The Beauty of the Monsoon in South India

Three times travelling for seven/eight weeks through Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala in July and August, between 2000 and 2004, I must have been very lucky because the rains did not fall too abundantly. Not uncommon for Tamil Nadu of course, but even in Kerala I could follow my itinerary as planned, mostly. One time I had to wait for my train to Cochin in Udipi near Manipal (if I remember the names correctly) for more than twelve hours because of landslides more up north towards Goa, I think. Had a good time at the station but twelve hours is quite a long sit.
Monsoon has its good and lesser aspects. Because I will travel next year in the same period and regions with a car and driver, I wonder if I could exchange here some things to know on this subject. For me (and my 19 y/o daughter whom I will travel with this time)rains and the special freshness and green feeling it gives as well are not a big deal, but I am sure there are suggestions how to enjoy the monsoon extra much and avoid some of the worst effects of it.

I think the most unpleasant aspect of the monsoon time is that laundry is not drying well and starts to smell, and that small wounds do not heal well. But that is everywhere, not just down South. Families travelling with small children should take extra care, and tend immediately to small scratches their kids might get. It can be specifically difficult with kids who want to climb trees all the time...

Actually the regular monsoon does not affect Tamil Nadu, which is why you get a pleasant climate there in July and August, often raining only at night briefly. Monsoon starts in Tamil Nadu around end of September and lasts until mid-December or so.

Atala, I think that parts of TN do get the SW monsoon, although Chennai usually doesn't.

This year, just to be difficult, climate-wise, we had a taste of it for a few days, and then showers, some heavy, on many days through July and August, leaving us unusually soggy, and worried about what happens when the real stuff hits us in October.

Nick, you are probably right. I do not really understand the movement of the Monsoon, how it can come from the south-east, cover Kerala, but not eastern Tamil Nadu. I was thinking it hits the coast only in Andra to the East. I guess it is due to the Nilgiri hills that parts of TN are left out, but do not really understand it.

The South West monsoon hits Kerala and moves across India starting July for a couple of months, moving generally in a North Easterly direction. Chennai/Eastern Tamilnadu don't seem to get heavy rains here.

The North East Monsoon hits Eastern India later towards the end of the year and is milder. Chennai and Eastern Tamilandu get some rain then if they are lucky.

i reckon everyone here has spent some good time sitting and waiting at indian train stations but 12 hours is a fair stint!

they never seem to tell you what's going on either

worse than that is sitting in a Rajdhani, and arriving a day late

happened, not to me, but to a friend.

(for newcomers, Rajdhani is officially called "superfast", the fastest trains in India)

Chennai does get hit by the Northeasterly Monsoon - it's called the returning monsoon.. and the reason why Tamil Nadu doesn't get the Southwesterly monsoon as Kerala and Bombay does, is because of the Wetern Ghats. The clouds bearing rain hit against the Western Ghats (of the Deccan Plateau) and lose their water content by the time they reach the other side of the plateau. So, we, in Chennai do not get rain from this monsoon. If the W.Ghats weren't there, then we'd never get any monsoon!

Anyways, some passes and places like Coimbatore that fall in the way of the winds from the Palghat Pass get rains for both monsoons. While Ooty in the Nilgiris gets rain from both the monsoons, Coonoor which is on the Eastern side, receives rain only from the N-easterly.

As far as waiting in Indian Railway stations are concerned, you may find it enjoyable. The Indian Railways are a relic from the past colonial times and the whole system has its own sweet way of working... not fully quaint, not fully modern, somewhat very industrial and to some extent more reliable on manual and mechanical devices... The air conditioned waiting rooms (only available at big stations) would not make waiting tiresome... you could also get dormitories and beds in railway stations in case of long waits... i always consider train journeys in India more romantic than anywhere else...

This July 2008 I've been traveling across Kerala from Trivandrum to Kasaragod during three weeks and have got very few rains and mostly during the night. Was absolutely worse lateron in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Jorge

Kerala's SW monsoon this year was rated as a failure: please do not think it typical of Kerala in July, which should be a very wet experience! I was there the week before you, and we had less rain than I am used to seeing there in April.

Chennai's NE monsoon is billed as having started. with a night of thunder and rain yesterday. We hope to get enough water to drink next year, but we also hope it does not all fall in a short period of intense storms, leaving the city bathing rather than bathed!

I have come to love the Monsoon. It's never as bad as people think, and the tourists stay away a bit more than usual. Rooms are cheaper, food is there, and the sun isn't nearly as intense.
I actually followed the monsoon this time.
Truly refreshing.
Highly recommended.

Have to say I got to Tamil Nadu on my first trip about four years back just before monsoon hit and was living in a thatched hut at the time. It was a truly amazing experience despite the constant rain and wetness. I concur with the poster who noted the issues with washing. Feeling dry and being dry were an issue, not to mention the increase in mozzy population, but hey, I'm English and if theres one thing we like, its weather and rain.