This article is a part of our new series Dialectical, which explores the region's languages, their connections, and shared histories.
Vāsudeva, a 10th century Sanskrit poet living in Kerala, characterised summer (grīṣma) by the humming of black bumblebees in his long poem Yudhiṣṭhiravijayam. He compared the summer season with a hermit whose sparkling white teeth are shining while he chants his meditation like a bumblebee. In Kerala's social history, summer months marked the start of roof-thatching with coconut leaves and reappearance of handheld fans, called pāḷā viśaṟi (in Malayalam), which are made of areca-nut sheaths. Indeed, summer is an important season of the year and holds a unique place in the life of the people of Southasia.
Winds and drinks
Summer in Southasia brings weather phenomena such as Lū (Loo), the dry convectional winds which blow from west to east in the northern plains of the Subcontinent during the summer months. These winds are extremely hot, and they often cause heat-strokes. The word Lū is related to Sanskrit alāta (firebrand). During Loo season, in northern India, there was an interesting practice of keeping a raw onion in person (in pockets or tied by the corner of clothes), and this was believed to ward off the ill effects of hot winds. Heatstrokes are commonly referred to as 'Lū lagnā' in Hindi/Urdu.