India has a unique heritage of Monsoon Ragas (musical notes) which were composed and sung by legendary masters like Tansen to induce rains so that the parched land would be blessed with water. The music they composed has inspired painters, dancers and writers for generations. The magical season of Monsoon has always been the throbbing heart of Indian life and culture. Whether it is music – classical, folk as well as devotional – dance, painting or sculpture, rains and their incessant music are a recurring theme in India’s heritage, and not without reason!

India’s entire economy depends upon the timely coming of the Monsoons. Images of farmers staring longingly at the skies for the first signs of black water-bearing clouds are familiar in our daily life. Folk songs welcoming the first thunder showers and streaks of lightning are sung in every village even today.

After the long sweltering summer, Monsoons are truly a rhapsody of bliss, beauty and relief and they are really savoured. Besides bringing the much essential water, the change in the weather is almost magical...the air becomes delightfully cool and moist and the dry parched land is quickly covered with green vegetation. It injects an amazing amount of vigour into people, and it is common to see children running about, dancing in the rain.


What are Monsoons?
The Monsoon, or trade winds, reaches India about the month of June, firstly on the south – western coasts of Kerala. Coming, as they do over thousands of miles of sea, they are laden with moisture, and when they meet the cool heights of Western Ghats and later the Himalayas, clouds form, which soon condense into heavy rains all over the country. In a good monsoon, the rainy season continues until the end of September.


Let’s clear some misconceptions!
People have misconceptions about what the monsoon is. Maybe they confuse it with "typhoon." And of course we hear news reports about disasters in India during monsoon season, and assume that monsoons cause non-stop tragedies. First, Monsoon rains in India are not the same everywhere (as shown in the map on the left). Some regions experience heavy rains, some average, while some regions experience very low or no rainfall.

Highest rainfall occurs in Western Ghats and Sub-Himalayan areas in North East; moderate rainfall occurs in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa; less rainfall occurs in eastern Rajasthan, Punjab, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu; scant rainfall occurs in Kashmir, Western Rajasthan, Punjab and Deccan Plateau.

Also, it doesn't rain all day every day. Once the initial onset has passed, the rain settles down to no more than couple of hours on most days. Sometimes there will be no rain at all for days.


Monsoon Travel in India
Unfortunately, heavy downpours, flying umbrellas, clogged roads and disasters are what most people associate with monsoon in India. And therefore, travellers give India a wide berth during this period.

However, this is actually a great time to travel to India. Firstly, there is least tourist activity. Tourist attractions and hotels are not crowded, making your holiday more peaceful and enjoyable.

India is more beautiful. Nature comes alive in a landscape of cool, lush greenery.

Last but not the least, there are great discounts everywhere...from hotels to airlines to shopping malls...

Here are a few places we have shortlisted which are perfect monsoon destinations in India.

Ladakh: This region does not experience rains like rest of India, making it a perfect time to travel here.

Kerala: It's one of the first places in India to receive monsoon rain, and you can watch the storm roll in. Kerala is heavenly during monsoon with its lush, green scenery. Boat races and Onam festival fall during this period. Also, monsoon is considered as the best time for Ayurvedic therapies.

Kutch: The never-ending desert plains with surreal horizon in the monsoon give an enticing view. Kutch is even more beautiful during the monsoon.

Central India (Bhopal, Maheshwar & Mandu): The region becomes even more magical during the monsoons when several waterfalls gush down the plateau and the complete area becomes verdant green

Rajasthan: Rajasthan is right in the middle of the Thar Desert, where it hardly ever rains, not much even during the monsoon season.