Water swells on the roads in Goa as the intensity of rain increases, the headlights are switched on, and the haze created by the raindrops slows down the pace of movement. Yet, the spell of nature’s beauty remains undisturbed.
Goa is magical during the rains, and through the years, its reputation has reached far and wide, thus drawing visitors to the State, despite many being wary of the whims of the monsoons.
The green from the grass, the blue from the water and the myriad patterns of rainwear leave behind a luster that is difficult to forget.
“The walk from the hotel through the fields is heavenly. Going up and down and discovering other roads around the place I stay, is like experiencing a heavenly feeling,” says Renuka, for whom being in Goa during the torrid rains is an ethereal experience.
Humanity flows in the paddy fields that are being ploughed past the road that leads to Wadi beach in Benaulim.
As one walks along, on one side, the sound of a tractor can be heard, and on another, the interaction of a man ploughing the field with his oxen.
“I was told there is nothing one can do when it rains heavily, but have realised that walking past fields that are being ploughed is an experience only for the lucky,” admits Renuka who works from home, from Goa.
With the rains being fiercest on Thursday, since the start of monsoons, life on the beaches was on a stutter, but the fury of nature was at its most beautiful.
“Listen to the sound of the waves. With no human clatter around, I think the monsoon is the best time to be in Goa,” is how Sidharth explains his experience of his first visit during the rains.
“I am from Navelim, but for me, the beach feels like home. I actually grew up staying by the beach and have come home for a week’s holiday from the UK,” says Herman Gomes, who is on a monsoon holiday.
"I feel sad that the beach is dirty, but it's nature’s way of rejecting what was thrown at it,” thinks Herman.
Whether it is raining heavily or drizzling, the time has come for life to move on in Goa – be it for a local or tourist and if both know how to co-exist, the entertainment quotient can be limitless.
Over 100 people got together to watch a football match at a ground near a beach in South Goa.
And, in the end, it was not who won or by how many goals who lost, but the fun that all had whilst jostling for the ball during the 90 minutes when raindrops kept falling.
As one meandered from the coast to the city, the focus shifted to a field where people could be seen fishing. Fishing in the green?
When it rains in Goa, the fields get flooded and the rivers overflow, and with the water, fish flow into fields, and locals enjoy angling for fresh water fish for meals.
“During the season, I sell tender coconuts and during the monsoon, I switch to selling corn. Tourists travelling to Canacona, or returning, are my main business. What season it is, doesn’t bother me anymore,” says Anmol Sadekar from Fatrade, in South Goa.
“Bhuta (corn) tastes lovely during the rains, and since it is not possible to find many eateries open, there is nothing like eating bhuta as we reach our hotel,” says Anit.
If eating corn during the rains is a style statement for many, licking ice cream is a hobby for Anita and friends, who are sad that they could not venture out into the sea at Colva.
“Goa is a mad place. It is real fun to be here, and I think it is one destination in India where it does not matter what the weather is,” says Twinkle as she waits for her ice gola to be prepared.
By now, the downpour gets intense and the clouds blacken. The clock has just struck six, but the pouring rain makes it feel like it is time for the Angelus.
This is Goa in the rains – where time gets flustered by its magic.