Let it Rain | What To Do in Delhi’s Monsoon, From Our Little Black Books!

The rain Gods finally descend upon Delhi! And we’re asking Team Little Black Book, Delhi to share their recommendations for what to do in Delhi when it’s pouring outside!

Rupali {Dilli Daily} 

As it is a nightmare to even consider leaving the confines of my house on a rainy day! I switch off the AC and turn on the fan for full rain sound effect. The stage is set for a movie marathon. I dig up all those movies that I never got around to watching, and press play. Of course, it’s an added bonus if someone is stranded at home with me and if a cake is baking in the oven…

Movie recommendations: ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’, ‘Black cat, White cat’, ‘Napoleon Dynamite’, ‘Coraline’, ‘Imaginary Heroes’ and ‘Igby Goes Down’

Cara Tejpal {Travel Diaries & Destinations}

Lovers, loners or loafers.

Head to Sanjayvan. Park your car on Aruna Asif Ali Marg, slip through rusty gates and find yourself in a Delhi you don’t know. Glimpse dancing peacocks, shy sambhar deer and frolicking ducks. Revel in the monsoon hues, dance in the rain, laugh with abandon. No one but you is crazy enough to be out here in the downpour.

Sit on a towel on your drive home, buy yourself 10 rupee bhutta, loaded with masala and nimbi. Shiver in the Delhi heat.

Rukmini {Read, LBBD’s Book Club} & Sakhshi {Art/Culture}

A walk in the rain. Seriously. 

It would certainly help if you’re in a gorgeous place like Lodi gardens, where you can pretend that traffic and blaring horns and cows don’t exist. Also, if you look carefully enough, you’ll find areas where you can just be alone and quiet in the rain, and, for a while, people don’t exist either: so, its you, surrounded by breathless green and skies that are pouring blessings down upon your giddy head… 

{image courtesy: funbuk.wordpress.com}

Kishi {Food/Dilli Daily}

For me, the rains are all about Chai! And don’t you confuse it with a cuppa tea, please. India’s national drink is tea {mostly black tea} brewed with aromatics Indian spices and herbs.The spices used include cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, fennel seeds, peppercorn, and cloves.

My recipe for a perfect cup of chai

{image courtesy: greenkitchenfeed.wordpress.com}

Ingredients: 2 whole cloves, 1 cardamom pod, 1/2 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces, 1 ½  cups water, pinch ground ginger or nutmeg, pinch freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 cup milk, 1 tbsp. granulated sugar, 1 tbsp. Black tea

Method: 1. In a mortar, crush the cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon with a pestle. 2. Transfer the spices to a small saucepan, add the water, ginger/nutmeg& pepper & bring to a boil. 3. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and let steep for 5 minutes to release all flavors. 4. Add milk and sugar, bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add tea. Cover & let steep for 3 minutes. 5. Stir the chai, strain it into a warmed teapot or directly into teacups 6. To make it richer, add more milk and sugar to taste.

Tanvi Girotra {Dilliwaalas}

While its great to be roaming around on any street without an umbrella, and making fun of people with the most ridiculous floral printed ones, the most fun is to go on a long drive, possibly towards that god awesome ‘roller coaster road’ as I like to call it – the Faridabad Gurgaon highway, with blue wale Lays and listening to your favourite Kishor Kumar and Mohommad Raffi songs. There’s nothing like ‘uss zamane ki dilli wali feel’ on a beautiful rainy day!

Arjun Juneja {PsycheDelhi}

Aloo ke parathe and chicken dimsums/momos while out driving around in the rainy season. A weird but comforting combination, it should leave you satisfied and enjoying the rain even more!

Ruchika {Film, Theatre & Culture}

{image courtesy: fortheloveofyum.wordpress.com}

Shiv {Music, Photography & Culture}

Photography: When it rains in Delhi, I’d reccomend pulling your cameras out, going up to the terrace or a balcony and taking pictures of lightning. Set your camera to ‘Bulb’ mode, or a slow shutter speed and shoot away! It’s always unpredictable and a lot of fun to experiment with. 

Music: Avoiding the famous sophomore slump, Advaita’s second release, ‘The Silent Sea’ creates an even stronger mood than the first album, ‘Grounded in Space’. This is the sound of a band in its prime and I would recommend listening to it in its entirely, playing close attention to the title track, ‘The Silent Sea’. 
The digital album is here: http://www.flipkart.com/the-silent-sea/p/itmd8fkshh9nd2ux

Anish {PsycheDelhi}

There’s nothing like driving along any of the bridges across the Yamuna (my favourite being the Delhi Noida Toll Bridge) at 35 km/hour in pouring rain, windows open, your favourite music slightly amplified and slashes of rain slapping your face every now and then. You will have this view for company – the Yamuna looking like a respectable river, green uncut pastures hugging the river bed from both sides, the skyline of Delhi hazy, promising and dream like, ample skies grey and cast, the tarmac of the road clean and inviting disappearing yonder into the rain drenched horizon….cities have their moments..this is one.

Radhika {Dilli Daily}

I love it when it rains, and my heart skips a beat at the sound of the first crackle of thunder and the gentle thud with which the fat drops of water hit the road. The chaos and hurried excitement of Delhi seems suddenly more subdued, like a well fed baby.

In the rain- sit back and do nothing. You have a reason to stay locked in; the traffic is hellish, the roads aren’t driver-friendly, and the last thing you want is to be caged in the confines of your car. So two options here, and both need a beautiful view of the rain. First one; Sit at home, draw open the curtains and enjoy! Pour yourselves a hot cup of masala chai. I love the masala chai you get at Regalia in Sunder Nagar Market. And while I wish I had a fancy coffee machine to pour me a shot of freshly brewed expresso, I make do with a french press of Illy or Lavazza, and for instant coffee- Davidoff {all available at local grocery stores, god bless globalization!} Music is everything in this weather- I’ve been listening to a lot of Alex Clare, Bombay Bicycle Club, French Kicks, The Black Keys last album, and Coke Studio Pakistan! 

Second option: Step out, and do the same. Find a place {my preferences; latitude, amici in khan market, amour in Hauz Khas village, CMYK Cafe in Meherchand Market, and India Habitat Center if you’re a member} where you can watch time pass you by. Carry a book {I’m reading ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ which will be followed with a Fitzgerald}, your laptop {though I’d personally pass on this}, call a friend who won’t bother you with callous banter. And seriously, take some time out to sit with your thoughts.