We are halfway through March and that means a few things: schoolchildren are gearing up for holidays, apartment tenants are praying to have water in their taps in the morning, and the rising mercury leaves skin burnt and throats parched.
But sure as clockwork, little stalls and wagons have become more ubiquitous around the city, selling fruits of all shapes, sizes and hues in a bid to hold off the incessant heat.
Bananas hanging from ropes and oranges in baskets are offset by small mountains of dark grapes and ripening mangoes.
Shoppers make a beeline for the rotund watermelon, that ever dependable saviour during sweltering afternoons, with the dream of slicing into its juicy innards for a bite or savouring its pulpiness in the form of juice.
The heat is on the rise, and sunscreen and air conditioning only go so far, something Kochiites seem to have realised, going by how quickly the fruits fly off shelves and truck beds.
Kochi, Kerala, 14/03/2015 : Different varieties of fruits on sale in the city. Photo : Thulasi Kakkat
Kochi, Kerala, 14/03/2015 : Different varieties of fruits on sale in the city. Photo : Thulasi Kakkat
Kochi, Kerala, 14/03/2015 : Different varieties of fruits on sale in the city. Photo : Thulasi Kakkat
Kochi, Kerala, 14/03/2015 : Different varieties of fruits on sale in the city. Photo : Thulasi Kakkat
Kochi, Kerala, 14/03/2015 : Different varieties of fruits on sale in the city. Photo : Thulasi Kakkat
Kochi, Kerala, 14/03/2015 : Different varieties of fruits on sale in the city. Photo : Thulasi Kakkat
Kochi, Kerala, 14/03/2015 : Different varieties of fruits on sale in the city. Photo : Thulasi Kakkat
Kochi, Kerala, 14/03/2015 : Different varieties of fruits on sale in the city. Photo : Thulasi Kakkat