Jamuns, jhoolas & joys of monsoon

THE SIGHTS AND SMELLS OF SAAWAN SPELL NEWER NARRATIVES, NEWER VERSE

- CHETNA KEER

It is rather with reluctance that mango lovers must watch the retreat of the King of Fruits with the advent of rains.

Surveying aam pheriwalas turn into a tiny trickle is so like seeing gilt-edged palanquins laden with gold and grandeur slip into the sands of time.

Ah, but that's the story of the seasons. Sights and smells come and go like the seasons, like the scoreboards at Wimbledon or Lord's.

Just as many a heart begins to jump with joy at jamuns, there come tidings that indirectly revalidate the goodness of our very own Indian blackberry.

Jamuns owe their popularity not only to being a monsoon staple but also to their medicinal benefits.

For all those diabetics who overindulge taste buds to Dussehris and Chausas in summer, jamuns come as the perfect detox. For, they are rich not only in antioxidants but also regulate blood sugar levels and improve insulin function.

Speaking of stuff sugary, some sweet tidings from Mattel couldn't have come at a better time.