A note on the issue: The monsoon’s many faces

The monsoon has two faces—there is the romance of the rain, and then there is the devastation of flooding. Across cities, rain is a reason for waterlogging and snaking traffic jams. Over the past few days, there have been cloudbursts in Shimla and Kullu, heavy rain that left tourists stranded in Uttarakhand and monuments submerged in Hampi in Karnataka, and deadly landslides in Wayanad. The headlines are heartwrenching and most environmentalists will explain that they’re the outcome of our mindless activities, from tourism to construction, in the hillsides. The rain casts a pall, and yet, there is no denying that it also casts a spell, and it is a beautiful time of the year to observe nature at its best.

Also read: 4 great monsoon treks, from the Sahyadris to the Himalaya

The end of the monsoon is a great time for a short break, a trek or a train ride. Light mists, flowering meadows and beautiful banks of clouds against massive hills make for gorgeous sights—and there are usually fewer people on the trails. We write about a few monsoon treks that are fairly easy to do during these months as well as train rides through the Western Ghats (including the pretty Nilgiri Mountain Railway). Whether you enjoy the outdoors or prefer scenes through a window, they’re a good way to enjoy the lush, wild greenery and the beauty of meadows carpeted with wildflowers, while gaining an appreciation for nature’s delicate balance.

It’s also Olympics season and Indian athletes have got off to a great start with a few medals and a number of close finishes on the back of excellent performances, as we report. Parth Jindal, founder of JSW Sports and Inspire Institute of Sports (IIS), which currently has 41 of its athletes in the Indian Olympic squad in Paris, tells us about his dream of creating world facilities for sports in the country, something even his father and the JSW Board were reluctant to support a little over a decade ago. For him, building sports excellence programmes is a way to contribute to the country while building the JSW brand. In time, he plans to start a university that teaches everything from sports medicine to the business of sport. Plenty of rainy day reading for everyone.

Write to the editor at shalini.umachandran@htlive.com

@shalinimb

Also read: All aboard for the Western Ghats