This Week in Explainers: Why did monsoon arrive in May in India?

Monsoon has arrived in India. Heavy rains lashed Kerala and Maharashtra, which have witnessed the early arrival of monsoon.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and his party are at loggerheads. His recent remarks abroad have further put a spotlight on the divide between him and the Grand Old Party, sparking speculations about whether he will finally call it quits.

Language has become an emotive topic in India. Actor Kamal Haasan is facing flak for saying that Kannada “was born out of Tamil”. His comments have also generated interest in the language’s origin.

Here’s all this and more in our weekly roundup from India.

1. Many parts of India have reported an early arrival of the southwest monsoon. Heavy showers hit Maharashtra, Kerala and other parts of the country this week. Incessant rains brought Mumbai to a standstill, affecting flight operations and leading to waterlogging at railway tracks and multiple low-lying areas. This is the earliest onset of monsoon in Mumbai in 35 years, with the city recording its wettest May.

The monsoon rains also covered Lakshadweep, the south Arabian Sea, parts of the west-central and east-central Arabian Sea, and Karnataka. The southwest monsoon has also advanced to Goa and areas in the west-central and northern Bay of Bengal. It also reached parts of Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland. But what is behind the early onset of monsoon this time? We explain here .

2. A ‘rift’ between Shashi Tharoor and the Congress is out in the open. The Thiruvananthapuram MP has irked his party with his recent remarks abroad. Tharoor is heading one of the seven multi-party delegations that is keeping India’s stand on terrorism on the global stage.

Tharoor’s recent comments that India crossed the Line of Control (LoC) for the first time in September 2016 under the BJP-led Centre have angered the Grand Old Party, which has countered his statements. But the friction between the former diplomat and the Congress is not new. Will the party’s public reprisal of Tharoor finally push him to leave? Read our report to find out.

3. India is carrying out trials of the indigenous Kaveri jet engine in Russia. Developed by Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the engine could be used to power the long-range Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV).

The Kaveri engine is a low-bypass, twin-spool turbofan engine with 80 kilonewtons (kN) thrust. It was originally developed for the fighter aircraft Tejas.  Here’s why the engine is a big boost for India’s defence.

4. A huge drama has engulfed RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s family ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. His son Tej Pratap’s alleged relationship has come to light, prompting the former Bihar chief minister to take action against his son.

It all began when a post from Tej Pratap’s social media account was uploaded claiming that he had been in a relationship with Anushka Yadav for 12 years. Soon after, Lalu Prasad expelled him from the RJD for six years for “irresponsible behaviour”.

Tej Pratap’s estranged wife, Aishwarya Rai , also reacted to the development, calling it “drama”. Tej Pratap has responded to the controversy. But who is Anushka Yadav, his alleged partner? Read our story to find out.

5. Actor and politician Kamal Haasan sparked a major row after claiming that Kannada “was born out of Tamil” during a public event in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. His comments drew criticism from pro-Kannada groups and politicians in Karnataka.

Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra dubbed the actor’s remarks as “uncultured” and “insulting” to Kannada and its 6.5 crore speakers. He also called for an apology from Haasan. Some pro-Kannada groups resorted to violence, tearing down posters of his upcoming movie Thug Life in Bengaluru and threatening a statewide ban on the film. But what exactly did Haasan say and is his claim true? We take a look here .

6. Did Akbar not marry Jodha Bai? Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade has claimed that the Mughal ruler was not married to the Rajput princess but a daughter of a maid of King Bharmal. “The British changed the history of our heroes. They did not write it properly and their version of history was initially accepted. Later, some Indians wrote history, but it was still influenced by the British,” he said.

Movies and TV shows have romanticised the marriage of Akbar and Jodha Bai. Historians say that the Rajput princess’ name was not Jodha but Harkha Bai. She was the third wife of Akbar, who lived as a queen inside the Agra Fort. However, there are contrasting accounts about Akbar’s Rajput wife and their love story. We delve into the history here .

7. Seven years after an English professor killed the relatives of his colleague in Odisha, he has been sentenced to a life term. Justice has finally been delivered in the “wedding bomb” case.

Punjilal Meher, 56, sent a parcel bomb, disguised as a wedding gift, to Soumya Sekhar Sahu, a 26-year-old software engineer, and his 22-year-old wife, Reema, on February 23, 2018. The parcel exploded as soon as Soumya opened it, killing him and his 85-year-old great-aunt Jemamani Sahu. But why did Meher murder them? And how did the police crack the case? Read our story to find out.

8. India and Pakistan tensions have led to some sweet shops in Rajasthan’s Jaipur changing the names of their popular sweets — dropping the word ‘Pak’ to replace it with ‘Shree’. If you ask for Mysore Pak and Moti Shree in Jaipur, you might find Mysore Shree and Moti Pak instead.

This comes after several men vandalised Karachi Bakery in Hyderabad and raised “anti-Pakistan” slogans. However, the name change of the sweets has not been received well in several quarters. So, does Mysore Pak have any connection to the neighbouring nation? We explain here .

This is all we have for you this week. If you like how we explain news, you can bookmark this page .