Boondon ke Moti – The wet monsoon days always stand out distinct from the rest. For some, it takes them back to their childhood search of their Kaagaz ki kashti, while for some others the drizzle or the outpour outside evokes romanticism at its best. And there are some others, for whom this is just the gloomy weather to go back to their cocoons and find company in sorrow. But whichever way you perceive the rains, there is no denying the strong musical connection the pitter patter gets aligned to, and there is possibly a beautiful rain song for every mood that this tricky weather evokes.

Here is then an attempt to list down my 25 favourite rain songs, in no particular order… Again these may not be the most popular ones, but they have the soul and charm of what rainy days mean…

Ideal day to recall on a wet day – to its core…

01. Meri jaan mujhe jaan na kaho meri jaan | Anubhav (1971) | Kanu Roy | Gulzar | Geeta Dutt

02. Behta hai mann kahin | Chameli (2003) | Sandesh Shandilya | Irshad Kamil | Sunidhi Chauhan

03. Chhoti si kahaani se | Ijaazat (1987) | R. D. Burman | Gulzar | Asha Bhosle

04. Aaj mera jee karda | Monsoon Wedding (2001) | Sukhvinder Singh

05. Rimjhim gire saawan | Manzil (1979) | R. D. Burman | Yogesh | Lata Mangeshkar

06. Piya tora kaisa abhimaan | Raincoat (2004) | Debojyoti Mishra | Gulzar | Subha Mudgal and Gulzar

07. Rimjhim ke taraane leke aayi barsaat | Kaala Bazaar (1960) | S. D. Burman | Shailendra | Mohammad Rafi and Geeta Dutt

08. Megha re megha | Lamhe (1990) | Shiv-Hari | Anand Bakshi | Lata Mangeshkar and Ila Arun

09. Saason ko saason me | Hum Tum (2004) | Jatin-Lalit | Prasoon Joshi | Alka Yagnik and Babul Supriyo

10. O sajna barkha bahaar aayi | Parakh (1960) | Salil Chowdhury | Shailendra | Lata Mangeshkar

11. Saawan barse tarse dil | Dahek (1999) | Anand-Milind | Majrooh Sultanpuri | Hariharan and Sadhana Sargam

12. O ghata saawari | Abhinetri (1970) | Laxmikant Pyarelal | Majrooh Sultanpuri | Lata Mangeshkar

13. Lagi aaj saawan ki | Chandni (1989) | Shiv-Hari | Anand Bakshi | Suresh Wadekar and Anupama Deshpande

14. Boondon se baatein | Thakshak (1999) | A. R. Rahman | Mehboob | Sujata Trivedi

15. Ahaa rimjhim ke yeh pyaare pyaare | Usne Kaha Tha (1960) | Salil Chowdhury | Shailendra | Lata Mangeshkar and Talat Mehmood

16. Dekho na | Fanaa (2006) | Jatin-Lalit | Prasoon Joshi | Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan

17. Bole re papihara | Guddi (1971) | Vasant Desai | Gulzar | Vani Jairam

18. Taal se taal mila | Taal (1999) | A. R. Rahman | Anand Bakshi | Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan

19. Bheegi bheegi raaton me | Ajnabee (1974) | R. D. Burman | Anand Bakshi | Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar

20. Rimjhim rimjhim | 1942 – A Love Story (1994) | R. D. Burman | Javed Akhtar | Kavitha Krishnamurthy and Kumar Sanu

21. Main pyaasa tum saawan | Faraar (1975) | Kalyanji Anandji | Rajendra Krishna | Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar

22. Baadal yun garajta hai | Betaab (1983) | R. D. Burman | Anand Bakshi | Lata Mangeshkar and Shabbir Kumar

23. Ek ladki bheegi bhagi si | Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) | S. D. Burman | Majrooh Sultanpuri | Kishore Kumar

24. Aaj rapat jaaye toh | Namak Halaal (1982) | Bappi Lahiri | Anjaan | Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar

25. Jhir jhir barse saawan | Aashirwad (1968) | Vasant Desai | Gulzar | Lata Mangeshkar

There have been many more popular rain songs right from Pyar huya ikraar huya, to Koi ladki hai, to Barso re megha and they all have their listeners, but these songs specifically have created an aura around the season for me like very few others do…

A perfect day to recall these gems on a wet wet rainy day! Aaj mera jee karda !!