Monsoon Veranda

Rain falls over the carved front door at dusk. Tap, and the brass lamp is lit, the rain softens and the doors swing open into a warm, lamp-lit hall. Painted like an oil painting, the tharavadu glows in the rain while guests hold up a finger to keep the drops off, the date settles in a rain puddle, the countdown sits in raindrops on banana leaves, and the veranda's lamps are lit one by one for each ritual.