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Journalism of Courage
With monsoon entering India in the South, in the state of Tamil Nadu, after crossing the Palk Straits of Sri Lanka in the last week of May, it is Konkan’s turn to welcome the rains. During the monsoon, the West Coast becomes even more green and the climate is cool and quite bracing.
Lasting rains rejuvenate everything, from vegetation to life itself. Though the sea becomes choppy and almost inaccessible, Konkan has its charm and is almost dreamily verdant. Sea food, the pride of Konkan, becomes dearer because fish landing is quite scarce. Government regulations against venturing into the sea, during the monsoon, also has its effect on the catch.
Rains bring a sense of relief from the seemingly never-ending summer heat. And one prefers to celebrate the break with oily treats like pakoras and other fried stuff. I use "oily treats" because I have seen people welcoming the rains with pakoras and bhajjias on quite a few occasions. But going overboard on fritters may not be a good idea. Ayurveda observes the rules of Vat, Kapha and Pitta, constitutions of one’s body. The chill of the rain seems to exasperate Kapha and Vata. Rain water is supposedly a little acidic in nature and this is known to shake the equilibrium of the two constituents. This acid rain overview was known centuries before the advent of "acid rain" from industrial sources. We are also aware of the purity of rain water, but drinking water from an unknown source during the rains can have its own implications. Even without contaminating influences, the rains of late summer can take skill to handle. It is therefore better to exercise precaution and drink water by thoroughly boiling it. Water should be allowed to boil for at least 10 minutes before it may be considered fit for drinking. Certain bacterial spores are known to survive boiling temperatures also.
Tea with crispies is always welcome on a cool monsoon afternoon. If you like your tea sweet, it is a good idea to sweeten your tea with honey during the rains. Honey has warm drying qualities that overcome the dampness. Grains are also recommended at this time to strengthen the digestion. Barley, wheat and rice are particularly appropriate, as well as nourishing soups.
Here’s a recipe that will definitely tickle your palate. This unique combination of raw mango and fresh coconut is ideally suited for this time of the year. Sourness of keri is carefully countered with generous use of grated coconut. This recipe was shared with me by Mrs Kurse of Sirsi. It is about 59 miles from the coast of Gokarn. Sirsi is 3,000 feet above sea level and apart from its delicious coconut keri, Sirsi is also famous for its betel nut.
