Some off beat monsoon experiences to have in India

 Some offbeat monsoon experiences to have in India

Many of us prefer to enjoy the monsoons from the comfort of our own homes, with a cup of chai and pakodas nearby. While it may be tempting to stay indoors at this time, the outdoors take on a new kind of beauty when it rains. This season, the country has a lot to offer, from gorgeous treks and magnificent waterfalls to wonderful meals and breathtaking views of nature.

India's unique monsoon experiences

Chorla Ghats, Goa/Karnataka/Maharashtra forest bioluminescence

ChorlaGhat during monsoon

The tiny moss-like Mycena mushrooms on tree barks turn neon green on a dark moonless rainy night, resembling a scene from the film Avatar, but with a ‘Hilltop' Anjuna atmosphere. Fifty out of the 27,000 fungi found in India are bioluminescent. The Chorla Ghats and Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, which are located at the tri-junction of Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, display this unusual natural phenomenon. The mushrooms disperse extra light energy and the woodlands begin to glow when the amount of oxygen and moisture in the air reaches a particular level—conditions found only during the rainy season. Switch off your torch and go on a night journey in the forest amid the cacophony of Malabar gliding frogs to see the enchanted jungle come to life. From late August through the end of September, the strange experience is at its peak.

September. At Wildernest Nature Resort (wildernest-goa.com), stay in a valley view room, swim in the infinity pool, watch the sunset over the Chorla Ghats, and climb to Chorla and Vajra Sakla Falls.

How to get there: Fly to Panaji and then drive to Chorla Ghats, about 55 kilometres away.

At Sonkhaliya, Rajasthan, the smaller florican performs a courtship dance.

A Lesser Florican leaps into the air.

The female florican makes a whistling mating call at dawn or dusk, and the male responds with a leap of faith. He soars clear of the jowar fields with wings aflutter, legs folded in mid-air, neck arched back, and the ribbon-like plumes behind its ear-coverts fluttering furiously. This dance is performed every few minutes until the female gives in. The indigenous lesser florican, also known as Khar more, is the smallest of India's three bustard species. It is famed for its acrobatic mating dance. This exhibit occurs throughout the monsoon season, and Sonkhaliya, near Ajmer, is the greatest site to capture it.

To get there, fly to Jaipur and then drive 150 kilometres through Ajmer to Sonkhaliya.

Goa/Dudhsagar Karnataka's Waterfall Trail

The Mandovi River shoots from a cliff as Dudhsagar waterfall, which means "Ocean of Milk," deep inside Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, which straddles the Goa-Karnataka border. It can be difficult to get here during the monsoon because it is at its most torrential. Until October, two streams flood the jeep route, and access is through a narrow dirt road. Take a pillion ride with local bikers who offer an adventure on wheels from the Kulem railway station in Goa if you enjoy the excitement of a monsoon bike rally. The 14-kilometre assault course, which runs beside rail tracks and includes a ballast, puddles, culverts, and raging streams, is an all-terrain path of ballast, puddles, culverts, and raging streams. Trudge 100 metres from the parking lot to the base, where you'll see a picture-postcard sight—a railway bridge slicing through the misty falls in an arc.

Hike down the railway track—a 12km climb from Kulem or a 14km descent from Castle Rock via multiple tunnels on the Karnataka side—as an alternative.

To get there: Fly to Goa and take the NH-748 to Kulem, which is 65 kilometres from Panaji and 6 kilometres from Mollem.

Meghalaya is home to the world's wettest place.

While Mawsynram has surpassed Cherrapunji as India's wettest location, the latter still maintains the record for the world's greatest recorded rainfall. And what better time to visit Meghalaya than during the rainy season? Set a camp at the Ri Kynjai resort (rikynjai.com), which has a beautiful view of Umiam Lake. Here, you can get a variety of monsoon experiences. Boating on the beautiful lake bordered by the Khasi Hills is a must-do. In Tyrna Village in Cherrapunji, take a walk across a double-decker live root bridge. Explore Laitkynsew's misty town, Nohkalikai Falls' stunning 1,100-foot drop, and Nohsngithiang's many cataracts.

To get there, take a flight to Guwahati or Shillong. Cherrapunji is 54 kilometres away from Shillong and 148 kilometres away from Guwahati.

To explore the places to visit in Meghalaya CLICK HERE

Mandu in Madhya Pradesh during the monsoonRupmati Pavilion, Mandu

Nothing compares to the romance of Mandu when it's raining. The area is lush, and at Baz Bahadur's palace, where the cliffside Roopmati's Pavilion is romantically wrapped in mist, the monsoon drama is at its peak. Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din Khalji's lakeside pleasure palace, Jahaz Mahal, is one building in this 15th-century central Indian sultanate that honours the monsoon. The 120m-long, double-storeyed mansion seems like a luxury liner afloat on water when the twin lakes Munj Talao and Kapur Talao are filled with rain. Rainwater was gathered in the cavernous Andheri Baori (Dark Well) and open-air Ujala Baori (Illuminated Well) to provide drinkable water to the residents. The terrifying Only clean water drained into the lotus-shaped Kamal Kund on the terrace due to the flow and settled sediments.

To get there, fly to Indore and then drive 95 kilometres to Mandu.

Detox for Kerala's rainy season

The monsoon brings with it a quiet mood of meditative calm and the humidity in the air keeps body tissue soft and supple, making it ideal for receiving the the preparatory phase of panchakarma, which loosens toxins in the body through Santhanam (oil application), swedhanam (steam treatment), and pachanga (food preparation) (digestion). Kerala, India's Ayurvedic haven, boasts a plethora of possibilities. Harivihar Wellness Retreat (harivihar.com) in Kozhikode, Poomully Mana (poomullymana.com) in Palakkad, or CGH Earth's Kalari Kovilakom in Kalari Kovilakom in Kalari Kovilakom in Kalari Kovilakom in Kalari Kovilakom in Kalari Kovilakom in Kalari Kovilakom in Kalari Kovilakom in Kalari Kovilakom in Kalari Kovil (cghearth.com).

At Prakriti Shakti (prakritishakti.com), try naturopathy in the hills or relax by the lake at Niraamaya Retreats Backwaters & Beyond in Kumarakom (niraamaya.com).

To get there, fly to Kozhikode and then drive 31 kilometres to Harihar. Fly to Coimbatore and drive 72 kilometres to Kollengode to reach Kalari Kovilakam. Fly to Kochi and drive 80 kilometres to Kumarakom for Niraamaya Retreats Backwaters & Beyond. To get to Poomully Mana (88km) and Prakriti Shakti, fly to Kochi Airport (130km).

Mumbai, Maharashtra, sea views

Mumbai's the Arabian Sea

Mumbai provides various sites to have supper with a view or a beachside staycay in the monsoon, with dramatic skies, fishing boats bobbing in the surf, rain-washed sunsets, and spectacular vistas of the Arabian Sea. You can sit in the marine lane all day and enjoy the rain, or you can walk along the marine drive route. In the evening, the Arabian Sea in Mumbai appears to be far too gorgeous. You'll never forget such a Marin driving sea evening.

In Arunachal Pradesh, raft the huge Siang River.

Arunachal Pradesh Siang Rafting

The Siang, which originates in Tibet as the Yarlung Tsangpo, rushes through Arunachal's gorges before joining the Yamane, Lohit, and Dibang to form the enormous The Brahmaputra. During the rains, the sheer volume of water it carries expands even more. The entire rafting stretch from Purung to Pasighat is 180 kilometres long and takes a week to complete. The dangerous Upper Siang, with Class 4-6 rapids is expedition-level; the 2-day Lower Siang, with Class 3-4 rapids, is more doable— Moing Madness, Hairy Hari, Hairy Hari, Hairy Hari, Hairy Hari, Hairy Begging Rollercoaster, Karko Killer, and Geku Wave Paddle past Boleng and Komsing's hanging bridges to Pangin, passing through enchanted vistas, forested hills, jagged rock formations, and the Rotting and Big Pongging rapids before arriving at Ranaghat Bridge. Prepare to be soaked, whether it's in the rain or the rapids. While trying local rod fishing, spend the night on sand embankments and grassy campgrounds. Visit Adi Padum communities and help transplant rice in paddy fields from Abor Country River Camp in Pasighat. The Siang Rush rafting event, as well as tailored trips in the region, are organised by Abor Country Travels & Expeditions (aborcountrytravels.com).

Arrive in Dibrugarh and drive 158 kilometres to Pasighat.

Maharashtra's rainy-day farming and fishing

Maachli Farmstay  in Parule offers a hands-on farm experience in the rains, modelled after machaans erected in fields to protect crops. A short walk through lush woodland and a footbridge across a creek leads to the farm, which is tucked away in a lovely village on the Konkan coast. Learn how farm-fresh organic meals is produced on a mud burner and served in earthen pots, areca fronds, and paravail in any of their four village-themed houses with thatched conical roofs (leaf plates). Learn to milk a cow, fetch water from a well, or use a laath.

The traditional method of obtaining irrigation water from a watercourse. Is there too much work? For a natural fish spa, dangle your legs in the chilly stream. Take a visit of a potters' village, a local avath (village organisation), or a plantation. Take a short stroll to the Gurakhi (shepherd) community's Bandheshvaray temple or go to the old seashore devrai (holy grove) of Dungeshwar, a local Kolis god. Try the two-and-a-half-hour sunset journey through coconut groves, mango orchards, woodlands, and hills to the beach in the rain for something a bit more demanding.

To get there: The nearest train station and the access point is Kudal, 20 kilometres north of Sawantwadi on the Mumbai-Goa highway, from which the farm is 22 kilometres via SH-119.

Hike in Uttarakhand's Valley of Flowers

Himalayan flowers in Uttarakhand's Valley of Flowers, near Joshimath.

On their way down from a successful summit of Mt Kamet in 1931, three British mountaineers Frank Smythe, Eric Shipton, and RL Holdsworth were lost in a blizzard and stumbled onto a wonderful valley of alpine flowers where "it was hard to take a step without crushing a flower." Since then, humanity has been enthralled by the Valley of Flowers. In 2005, it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The greatest time to visit is during the rainy season, especially from July to early September, when native vegetation of all hues carpets the 7-mile-long island.

The valley is 8 kilometres long and 2 kilometres wide. From the base of Ghangaria, a 4km stone-paved trail follows the Pushpawati River. Cross waterfalls and wooden bridges, stop for Dhaba meals and take in the views of the Nilgiri, Gauri Parvat, and Bhyundar Khal peaks, as well as the valley's magical swaths of colour—blue Himalayan poppies, hooked stickseed, purple Himalayan bell flowers, white river anemone, Himalayan rose, meadow geraniums, and more. On the 6km climb to Hemkund Sahib, return to Ghangharia and look for the rare Brahma Kamal flower.

Arrive in Dehradun and drive 20 kilometres to Rishikesh. Take a 9-hour trip to Joshimath from there. Drive another 20 kilometres to Govindghat, then another 4 kilometres to Pulna.

Hike 9 kilometres along the Pushpawati River, passing through Bhyundar village, to Ghangharia, where the Valley of Flowers is 4 kilometres away.

Hilsa to Madd thopp in West Bengal/Karnataka are monsoon delicacies.

Between July and October, as the first drops of rain lash the sea, the hills, or ilish, swim upstream to breed and spawn in the rivers, making monsoon the optimum time to consume Bengal's most valued piscine delicacy. In Kolkata, Ilish maachh is stirred into bhaaja (fried) and served with boiling hot khichuri, another rainy-day specialty. Ilish bhapa (steamed hilsa), smoked hilsa, ilish jhaal, and a variety of other dishes are popular. From Malnad to Maharashtra and Meghalaya, this is also the season when almost 300 varieties of wild edible mushrooms are consumed. Whether it's doda in Rajasthan, boda in Chhattisgarh, rugra in Jharkhand, or uyen in Manipur, mushrooms are a popular monsoon substitute for meat. Morels are used to make flavorful guchhi pulao in Kashmir. The needle-shaped nuchi kumme, umbrella-shaped koday kumme, and mara kumme found on trees are all favourites in Coorg. Madd thopp, or "medicine leaf," is Coorg's monsoon wonder food. The stems and leaves are harvested on the 18th day of the monsoon month of kakkada, when their medicinal virtues are at their peak and cooked into a purple extract to prepare madd kool payasam, a sweet rice porridge.

To get there: Fly to Bengaluru or Kannur and then drive.

Monsoon Treks in Maharashtra's Sahyadris

Raigad in the Sahyadris

Trekking the Sahyadris in the rains is an unrivalled experience, with foggy trails fading into the clouds, seasonal waterfalls, wildflowers, verdant escarpments, rock-cut caverns, and crumbling forts at dramatic locations. The Mumbai-Pune The highway is a popular route, so pick one that suits your comfort level. Beginners would enjoy the walk from Manikgad Fort to Bhimashankar via the Ganesh ghat path. Khandas hamlet near Karjat, Prabalgad between Panvel and Matheran, or Visapur from Bhaje is all possible destinations. Trekkers with experience can tackle Rajgad on the suburbs of Pune, Harishchandragad from Khireshwar or Pachnai, and Kalsubai, Maharashtra's highest hill. It's essential to have good shoes, rain gear, and local guidance.

To go to Bhimashankar, drive 92 kilometres from Mumbai to the Khandas base. Drive 59 kilometres from Mumbai to Washiwali to reach Manikgad Fort. It's a 50-kilometre the journey from Mumbai to Thakurwadi, the starting point for the Prabalgad walk; after 2 kilometres, there's a detour at Prabalmachi, which includes a difficult 3-kilometre ascent up the steep Kalavantin Durg and a further hike to Prabalgad Fort. Drive 95 kilometres to Bhaje village through Lonavala and Malavli for Visapur Fort, Lohagad, and Bhaje caves. Drive 130 kilometres from Pune to the base of Raigad Fort, which is 25 kilometres north of Mahad. Drive 118 miles to the base Khireshwar or Paachnai close for Harishchandragad. Drive 150 kilometres to Bari village through Kasara and Igatpuri for Kalsubai.

To know about the best hill stations in Maharashtra CLICK HERE

Above all are the best offbeat monsoon destinations in India to enjoy the monsoon at its best