Monsoon brings life to this country. It is only then that our land comes alive. Rivers swell with runoff water from the mountains which washes away the dirt and pollution of yesteryear . Smaller streams, aimless and desultory during the dry season, find their raison d'etre and rush towards larger rivers. Haors morph into oceans. Birds hatch their eggs and nurture their newborn. Butterflies distract you in the fields. Trees, plants and grass turn a deep, saturated green, infinite in its gradations.

No doubt the best – and the most majestic – part of monsoon in Bangladesh is her rivers. Giants such as the Meghna and the Padma become so wide that you cannot see the other side. Smaller rivers become navigable in many places that had dried up in winter. The flow remains vigorous well into autumn.

The luscious beauty of these rivers is perhaps best enjoyed from a river cruise. There are few things in life sweeter than sitting on a boat and watching life go by. Villages come and go, children play in the open fields, a rowboat carries a newlywed couple from the city to his village home. Suddenly the sky darkens and clouds move in. The greens become greener in the diffused light. Soon large raindrops fall on the river. The air becomes cool and fresh. An hour later the sun breaks through the clouds.

Why not try some river cruising this season? The rivers are full until October, and as autumn approaches, there is the promise of sharat's white clouds in deep blue skies and white kash-covered meadows.

Chances are there is a river close to you wherever you are in Bangladesh. Of the hundreds of rivers flowing through the country, many flow near the cities. For example, Dhaka is surrounded by rivers on all sides: the Turag on the north which flows into the Buriganga on the west which in turn flows into the Dhaleswari, the Balu on the east flowing into the Shitalakhya  - and all these merging into the mighty Meghna. 

You can travel on virtually any boat depending on your time availability and comfort needs. If you want to travel in style in the company of family or friends, one of the larger boats might be for you. I recently had the pleasure of day-cruising the Shitalakhya and the Dhaleswari on two such pleasure crafts. The first weekend, I went on the MV Mahirah, and a week later I was on the MV Tanguar Haor. Both were eminently comfortable in meeting both indoor and outdoor needs while providing a memorable experience of our beautiful season.

If you like exploring outside Dhaka, smaller rivers usually have boatmen who can take you for a ride. I had memorable cruises on the Shomeshwari in Netrakona and the Shari in Sylhet, rivers so beautiful they etch themselves permanently into your memory.

No matter what boat you choose, a monsoon river cruise will rejuvenate you and remind you of the beauty of this land.

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