A song of rain and colour

The moss grows thick on the wall. Nourished by the fresh downpour of monsoon, plush layers of green take over uncovered portions of the plastered brick-and-mortar-boundary. The peeled walls put on a new cloak; the faint traces of sunburnt paint, now enveloped from vision. 

The earthy odour released after a rainy onslaught offers a welcome change from what appears to be a ceaseless summer, while in our rapidly disappearing backyards and out in the country, the heavenly splurge makes seeds sprout and adds colour to the vegetation. Their thirst now replenished, the foliage presents a madness in various shades of green and appears livelier. That is nature's style statement – a freshness provoked by incessant showers. 

Rainy days appear dreamlike as long as one has the luxury of staying indoors, sitting idly on the easy-chair with a steamy novel and a cup of piping hot tea. Those faced with a real prospect and a certain level of urgency to venture outside may not share the same level of enthusiasm as these 'hopeless romantics.' 

And then there are the born cynics, never too shy to point fingers – mud splashes from tyres, the stench of dirty water in waterlogged streets and the real possibility of an unwarranted plunge as the rickshaw falls into a pothole – and cry, "menace!"  For them, monsoon spews trouble and the season has also been charged guilty of endorsing sadness, and elevating feelings of despair. 

While the clouds diminish the often violent rays of the Dhaka summer, a band of optimists however, rejoice at the prospects of a cooler earth; the prospects of seeing grey clouds obscure the scorching sun in its blazing summer glory, making way for the first drops of rain, when the peacock calls – and give every fashion loving soul an opportunity to seize the moment and borrow shades from the tranquil sky, or a luminous rainbow or the feathers of the magnificent peacock. Come monsoon these fashionistas take cue from the dazzling spectacle of colour, spread a feeling of cheerfulness with an explosion of shades in your wardrobe, and taking the world by storm.

Traditionally, blue has been the colour of monsoon, a possible tribute to the gradual loss of azure now hidden below enormous bodies of grey clouds. Blue is safe and hence ubiquitous to those who are wary of making sirens and alerting the fashion police in a desperate attempt to appear too savvy. Yet, if you are drawn by challenges, and have no inherent fear to experiment, shy away from selecting darker shades influenced by sombre clouds for every day wear, or even the trusted shades of blues and opt for livelier tones stealing from the range of colours in aqua. 

Water, they say is life; and truly the adage is a fashion statement for monsoon. From the sea-greens to the range of aquamarine, adorn yourself with the 'cool colours' and maintain a tranquility of the mind.

For those who feel a pang of hunger to stand out in a crowd, reinterpret flat blue with maybe, shades of burgundy - a burgundy top with blue shorts or a blue flowy top with tight burgundy jeans. A formula that just cannot go wrong! Be creative and the options will seem endless. To make the best out of the short-lived Bangladeshi monsoon, think of it as an extension of summer. Make no major changes in selecting fabrics or while choosing the accessories. Just toy around with colours.

And there you have it, a recipe of happy life and good living, a much needed colour therapy!

By Mannan Mashhur Zarif

Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed