Mangaluru: So, the rain gods have finally arrived in our Coastal city, and returned to us the Mangaluru weather we love so much. And with these breezy morning & Evening showers, comes the need to own a sturdy as well as a stylish umbrella or buy a Raincoat or other rain gear. You can travel the city, looking fabulous, come rain, hail or shine, with some of the nifty funky umbrellas, found in shops and also by the roadside. But it’s always safe to buy an umbrella or rain gear from genuine dealers, where you can always go back if there is a problem-unlike street vendors, they move from one place to another, and finally disappear.

From the lookout, the rains seem to be fast approaching. Needless to emphasize, that calls for a change in tact with regard to dressing. But not many geezers get this. Nothing looks awful like a guy, drenched by the rain, with his shirt stuck to his back like it’s another layer of skin. It simply shows a lack of preparedness. Worse, one wouldn’t be wrong to ask: “What kind of man who has no umbrella, jacket or raincoat when it’s pouring out there?” With that kind of question, you don’t want to be the kind of man/woman for whom the rains spell doom and the cold weather simply exposes the ‘holes’ in his/her wardrobe – if any. This is not about appearances only. It’s about your health too. Cold rain weather, no matter how macho/feminine you are, will ‘put you down’ if you do not confront it with the right clothes or accessories. Unless time is an asset in plentiful supply, you do not want to be delayed or even marooned at some town building veranda because you can’t walk to the next building as it is raining because you have no umbrella.

With the City already showing signs of rain, that the monsoon season is already here soon, you can see street vendors and shops already dealing with raincoats/umbrellas. It is during this time of the year, that a bunch of umbrella sellers from North India storm into Mangaluru and carry on their umbrella selling trade on the sides of the streets. But buying umbrellas from these roadside vendors is quite risky because these umbrellas which are cheaper may not even last for a few weeks or may be a few days. But one place you can rely on for genuine and long-lasting umbrellas is A R D’Souza and Sons, located on Market Road, Mangaluru-with also having branches in Puttur and Kushalnagar-Coorg. Established in 1908, A R D’Souza has been serving their customers with the best products, with a satisfaction guarantee, and customers still keep coming back. With the rainy season following close on its heels, it’s time to get your rain gear out from your closets or buy new ones before you get wet and sick! So if you are looking for a new umbrella, A R D’Souza got you covered!

With a couple of thunderstorms during the past few days, the rain-gods have showered its bounty on the city taking the weather back to being air-conditioned. The monsoon is here again and people in the city are busy choosing umbrellas to brave the mighty rains. And among many other shops selling umbrellas, a large number of people throng A R D’Souza & Sons, where one could see them patiently choosing one perfect for their need with utmost care. Starting with Rs 350 for the smallest one, prices of these umbrellas go up to Rs 600-700 depending on the size and quality. Large garden umbrellas may cost between Rs 500-1500, with and their own “Cow” brand umbrellas have earned a name for decades, and still people come asking for Cow brand umbrellas because of their durability, quality and reasonable cost.

Umbrellas come in all sizes and fabrics too. Umbrellas are a much-needed accessory here during monsoon. During the monsoon, they sprout like mushrooms everywhere. In addition to being used in the usual fashion as a shelter from the rain, they are commonly seen popped up over motorcycles and bicycles. The humble umbrella is making a comeback as the latest fashion accessory. Umbrellas shouldn’t just be something used to block the rain. It should be an extension of who you are as a person. It should reflect your style and personality. Umbrellas that were earlier made only to serve a purpose have now become a way of making a style statement. Long gone are the days of solid black umbrellas donning the city with a solemn look, but today umbrella-makers are getting more and more experimental with their designs and people are simply lapping it up. Pastels have given way to bright colours and floral umbrellas have been substituted with checks and polka dots. And, if you are feeling a tad feminine, then frills are the way to go!

In this age when pocket umbrellas are popular, many of the youngsters in the city are seen sporting the long, single fold crook-handle umbrella too. Varieties are available in pastel shades of baby pink, mint green and blue, purples and reds, they are a modern version of the Victorian design and look flirty and feminine. Colours are getting brighter and bolder each season, oranges, yellows and bright neon hues are being preferred. Men are fortunately not left behind, with a diversion from the boring black, umbrellas in deep navy blue, military green and grey with checks or stripes are the popular choice.

Mercy D’souza, a hair specialist cautions saying, “Avoid getting your hair wet in the rains and never tie wet hair. Dry it as soon as possible, especially if you have long hair, otherwise, the roots of your hair may rot and produce a bad smell. Pollution, suspended particles in the air which come down with the rain, can settle on your scalp and make your scalp itchy and lead to hair problems. Umbrellas can be a useful weapon against this”. She advises people to cover their hair when going out in the rain. A trendy umbrella or a stylish raincoat can not only protect your hair but also make a style statement.

As the Coastal City-Mangaluru is one of the prominent markets of monsoon commodities, it generates huge demand in the monsoon season with more than 80% of the sales witnessed in the three months of May, June, July and August. So get an Umbrella, or a Raincoat- and Stay Dry this Monsoon season! Get a Trendy and Colorful Umbrella and protect yourself from Rain Gods!