[exclusive]: Autumn Season In India

It begins in late September, just after the last, languid monsoon showers have blessed the earth. The rain clouds, those swollen, grey elephants of the sky, finally lumber away to the east. One morning, you step outside, and something is different. The air is no longer heavy with humidity. It feels light, almost buoyant.

In the south, especially in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, autumn heralds the rice season. The Cauvery River, replenished by the rains, flows full and lazy. The fields are a patchwork quilt of emerald and gold. The women draw fresh kolams (rice flour rangoli) at their doorsteps every morning—not for any festival, but just because the dry, crisp air allows the intricate patterns to stay un-smudged for hours. autumn season in india

The story of autumn in India is not a story of decay. It is the story of a sigh of relief. It is the farmer’s first smile at his ripening crop. It is the child’s eyes reflecting a thousand diyas. It is the old man on a park bench, feeling the sun on his back without sweating. It is the scent of marigolds and fresh ghee . It begins in late September, just after the