Born in the month of June on a day when heavens opened up like a flooded reservoir, my parents tell me my name is inspired by the dark blue of a stormy evening. Perhaps that why I have always felt a strong connection with the monsoon. On all those monsoon Sunday afternoons where my family huddled up in the living room watching the special movies telecast on DD National, I remember sneaking outside, trying hard to make sense of the deep nostalgia the rains evoked in me. A child (and an adult) with a hyperactive imagination, I weaved strange stories of a past life to explain to urge to drop everything and watch when it rained. Two decades later I was still no where close to understanding that obsession but I learned I didn't need to understand it at all. I could just revel in it instead. Since then, I've spent the next decade chasing monsoon every year in every possible corner of the country, filling up a jar full of memories tinged with stormy skies and surreal views.

#1 because sunny days may be beautiful and all that but they are no match to the spectacle of a monsoon sky! There are few sights as glorious as the ephemeral minutes between black, roiling clouds morphing into a thick curtain of rain.

#2 because rivers come to life and how!

Every year, between June and October, I've been dedicatedly returning to the Indian forests and mountains to experience the wonder that is Monsoon Magic! But earlier this year in June, I ended up chasing monsoons in Bhutan as well. Considering how pristine the countryside and wilderness is in Bhutan, it was a delightful time to be there. I think, only a snow-ridden winter visit can top what I've seen in those misty rain soaked days. Without further ado, here's a glimpse of my monsoon escapade in the Land of Thunder Dragon!

Monsoon is my favorite season not just because of the mist and greenery but because of all the wild flowers it brings. I followed a trail going up a mountain and ended up in a sea of wild flowers of every shape and color! Also ended getting very lucky with sighting this super rare Blue Himalayan Poppy!

One of the several Rice Bowls of Bhutan, Paro and it's green fields shining despite a dark stormy sky!

Last rays of the day during the last few hours in Bhutan, just few kilometers from India. . See how the hills of Bhutan are reducing to plains of India?

See the narrow line in dark just before the houses start? That's the border wall, between India and Bhutan. Final goodbyes, from one green land to another. Days after returning from Bhutan, memories of it's pristine beauty and cheerful people will haunt you to go back. I know I want to and probably will! :)

So where have you been chasing monsoons this season? Tell me in the comments!

-- {All the pictures seen here are shot using a Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM lens I rented from Tapprs. }

Last month, after several hiccups in the initial planning, I finally landed in Chhinggis Khan International Airport and it felt surreal to finally realize a long pending dream. I spent a little over 3 weeks in Mongolia and covered a bit of Central and Northern parts. We traveled around in a super efficient truck, stayed in the traditional Mongolian Yurts/Gers for few nights and camped under the open skies many nights. 

You should know 3 weeks is a long long time and I have accumulated 80GB worth of pictures and numerous stories. I'm still dazed, with the amount of memories from the trip, the work after coming back home and my insufferable laziness. So I haven't been able to process the images from DSLR yet but anticipating this, I took a lot of pictures from my mobile and this should give you a decent glimpse into the 3 weeks in this wild country while I get my bearings straight.  

My tentmate and I, we always discussed what view we wanted from our tent.  Of course, this took more time than pitching the tent.We always had excellent views to wake up to courtesy stunning Mongolian Countryside!