Nope, that’s not a mistake. We’ve added 1 more Monsoon Must Have to the list which was a great suggestion from a reader. So that’s 11 now…

The Monsoon is here and the rains seem to have no intention of letting up at all. This year the monsoon has been more enthusiastic than ever, with lashing rains and howling winds keeping us awake even at night. So much so, that when I sat down to write this blog post this morning, the rain outside continued to distract me, almost as if reminding me that I haven’t got a single monsoon post in this year. So here it is, the first one. 10 monsoon must haves to keep you smiling through the torrential rains!

Source

10 Monsoon Must Haves For This Season:

There are just so many things that you can add to a list of monsoon must haves. How do you choose 10? I imagined a regular rainy day in my life and what I would need to get through it happily. Some friends pitched in with suggestions too. I asked them what they thought simply HAS to be included in this list. One suggested an inflatable boat to get across Dadar and Sion! 🙂

I am a Mumbaikar. If you live here or have ever experienced a season of rains here, you know where that came from. If you haven’t, let me give you a little idea of what Mumbai rains are like.

Have you heard about the guy who said, ‘It rained here only twice last week. First time for 3 days, and the second time for 4 days’. That guy was definitely a Mumbaikar. It doesn’t rain here for minutes or hours.. only for days and weeks on end… without end… continuously. Which means literally without stopping. And we don’t know what the word ‘drizzle’ means, because that’s something we never experience. It sometimes rains cats and dogs. It usually rains elephants!

Keeping that in mind, let’s get to our list of 10 monsoon must haves.

(1) An Umbrella:

That’s an absolute must. You cannot leave home without one. Since you’re going to spend 4 months of the year with your umbrella for close company, it might as well be a really nice umbrella… one you love and really want to keep close at all times. There are some really pretty, crazy, cool, jazzy and all kinds of designer umbrellas to choose from. A few that I love are by India Circus and The Elephant Company.

Source: Left | Right

We also have a great post on umbrella decoration ideas that you can read here.

(2) Doormat:

So you get home from work on a rainy day with a gorgeous, yet dripping, umbrella in your hand. Right now it really helps to have a good doormat outside your door, protecting your home from all the wet slush that your shoes are going to take inside. From plain and simple to patterned and bold, there are so many options to choose from. Go ahead and pick one that you really love.

Source: Left | Right

Source: Left | Right

(3) Kashmiri Kahwa:

And the first thing you need when you get home on a day like this is a hot cup of tea. My favourite is Kashmiri Kahwa. There are different types of Kahwa available, and this one is my favourite. On a holiday to Kashmir a couple of years back, this is what we would get at most restaurants and roadside tea vendors. We would have many cups a day to keep ourselves warm and I have so many good memories of that holiday associated with this Kahwa. We picked up a few bottles of this Kahwa during that holiday, and I was thrilled to find it available online.

Source

This one is really easy to make too. Just add a teaspoon full of this powder to a cup of hot water and you’re done. I usually top it up with finely cut slivers of a couple of almonds. This premix contains sugar and makes a sweet Kahwa… but that’s the only way I like mine!

(4) Tea Cups:

Now, the best way to drink this Kahwa is in a clear glass cup, so that you can enjoy it’s beautiful golden colour. I loved the hint of steel in the base and handles of these glass cups and I’ll think I’ll be getting a set of these for myself soon.

Source

(5) Serving Platter:

My friends were shocked that I could suggest a cup of tea and not serve pakoras along with that in the rains! So this one is from them. You must have garam pakoras with chai… and though there are obviously many, many and many more platters to choose from, I’ve picked this one because I loved the natural wood, almost bamboo kind of finish… goes with the monsoon and pakoras theme I think.

Source

(6) Flyswatter:

This one too was not my idea… I promise. But the friends insisted that if I sit down with chai and pakoras I will definitely need a fly swatter to keep all the monsoon flies away. And they are right.. the flies seem to multiply with the rains. In fact, my son has been asking for one of those electric, tennis raquet type of swatters for the last few weeks now. He says he’ll also practice his tennis swings while swatting the flies!

Source

The reason I’ve picked this one? Because it was the smartest looking of the lot. The telescopic extendable handle is an added advantage, I guess.

(7) Outdoor Rug:

I would normally head to my balcony with the chai and pakoras. But the floor is sometimes wet and dusty because of the spray from the rain water. An outdoor, water resistant rug would be ideal at a time like this, to  keep the balcony floor looking clean and cheerful.

In comes The Rug Republic to the rescue. They make rugs from bicycle tubes and PET yarn, which is made from recycled plastic water bottles. This makes them tolerant to water.. and they have such pretty patterns too..

Source

(8) Hammock:

The next thing to think about, would be where would I sit to sip my Kahwa. Can you think of any better place than a hammock to sit with chai, watching the rains and gently swaying in the breeze?

Source

Hangit has a lot of pretty hammocks on their website. I particularly liked this one, because the fabric seat ensures comfort, while the crochet adds the pretty detail to it.

(9) A Cozy Throw:

Add a throw to that hammock and now we’re really making ourselves cozy. You could actually use the throw on a chair, sofa or your bed and it would add the cozy quotient to any of these places. I think a throw is a perfect decor add on in the rains.

Source: Left | Right | Bottom

These are a few pretty throws I absolutely loved.

(10) The Kindle App:

The only thing missing in that idyllic scene we’ve created so far… rain, chai, pakoras, hammock and a cozy throw… is a book to read. So to wrap our monsoon must haves list… the Kindle app.

Source

Now I know nothing can replace the touch, feel and smell of a real, paper book. I love books and will always prefer the real ones over all digital versions. But over time I have learnt the value of the Kindle app.

It’s a free app you can download on pretty much any of your devices… I have mine on my phone. With work, home, kids and a busy schedule in general, I had almost given up reading because I just didn’t have the time. Till I happened to download a book on Kindle. The next time I was sitting in my car stuck in traffic, I opened the app and started reading. Waiting 10 minutes in the doctor’s chambers? Read a book.

Because I always carry my phone, I automatically always carry my books with me wherever I go. I’ve started reading again because of my Kindle.

So whether sitting in a hammock in the comfort of your home, or in a bus / train or car stuck in a monsoon jam, having the kindle app on your phone / tablet is a great way to make sure your books are always with you.. and you are never alone!

(11) Carvaan for Music:

This one suggested by Neha in the comments below. She’s right. The romance of the rains is even more romantic with some old Hindi classics playing in the background. She suggests ‘Carvaan, with its radio look and old world charm.’

Source

In case you haven’t heard of it, it’s a digital portable music player with about 5000 golden oldies pre-loaded. I’ve put a pic of the blue one here in honour of the rains, but it’s available in a few different colours. Click here for more details.

.

That wraps up my personal our list of 10  11 monsoon must haves for this season.

What does the romance of the rains mean to you? What are your monsoon must haves? I’d love to hear it in the comments below.

Until next time,

.

NOTE: Some of the links in the post are affiliate links