The Monsoon is Here!

Of Hiccups, Monthly Notes, and Hill-Stations.

Hello everyone!

I hope this message finds you well. I apologize for the delay in this month's roundup post—I encountered an unexpected hurdle with Substack's algorithm that temporarily disrupted my ability to share updates.

Towards the end of May, Substack’s algorithm randomly banned me without cause.

Maybe its algorithm didn’t much care for my post on May 26: Wisdom through parables! (Did you? :-) )

As some of you may know, I write two publications - this one, and TechMadeSimple, and both of which were affected by the ban.

This meant that no one could access my content, and I was unable to publish new material or interact with you all.

This incident took nearly a week to resolve, involving multiple appeals and emails. Eventually, I received this brief response from the support team:

“It appears that one of our platform safety detection mechanisms incorrectly flagged your publication as spam. I've reactivated your account so you should be able to start publishing again immediately. I apologize for the inconvenience.”

Thankfully, we're back on track now.

If this incident intrigues you, read the details on TechMadeSimple.

Now, let's dive into this delayed roundup for May.

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Photo by Rabhimbh Bardhan on Unsplash

Today, we are celebrating the start of monsoon in India.

The air is filled with the lovely smell of fresh rain, plants are smiling, and their green hue is brighter everywhere you turn as they receive daily showers, or sometimes even twice daily.

It rains, the clouds pass, the sun decides to honor us with its presence, and everything seems ok with the world for a bit.

It is as though nature did not get the memo from the online world on how bitter, divisive, inimical, jaded and hateful the world has become.

Instead, the trees sway gently, the butterflies dance, the ants and the earthworms emerge from their hideouts, and the raindrops fall indiscriminately, deluging everyone the same way.

Pedestrians and those on two-wheelers pull over in silent agreement, sheltering under the nearest flyovers, underpasses, building overhangs, commercial roofs, and bus stops, using plastic, paper, bags, and helmets as shields, waiting until the rain stops and life can resume.

It seems as if India is taken by surprise each year when the monsoon arrives.

Yet, these very rains are the lifeblood of farmers, and they pray year-round for a good monsoon.

Rice, tea, milk, and hydro-electric power output levels hinge on the timely and adequate arrival of these rains, more so than in other nations.

Most of the farmlands are heavily dependent on the monsoons as they require manual irrigation.

In the city though, few carry umbrellas, a fact that may surprise you.

The monsoon also brings with it excuses to indulge in chai (tea) in shot glasses, with piping hot fried fritters known as pakoras (made of potato, spinach, cauliflower, or onion dipped in chick pea (garbanzo bean) flour), and lazy Sunday afternoons spent watching the pitter-patter of rain on your window sill or verandah.

The unappreciated national meteorological department keeps putting out rain forecasts that are dutifully reported in the newspapers and read by the newspaper enthusiasts.

Since it has just officially started, the days are not yet filled with grey gloom or continuous rain, as you may find at some hill-stations (a term left behind by the British) for elevated towns that served as an escape from the summer heat.

Check out these charming ‘hill-station’ destinations: Ooty in the South, Darjeeling, Musoorie, and Sikkim in the North-east, Kasauni and Simla (the old British summer capital) in the North-west with their gorgeous view of the mountains, colonial architecture, weather, and peaceful escapes. Caveat: Avoid the crowded summer vacation period.

The prevalent use of this term—hill stations—reminds me of a local Hindi saying that was popularized by Bollywood movies: “Angrez chale gaye, Angrezi chhod gaye”¹ that translates to, ‘the English left, but left the English language (and culture) behind.’

This is a humorous nod to the many ways in which British customs, dress, etiquette, and language have influenced and been assimilated into Indian culture.

It is also used to spoof characters in films that adopt modern ways of dress and speech.

Returning to the round up of posts in May, I shared the inside view of how national elections were unfolding and how traditional and modern ways were being adopted. I discussed voting mechanisms, boundaries being crossed, and how parties woo the poor and how the poor take pride in voting.

I wrote a preview for a full-blown Delhi travelogue that is in the works. Stay tuned!

I retold the ancient tale of a woman who followed her own counsel, of her son, the immortal prince who renounced his throne, and took a terrible vow of abstinence which led to a situation that caused the great war. In this story with modern lessons, I explored the root nature of the war, and invited you to reflect how decisions may have a cascading effect, and question: Which is the cause and which the effect?

Under Ancient India stories and an original retelling, I shared what the agony of separation meant to a brave warrior prince whose wife went missing.

Thank you again for being part of this journey.

Your engagement, feedback, and encouragement keep this community thriving.

Please continue sharing your thoughts, stories, and ideas in the comments as your perspectives inspire fresh stories.

As a small token of gratitude, I am removing the paywall from the archives for the rest of the week until Sunday! I hope you enjoy reading many of the over hundred stories celebrating daily life, and ancient wisdoms.

Have a fantastic summer month!

Jayshree

p.s. You can find the monthly roundup posts under ‘Musings’ and the full catalog of posts here.

1. Literal translation: ‘Angrez’ = the English (people); ‘chale gaye’ = left/went; ‘Angrezi’ - the English language (and/or customs); ‘chhod gaye’ = left behind.