United by thirst: India gets together to pray for monsoons

India is a land of diversities; diversities in terms of place, people, languages, area and of course seasons. Of the three distinctive seasons of a year, monsoon for long has been a favourite for people all over India.

Different people around the country perceive monsoon differently. For the farmers it's a time for bounty, for the animals it's a time for relief and for the common man it's a time for immense joy and delight.

Apart from having mythological relevance to the Indian society, monsoon is a reason to smile for 70% of our population which relies on agriculture as its livelihood. Every cloud that monsoon brings with it enhances the feeling of elation in our hearts.

Some say it's the smell of sand, some say it's the ambience while some say it's just the best feeling in the world; the monsoons have always had a mesmerizing impact on Indian mindsets. The scorching heat this season has paved the way for the monsoons to be even more emphatic.

We at NDTV have tried to cover some of the moods that we can associate monsoon with…

No water, little shadow and a lot of heat: A child covers herself with a container that she is supposed to carry water with. (AFP image)
Waiting for the special one:A woman carrying water looks at the scorching sun with the expectation of an early onset of monsoon being more of a hope than anticipation. Apart from being a relief from the ruthless summers, monsoon has always had an irreplaceable position in Indian hearts. (AFP image)
Unemployed By Nature:A farmer looks at his barren land as the blazing sun refuses to allow any respite for him.

The changing weather conditions have meant that many farms across the country have become barren to such an extent that it may take years for them to blossom again. (AFP image)

Every drop matters:A vendor carefully pours water into a container/glass for it to be sold. The dry and unkind summers have meant that water has become one of the most valued resources to man. (AFP image)
The ugly jigsaw:A farmer touches the bits and pieces of green that remain between the cracks of the parched surface of his land.
Lack of irrigation facilities, rising temperatures and low ground water levels have all contributed to become one of the most troubled summers for the people. (AFP image)
All that remains is faith: As temperatures soar to figures skyscraping statistics of previous years; all that is left for farmers is hope and faith to bring the onset of the monsoon soon enough to end their miseries. (AFP image)

Once a stream bed:As summer reaches its peak, rivers that once flowed in profusion are falling prey to the large human requirements and soaring temperatures.
According to the W.W.F. the Ganges and Indus are one of the 10 most threatened rivers of the world. (AFP image)
Hoping against hope:A farmer anxiously looks towards the sky to find any clouds in the distance as the sky above him is clear and discouraging. (AFP image)
Bought for the rains, used for the sun:A man tries to escape the heat by using an umbrella to cover himself. The scorching sun has offered little respite for him this time around. (AFP image)

The strive for survival:Women carry water for their families as options for collecting fresh water become few and far in between. (AFP image)
Digging deep:A child tries to figure out the depth of a crack that has developed in a parched field. (AFP image)
In no man's land:A baffled farmer looks helplessly at his land that has faced the wrath of summers. (AFP image)
Call to the heavens:A farmer sits on his land and urges the heavens to answer his prayers for monsoon rains with the sun overhead. (AFP image)
No mercy:A crow tries to extract water out of a tap that it cannot open. The birds too are facing the consequences of the boiling temperatures around the country. (AFP image)