19 July,2026 09:26 AM IST | Mumbai | Akshita Maheshwari
Pics/iStock
If there is one thing Mumbaikars collectively deserve a medal for, it is surviving the monsoon. Every year, we spend three months pretending we're okay with wet socks, jeans that never dry, and the fact that every auto rickshaw driver has suddenly decided your destination has "too much paani, madam".
By August, I begin to forget what the sun looks like. My room gets so dark that I can't tell if it's 8 am or 8 pm. Laundry hangs around for days, the thought of stepping out feels exhausting, and every plan involves calculating whether your umbrella will survive the wind. It's no surprise that all this greyness begins to seep into your mood too. While we can't ask the rain to take a day off, we can make living through it a little easier. Here are a few ways to make peace with what feels like Mumbai's longest season.
There's one kind of person who I hate the most, the ones who love the rain. Clearly, you've never had to catch a local train where everyone is wet. For me, there is a general annoyance in the air when the monsoons arrive. But for many, this is a surprisingly favourite season. Their reasons? Pakode, chai, maggi, soups, dancing to Barso Re and pretending to be Aishwarya Rai. These things don't sound half bad, even to a pessimist like me. So try to look at the rain like a glass half full. Try and indulge in the cheesy rituals that make it fun. Who knows, maybe dancing in the rain is not so bad after all.
The temptation during the rains is to become a professional plan-canceller. "Let's meet after the monsoon" somehow becomes everyone's favourite sentence.
Instead, bring people home. Make every get-together come with a silly theme. One weekend could be everyone cooking the same comfort food. Another could be a movie night where only bad films are allowed. Or dust off the board games your family insists on keeping. Seeing people - even if it's just four friends squeezed onto one sofa - does far more for your mood than another evening spent on Instagram Reels.
Our brains take cues from light. During the monsoon, the sky spends most of the day looking like someone turned the brightness down. Instead of accepting your cave-like existence, fight back.
Turn on warm lamps even during the afternoon. String lights aren't just for Diwali. A floor lamp in the corner of your room or a reading light beside your favourite chair can completely change how a space feels. If you work from home, move your desk as close to the brightest window as possible. You may not get sunshine, but you don't have to work under apocalyptic lighting either.
Sometimes it's not the rain that gets to you. It's the constant feeling of being... moist.
Wash your bedsheets a little more often. Keep a fresh towel ready. Rotate your shoes so one pair has time to dry. Put on clothes straight out of the dryer if you have one. A room that smells fresh, dry clothes, and a warm cup of chai can trick your brain into feeling far more put together than the weather outside would suggest.
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