Simply South: Rain Ready

The southern region of Kerala is one of the sections of the country that receive the first sight of the highly anticipated monsoons. Blankets of lush greenery, picturesque quaint villages and hypnotic local rain songs make Kerala a favorite tourist destination and justify its title of ‘God's Own Country' NDTV's Ketki Angre travelled to Kerala along with the Monsoon Express team to bring you the latest from the ground. “Monsoon Express is not just our attempt at chasing the monsoon, it's also my journey to reclaim the romance of the rains that I lost a few years ago due to the monsoon mayhem in the concrete jungles of Mumbai. It's a discovery of the magic of the monsoon that's peeping from behind the trees and hiding beneath the leaves”, said Ketki. We bring you first glimpses of the much awaited season through Ketki's lens.

The southern region of India receives the first sight of the highly anticipated monsoons. Blankets of lush greenery, picturesque quaint villages and hypnotic local rain songs make south India a favorite tourist destination for Indian as well as international visitors.

The NDTV Monsoon Express team is traveling across the country to bring you the latest from the ground.

“Monsoon Express is not just our attempt at chasing the monsoon; it's also my journey to reclaim the romance of the rains that I lost a few years ago due to the monsoon mayhem in the concrete jungles of Mumbai. It's a discovery of the magic of the monsoon that's peeping from behind the trees and hiding beneath the leaves”, said Ketki Angre, a member of the Monsoon Express team.

We bring you first glimpses of the much awaited season through the Monsoon Express team's lens.

Web-locked: A spider weaves a web outside a window.(Image: Ketki Angre)
Boat in the lake: A lone boat strolls in the distance as trees and plantation rejoice in the rains. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Lotus leaves: Drops of dew are seen on the leaves of a lotus plant. The lotus is a plant that essentially thrives in damp conditions.(Image: Ketki Angre)

Colours of paradise: A blend of several colors fresh after rain. (Image: Naghma Sahar)
The darkness that brings joy: A view from an erstwhile palace in Trivandrum.(Image: Naghma Sahar)
The drops add magic: Rain drops add a sense of beauty and freshness to flowers. (Image: Ketki Angre)

Behind the scenes: The monsoon express team as they cover, adore and smile with the monsoon.(Images: Ketki Angre, Naghma Sahar)
Painted by nature: Aligned Trees, tall mountains, and a sky with infinite hues; all in a page from nature's art-book. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Rain soaked leaves: Monsoon leaves its mark on the leaves of a plant. (Image: Ketki Angre)

Flying high: Storks can finally gather at tree tops as the weather turns kind on them. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Storyteller: A broken boat lies at the beach of Kovalam. (Image: Naghma Sahar)
Clean and tid(e)y: What better place to enjoy the monsoons than at a beach with clean surroundings and sparkling water.(Image: Ketki Angre)
Walk in the clouds: A road covered with clouds. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Striking a pose: An elephant splashes water on himself. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Walk in the woods: A local carries a ladder on an empty road. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Valley view: A view of the dense hill forests from within. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Rubber plantation: Rubber trees planted in high numbers. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Last light: A scene from the window as dusk approaches. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Misty tales: A layer of mist covers the hill forests. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Elephant tales: An elephant takes a stroll in the forests with his mahout. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Elephant cool-off: An elephant takes a breather. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Pit stop: The NDTV monsoon express team. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Dancing in the wind: Windmills go bizarre as monsoon winds strike them.(Image: Ketki Angre)
Dosai Delight: The south Indian food has always been a delicacy in India.(Image: Naghma Sahar)
A poet's delight: A flower blossoms amidst rain drops.(Image: Ketki Angre)
God's own lake: Cities built around water bodies has been a reason for success for many civilizations.(Image: Naghma Sahar)
In nature's lap: A hut surrounded by trees.(Image: Ketki Angre)
Isolated heritage: A Thiruvalluvar statue amidst the sea in Kanyakumari.(Image: Ketki Angre)
Lovely Kerala: A combination of hills with natural scenic beauty is any nature lover's dream.(Image: Naghma Sahar)
By the beach: A family enjoys the beachside.(Image: Ketki Angre)
Monsoon calling: Clouds gather over an open wind mill.(Image: Ketki Angre)
Making music: The monsoon express team made sure that they captured the cultural flavors of south. (Image: Ketki Angre)
seldom seen: A distant view of a lake at the Padmanabhaswami temple.(Image: Ketki Angre)
Rejuvenating downpour: Rain drops throw fresh life into plants and trees.(Image: Ketki Angre)
Waterlogged: Birds enjoy a lake made by rain water. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Clouds come calling: A view of the rain bearing clouds. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Fruit-full: A fruit seller carries a pineapple; a part of her offering. (Image: Naghma Sahar)
In a rhythm of their own: The waves at southern beaches are as vivacious as the monsoon. (Image: Naghma Sahar)
Agriculture Univeristy: Fit to be a palace. (Image:Naghma Sahar)
Perfect breakfast: Health, taste and aroma; all the constituents of a perfect breakfast. (Image: Naghma Sahar)
Spiral coffee house: A spiral shaped coffee house building in Trivandrum. (Image: Naghma Sahar)
Walking into light: A silhouette view of the dense hill forests. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Road trip: A bike and a car travel on a road surrounded by natural beauty. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Ponmudi check post: A forest check post at Ponmudi, Thiruvananthapuram. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Covered in mist: A blanket of mist covers trees lowering long sight visibility. (Image: Ketki Angre)
A time of plenty: Not a big store, but certainly one with many branches.(Image: Naghma Sahar)
That's how it's done: The authentic way of making wafer thin banana chips. (Image: Ketki Angre)
Drenched: A flower hangs soaked in rain drops.(Image: Naghma Sahar)