There are many different ways of looking at a city. One of the ways of looking at Mumbai, is through its rains. In Rain- A City through a Season, Vinitha and Kripa take young readers through a unique version of the Mumbai monsoon. The book, published by The People Place Project highlights a child’s experience of the rains in her city.
Meena, the protagonist narrates what the rain means to her. Those who live in Mumbai will know that the rains are a unique sensory experience here. The words of the book successfully capture this feeling. As you read the book with the young child, or as the child reads it, the questions will set the reader off on a sensory trip. For example, the touch of rain can be crystallised into so many feelings…. splashing in the puddles on the road. Or, the “squeeze of the never never dry clothes”. The smell of rain can also mean different things to different people. For some, it could be the smell of wet earth. for hoters, it could even mean the smell of lavender in the car when one goes for a long drive. The colour of the rains in Mumbai vary….though Meena is quite sure its blue.
What this book shows is the uniqueness of the rain as one experiences it in Mumbai. For example, the mention of “Lonavala”, a hill-station nearby, where Mumbaikars flock to during the rainy season is something that every Mumbaikar will understand.
The artwork by Kripa is quite different and mature. One does not see the typical common depictions of the rain. The artist has tried to capture the essence of the Mumbai rains in her artwork as well. Vinitha’s words are poetic and flow smoothly, taking the reader on a delightful journey!
Rain- A City through a Season opens up different and individual ways of looking what the monsoon means to the individual reader.
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