Monsoon Season in Kolkata happens between mid-June and September with rains hitting hard and rains hitting fast. Don’t expect much warning. Of course we only find out by misfortune on our first day in Kolkata during the first week of September (2013). At this time Monsoon Season in Kolkata was coming to an end but for us this did not show. We begin the day on a self-penned city tour starting at the Victoria Memorial and it was at this first attraction where the city tour ends. On our two visits during September the weather did not change and our time in Kolkata felt completely wasted.
A Proper Monsoon Soaking
With no immediate sign of rain we happily walk for the main building at the Victoria Memorial. Roughly half way crossing the gardens the skies explode from above with proper monsoon rains. Our judgment call here was to scarper for shelter at the main building which of course we regret. Approaching the building we are quickly shooed away by surrounding security who were happy to leave us stranded with one small umbrella between two. Scrambling like idiots to fix it as half the time our umbrella was inside out. The main gates now further than ever we flee to surrounding trees where the downpour breaks through branches. We give up and squelch hopelessly through ankle deep puddles to find our taxi. To add to disappointment the locals didn’t even break out in dance, kicking water like a Bollywood Movie. They too cowered wet and glum under flimsy umbrellas. I would have taken photos but only a crazy person would pull a camera out in this weather.
Be Prepared
As always we travel light. My one pair of shoes and one pair of jeans now completely drenched through. With a flight due the following day this was a complete pain in the ass. If it weren’t for a whole lot of pestering at hotel staff I would have been boarding the flight in hippy shorts and flip-flops bought from the nearby Central Market. Fortunately my clothes are dried and we escape North to shelter in Sikkim.
