The overcast sky on the evening of Rathjatra (June 27) formed a perfect backdrop to The Rainmongers, an eclectic evening at Crossword Bookstore dedicated to monsoon as discovered by creative souls through the ages.

Conceived by Sujoy Prosad Chattopadhyay, the presentation started with a sitar recital by Abhik Mukhopadhyay. Things got interesting with Barun Chanda reading out a Pablo Neruda translation in English and Chattopadhyay chipping in with poetic interludes. Neepabithi Ghosh’s presentation of one of the many versions of Raining in my heart was followed by Amaar badal-diner bela, a self-composed ode to clouds as seen from the aeroplane’s windows. Its lyrics and melodic graph rekindled memories of many of the Bengali compositions of the 1950s and 60s, a streak taken ahead by Shalini Gupta through evergreen ditties like Elo barasha je sahasa and Rimjhim ghire sawan.

The best part of the programme was a sort of jugalbandi between elocutionist Bijoylakshmi Barman and singer Sudeshna Basu. As Barman read fragments from Sunil Gangopadhyay’s Banshiwala and excerpts from Joy Goswami’s Jara Brishtite Bhijechhila, Basu, with only a melody-box producing the drone, wove a classical fantasy in true Patiala style, singing a magnetic Malhar bandish.