Tirukkural - On Virtue - In Praise Of Rain - Kural -15

1. Keduppatuum kettaarkkuc saarvaaymar raanke
   eduppatuum ellaam malai.

'Want of rain spells ruin; sufficiency of it, in turn,
will lead to renewed prosperity'.

It is the absence of rain that ruins and rain again that aids the ruined land to rise. In fact it is not merely failure of rain, drought, that destroys the crops and ruins people. Even excess rain or cyclone and floods, sometimes bring about disaster. We have seen it happen occasionally in Thanjavur delta. This happens repeatedly in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Timely rain in moderation ad even in reasonable plenty, will alone ensure prosperity. The aspects of rain envisaged in this Kural were beautifully dramatized by Pearl Buck in the 'Good Earth'.