It’s raining on the ranges of Chamba. The clouds have formed garland like images, my friends have joined hands to form a swing.  Oh my love, come home from that distant land:  let us enjoy the season.} How winsome is the rainy season!  The mountain spurs are all washed up – green and verdant. The trees by the sides of roads and Deodars, tail and mighty, are tidy, spruce and sleek.  The clouds form the luring and enticing images and then instantly dissolve them. The sun breaks itself up into pieces and then bears the clouds in the race playing hide and; seek with them. The pit-pat, pit pat of raindrops on tin roofs is rhythmic and musical. Yo ! Ho! Who can miss Himachal in Monsoon?

The tree in the Fruit-Bowl of India’ are laden with fruits- mango and litchi in the lower hills; and peach, pear and apples in high hills. They add colours and fragrance to the landscape already endowed with virginal charm. One can feast one’s eye on lathe Gladiolus with glowing spikes; Hydrangea in pink and bluish hue; ily, early to blood red, and daisy with yellow disc and white raise in the gardens here while enjoying the sprinkling manna from heaven.

Sawan-Bhadon  (July-August) have romance in the names itself. The artists of Pahari miniature paintings have depicted the rains in various moods and styles. The Abhisarika (woman in love) painting from Rasmanjari in Nurpur style. Shelter in Rain in Guler style and the one based on Ritu Samharam of Kalidas translating his word s Clouds loudly roar again and again –nights are pitch dark –only the lightening flashes light the way –even so amorous women. Driven by passion, are on their way to midnight trysts. In Basholi colours are the masterpieces. These and other works of pahari Master can be seen in the museums at Shimla; Dharamsala and Chamba. Rains outside create the right ambience to appreciate the fine delicacy of romantic miniatures.