NO, this is not a piece on climate change, a worrying subject no doubt, but one that has been written about extensively by experts as well as laypersons. This is, rather, a celebratory piece about the joys of the weather, pure and simple, around most of the year, in these beautiful valleys of ours.

Actually, living in these latitudes, we are blessed with a climate that is, for a large part of the year, truly moderate. Temperatures here are never too high, or too low, unlike the Northern plains of the country, where it is either sizzling or freezing. Besides, our huge river system moderates the temperatures throughout the year, making living in the smaller places in this State such a pleasant experience. At one time, when Guwahati was still Gauhati, and not yet the capital of the State, temperatures were much more pleasant here, as well. Now, jam packed as the place is with a million and more inhabitants, temperatures have risen in this city of ours. This, of course, is an issue that is separate from that of global warming, and is more one of local overcrowding. And yet, even at this point of time, the weather here remains truly one of the attractions of the place.

We are blessed with amazing biodiversity, one of the richest in the world, in part because of the joys of our climate, which supports a splendid variety of flora and fauna. From rare orchids to the one-horned rhinoceros, from the golden langur to a bounty of bamboos and cane, we have all this, and more, at our very doorsteps! And it is only because of our climate, and our weather, that we can enjoy all this.

We take the annual changes in the weather in these valleys so much for granted that we forget that there are many places on this planet where the weather is more or less the same, throughout the year. Places near the equator have the same unvarying temperatures. An island like Trinidad , for instance, is always hot, with equatorial rains in the afternoon a regular feature of the climate there. And nearer home, Bangalore ’s round- the-year coolness has undoubtedly become a famed attraction for BPO and IT companies. But people who live in these places are deprived of the joys that routine changes in the weather in places like ours provide us with.

Indeed, one of the delights of our climate is that it is so varied. This brings with it a host of attendant glories. Post-winter, March, April and May see a gradual build-up of temperature, which is often relieved by the dramatic Bordoisilas that come roaring in without much warning. Indeed, frequent showers keep things cool in our region, even as the rest of the country swelters under unbearable heat waves. Upper Assam , especially, is a delight at this time, as the tea plantations gleam with an emerald lustre that owes its hue to the moderate temperatures and smart showers prevalent. In any case, temperatures never reach the levels that they routinely do in the plains of the rest of the country. No wonder visitors from outside these valleys gasp with wonder when they travel to places such as, say, Tezpur, or Sivasagar, or Duliajan at this time. With Krishnasuras, Radhasuras, Sonarus, and jacarandas bursting into abundant bloom at these times, our State is truly a delight, visually. Aurally, too, the drumbeats and melodies of Bihu punctuate the air with a delightful loveliness.

The monsoons of our valley are famed for their robust vigour. Indeed, the drenching downpours of June, July and August are surely worth a tourist tour. True, the atmospheric humidity at this time is high, but this is what keeps temperatures tolerable. Besides, it is this humidity that is responsible for the amazing verdure of our valleys. The green that mantles the land at this time, as undergrowth, or forest cover, or simply grass, is of a hue that is rarely seen elsewhere. Rich and vibrant, the green of our valleys has poets exclaiming through the ages, Seuji, seuji, seuji o, seuji dhoroni dhunia… Green, green, how beautiful is our green world…

It is only when one goes out of these valleys that one can appreciate the sheer bounty of green that our valleys are blessed with during the monsoons. The green of other places is much less eye-catching in comparison to ours. The luminosity of our green is missing even in places such as Kerala, which, in spite of being touted as God’s Own Country, lacks the sheer variety of shades that make up our verdurous land.

The plentiful hills that dot our towns, cities and valleys, are often crowned with clouds during this time. Living here, we are so used to this sight that we tend to take it in our stride. And yet the breathtaking loveliness sometimes brings us to a halt as we go about our daily chores, and makes us appreciate our surroundings all over again.

The dark clouds of the monsoons give way to the feathery white cirrus around the time of Durga Puja. The post-monsoon season, from October to early December, is the start of an amazing allure. As temperatures drop, flowers pop up in gardens, perfuming the air. The just-washed skies are an astonishing azure. The sunshine of this season is of a gold so beautiful that it rivals the colour of the mustard blooms in the fields. As the rivers retreat from their monsoon girth, and become slimmer, tamer, and more placid, their banks are lined with the beautiful kohuwa reeds, whose white, cloudy fronds wave enticingly in the breeze. To see a sea of these blooms under a full moon on a November night is to be blessed, indeed. And yes, let us remember, it is only because of our unique climate that we are in a position to offer such breathtaking sights to visitors, and glory in them, ourselves.

Winter, with its single-digit minimum temperatures, and mellow daytime warmth, pulls out everyone to the outdoors. Picnics on the sandbars of the river, or on a grassy mound beyond the hill behind our houses, are stuff that memories are made of. And though the pleasures of these outings are very accessible, they are priceless. Besides, there are the New Year celebrations, and the Bihu bonfires, that go on till the misty dawn of a chill January morning. Can these convivial delights be separated from the weather in which they take place?

All Things Considered, this kind of all-round-the-year bounty that the variety of the weather in our valleys bestows on us, is surely something that is not to be found too often in other places. Never too cold or too hot, the climate here is a friendly one.

It is also one of the best kept secrets of the country!

MITRA PHUKAN