The Effect of the Monsoon on the Indian Society in Cochin, Kerala
The monsoon holds the power to promote or devastate India ’s economy. Indeed, India has the potential to be a lot more prosperous were it not for the fickleness of the monsoon. “Floods, drought, famine, and poverty continue to drag her down each times she seems ready to spread wings of prosperity and fly towards a brighter future full of richer harvests.” 1
Sometime from the end of May to about the second week of June the southwest monsoon will arrive, if it arrives. Its time of arrival is not very predictable, nor is its duration or intensity, all of which can have significant impacts on an agriculturally based society. When the monsoon rain clouds reach the coast of south western India, they rise so quickly over the Western Ghats, an abrupt 1,500 mile escarpment, that they lose much of their moisture in Kerala (our area of study) before blowing across the rest of the peninsula and inland.2 Approximately 67% of the population depends on agriculture for a livelihood (forestry and fishing included).3 Major crops of Cochin and the surrounding area include coconuts, rubber, and rice. The monsoon rains are absolutely essential for crops to grow. The economy has been called a “gamble in rains” because the rain from the monsoon fills reservoirs, tanks, rivers, and irrigation canals with water that must last until the monsoon returns in the next year.4 Approximately 90% of India ’s annual water supply is brought by the monsoon.5 When the monsoon season is good, the government tries to establish buffer stocks against the catastrophe of monsoon failure. If the monsoon fails for two or three successive years however, no proactive measures can be sufficient.6 Another gamble the farmers make is with the timing of the monsoon. Crops are planted in March and April during the dry, hot season, and are harvested in November during the retreating northeast monsoon. Some crops such as coconuts need a certain amount of rain at a certain time. If the monsoon is late they will dry up and the harvest is lost.7
According to Cochin native, Joerose Tharakan, the irregularity of the arrival of the monsoon can have significant influences on the morale of the society. When the monsoon is late the farmers have a tendency to get vexed. Despite the fact that it obviously will do no good, they often go on strike.
The weather in this novel controls their crops and the river flow; which controls their food and water supply. They depend on adequate rainfall to help their crops to grow and for the river to be full. They also depend on the sun to warm things up and make the crops grow. However, if there is too much rain or too much sun it can cause many problems, such as a drought or a flood. These things are significant in this novel, because t...
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