ENGLISH ESSAY CLASS 7

The coming of the monsoon signals relief from the scorching summer heat. Following the footprints of summer comes the monsoon. It generally starts from mid June and continues till September. Dark and gloomy grey skies are a common sight during this season, which signify the much awaited rain. Though heavy rain disrupts our daily schedule and causes much inconvenience at times, the monsoon season is always welcome.

At the start of monsoon, people extract their umbrellas, raincoats and gumboots. Students scurry to school covering themselves with their colourful raincoats and umbrellas. They seem very excited at times to have a shower in the rain. Office goers rush to office to be there on time. Sometimes when there is torrential rainfall, life comes to a standstill. Traffic jams, flooded lanes and by-lanes, people and children wading through the inundated streets are a common sight round this time of the year. Sometimes it is beautiful to watch children making paper boats and floating them in the waterlogged streets. Most of all, a rainy day declared as a holiday in school is most welcome in this season.

The monsoon is a blessing for the farmers across the country as well as for agriculture. Farmers wait eagerly for the monsoon as the rains are very important for the growth of crops. During the monsoon the fields, crops, trees and plants come alive. The whole of nature comes to life in a 'sea of green'. It is vital that the rains come in time or else delayed monsoon can cause drought; and farming gets heavily affected. Despite modern methods of farming, the monsoon rains are a reservoir for the farmers and his fields, which in turn is the source of our sustenance. A variety of plants, vegetables and crops grow in the monsoon. Beautiful flowers also blossom in this time. Dry riverbeds are filled by the rain water that is a major source of water for many across the country.

The rainy season is not devoid of its disadvantages. Sometimes the blessings of this season are transformed into a curse on account of natural calamities and disasters. When the monsoon does not arrive on time, droughts occur. Very heavy rainfall causes extensive damage to crops. Overflowing of rivers causes floods that damage property, fields and crops largely and loss of life. In hilly areas landslides during the monsoon is very common. This causes many to lose their lives, houses and their livelihood. In urban areas the people who are worst affected by the monsoon are the poor street dwellers. They have to leave their shelters on the pavement because of heavy rain and flooded streets. Several diseases such as malaria, dysentery, typhoid and cholera are seen to occur among the masses during this season.

On the whole the blessings of the monsoon surpass its curses and disadvantages. The entire life on earth circles round the monsoon. Thus the coming of the monsoon heralds a message of creation and rebirth. The typical fragrance of rain in the air breathes life into us after the scorching and relentless heat of the summer.

On a day when it rains cats and dogs and I have a football match or a dance party, I keep repeating the words of the poet: "Rain, rain, go away, come again another day..."