When Himanshu Verma launched his arts organisation Red Earth in 2004, his idea was to come up with ways to celebrate traditional Indian seasons and festivals with contemporary visual, design and performing arts. Two years ago, he decided to start an event as an ode to the monsoon, “a season that has reigned supreme in the hearts and minds of poets, musicians and artists since time immemorial.” Since then the Monsoon Festival has been a big annual draw. The third one, held last month, together with Mayank Mansingh Kaul, was an attempt to connect people with the spirit of the monsoon. From painting exhibitions, to Bollywood nights and shows by cutting-edge designers, the focus was on renewal, regeneration and youth. Delhi was the obvious choice “because North India has a richer history of traditions, and seasonal celebrations and festivals, which are still in practice. Also because the romance of the Monsoon still exists in this city and because it’s my homeland and playground!”