Nature s whims and fancies
have been aware of weather changes now for about 14 to 15 years. I started studying the agricultural system of a part of the Western Ghats, the western part of Ambegaon tehsil of Pune district. Here, I learnt about the rain constellations and their associated rain patterns. The local people told me that there were 13 rain constellations in all, namely Kritika, Rohini, Mrig, Ardra, Punarvasu, Pushya, Ashlesha, Magha, Purva, Uttara, Hasta, Chitra, and Swati. They described the peculiar rain patterns associated with these constellations. With their crops totally dependent on the rainfall, the farmers, in turn, depend on their traditional knowledge of rain patterns for growing their crops.
Some 20 to 25 years ago, the area used to receive pre-monsoon showers regularly in mid-May on constellation Kritika , and the farmers sowed the paddy just before these showers came. But, the rains became irregular and finally ceased. So they had to depend on the showers of Rohini , which too, became irregular and altogether ceased the same way. Now, they wait for the constellation of Mrig. But even that , which comes by the second week of June, has let them down. The Mrig showers were gentle and the seeds, instead of getting washed off, sprouted well and took firm root. The showers during the next constellation Ardra were heavy, but by then the saplings of paddy and other hill millets take root and are strong enough. The next one Punarvasu