Where have the rains gone?

Is it global warming or climate change or El Nino? Whatever it is, I see a definite void without the rains. The Southern Peninsula is the most affected. It is around this time that typically every year that I go on my monsoon treks and get totally drenched while seeing brilliantly green landscapes. But, this year, the earth around me is parched and looks bone dry.


Take the town of Kallidaikurichi in Tamil Nadu as an example. This town, situated at the base of the Western Ghats should have got enough showers by now and the entire area should be covered by dancing paddy fields. But, instead, all we see is golden yellow grass with cracks beginning to form below it. Where have the rains gone this year?