Before Weather Apps, India Relied On Animal Behaviour & Tribal Knowledge To Predict Rains

Before the India Meteorological Department (IMD) releases its monsoon forecast, and before weather apps begin flashing percentages and storm maps, another kind of forecast is already underway. In a village in Saurashtra, farmers notice ants climbing higher than usual, carrying eggs in long lines. In Telangana, frogs croak loudly through the night. In Rajasthan, peacocks spread their feathers and dance. In Kerala, kadamba flowers begin to bloom. Across India, these moments are not seen as random. They are read as signs of rain. For centuries, communities across the country built their own sy...