Revathi Malay

At a time of unprecedented rise in temperatures in most of the districts in Karnataka and warnings of further rise in temperatures, some untimely rain in February, the coffee belt of  Karnataka was blessed with the timely and good arrival of the Revathi malay in the districts of Kodagu, Hasan and  Chikmagalur.

Revathi malay (malay means rain in Kannada) is the blossom shower that arrives every year (in a normal year !) and is rainfall that occurs between March 1st and April 30th.Revathi is the rain that is needed for the coffee bud to flower . The blossoming is key to coffee production . This year Revathi has kept her date and has arrived on time much to the relief of the coffee farmer.
However, what is worrying is the warming from the  Meteorological Department, that there is likely to be an average two degree rise in the mean temperature in most districts. This certainly is bad news not just for coffee but for other crops too.

Our most ubiquitous, humble but delicious bananas are under so much stress.The  banana trees have started to  wither due to the lack of water and excessive heat. Coconuts are dropping early and their size reduced due to excess heat, says   Timmegowda, director, All India Coconut Growers’ Federation.This will only get worse. In the Malnad, the summer temperature range was between 18 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius. Today the lower range starts at 28 degrees says Mohan Kumar, a coffee grower in Sakleshpur.

Which brings me to what I like to
ask "why is the measure of love loss ?"

Summertime and the fish are not jumpin

While mercury soars across the sub continent, parts of the wettest state, Kerala, suffers from drought. This is unusual for God s own country. It is also unusual for the garden city, Bangalore, to touch 38 degrees centigrade. It is unusual that there are no glaciers in the summer months, even 40 km around Srinagar's east-side mountains. While Rajasthan is known for its desert heat, it is unusual that many of its districts are experiencing about 6 degree centigrade temperature increase.

But this is not about an unbearable summer where everything and everyone seems to wilt away and there is general listlessness. This is really about some myths and reality.

The myth is that climate has always changed so this is normal. The reality is that the climate is changing at a speed like never before.
The myth is that we can wait. The reality is that we have no time.
The myth is that climate change action is costly. The reality is that inaction will cost us more.
The myth is that money grows on trees . The reality is that it actually does.
The myth is that we can change – the reality is that we can t change fast enough.