Watch: Mumbai flooded, trains cancelled, but the internet finds fun with this “aura farming” video

Mumbai is once again under relentless rain, with continuous downpours causing severe waterlogging across the city. Commuters have been left stranded, multiple train services were cancelled, and traffic snarls became the order of the day. Yet, amidst all this chaos, the internet refused to remain sombre. Memers quickly found humour in the situation, giving rise to a Mumbai rain edition of the viral “Aura Farming” trend.

What Is Aura Farming Anyway?

If you’ve been scrolling through social media lately, you might have noticed countless posts tagged under “Aura Farming”. At its core, the trend is about projecting effortless coolness. But for many, particularly millennials and boomers, the concept remains puzzling.


“Aura” is a term widely used by Gen Alpha to quantify someone’s ‘cool factor’. Imagine saying, “Ana has so much aura, she’s effortlessly cool”. “Farming” borrows from gaming lingo, where players gather resources or points. In the context of aura farming, it’s about collecting social admiration, essentially, cool points.

How Does It Work?

Aura farming is all about striking dramatic poses, exuding epic energy, and doing impressive things while acting like it’s no big deal. The trend celebrates those who appear unbothered, confident, and charismatic, effortlessly drawing attention without trying too hard.

The trend took off globally after a video of Rayyan Arkan Dikha, an 11-year-old from Indonesia, went viral. Wearing sunglasses, Rayyan performed a cool, fluid dance on the tip of a long racing boat, his calm demeanour earning him the title of the “ultimate aura farmer” among youngsters.

Mumbai Joins the Trend

Naturally, Mumbai memers couldn’t resist. Amid the relentless downpours and waterlogged streets, social media users recreated the aura farming trend, but with a rainy twist. From balancing on soggy pavements to striking dramatic poses in umbrellas and raincoats, Mumbai’s internet community turned the city’s floods into a stage for humour and creativity.

The result? Countless hilarious posts, videos, and memes that had the internet in stitches, proving once again that even monsoon chaos can’t dampen the city’s spirit, or its sense of humour.