforms into a love-stricken beauty. The mist is everywhere and the greenery is soothing. One can spend hours watching the clouds pass by and sometimes, if you are lucky, the Kanchenjunga peeps in. In a reel montage, photographer @the_uncaptured_one captures the beauty of the hills during the peak of monsoon. If you have never witnessed this beauty, this is your cue to plan a monsoon getaway to the hills. Relax, sit back and watch the wonder of nature while you sip on your coffee or brandy and savour steaming hot momos.
Monsoon in Santiniketan
If the hills feel a little too adventurous during the monsoon, you can always opt for the plains. Santiniketan, too, has its fair share of natural beauty during the months of June-August. You can spend time at a small tea shack and enjoy your cuppa or visit the Kopai and Khoai just before it rains. Take a walk in the breeze and watch the water and the grass sway. Check out this reel by @_kunal_chobi_wala. The video creator captures the floating monsoon clouds over the river. It feels like poem, but made into a reel.
Railway station aesthetics
Pluviophile always find it fascinating when it rains. They get transported to a different world as it starts pouring. @arghya.dx, in his reel, imagines a railway station as a ‘rain station’ where the rain stops by, spends some time and moves forward. The umbrellas open and people take shelter under the shade. The platforms turn chaotic, but the reel only portrays the calmness. The calmness of the wet track, the over bridge getting drenched, objects lying around in the shower… it is all beautiful if you stop and watch.
The first shower
Do you remember how, as children, getting drenched in the first monsoon showers felt like? Most people would say ecstatic! The joy of dancing in the rain after days of scorching heat felt so rejuvenating. But slowly, the ritual receded as we were told that the showers could make us fall ill. Animator and illustrator @artofchai found a father-son duo enjoying the rain on their terrace while their mother watches them dance. He picked up his stylus and made a digital art of the happy scene. It will surely take you down memory lane! Check it out.