Ah, finally the Rain Gods have decided to enlighten us with our favourite form of precipitation, after watching us squirm and squiggle in the calorific weather, as they sit on large folding chairs with large KFC buckets in their hands. The heat was unusually high this year. Definitely worse than last year. I remember leaving the house and instantly being reduced to feeling like a burnt pancake or an overcooked salmon that readily invites decoration from Gordon Ramsay. Well, I don’t actually eat fish. The smell is just revolting. And their eyes just bore into you long after they’ve been removed and the entire fish has been cooked and brought before you. It’s no surprise that during the summer, tempers run high. Boredom runs even higher. I’m sure that residents of the city almost felt the diabolical urge to revolt. I know I did.
That’s why I just love it when it rains. The very first legitimate rainfall in Mumbai every year is not only welcoming but extremely enchanting too. I love sunless skies. I love the look of those dark imposing clouds as they trudge through Customs carrying heavy bulks of condensation. I just love the obscurity created by the mist, the sonorous ring of thunder and the overall gloominess. Oh, and the smell of rain. That moment when the rainwater hits the mud. Oh, and the trees. It’s only during the monsoon that you realize that they are, in fact, GREEN. The sound of rain too. To hear it’s gentle rhyming patterns and its subtle verses. Usually my favorite thing to do during this time is to sit snugly by the window with a cup of tea or coffee and a book. My iPod would be blasting ‘Coming Back to Life’ by Pink Floyd, ‘The Rain Song’ by Led Zeppelin or ‘Vienna’ by The Fray. Those real weather-appropriate songs.
Apart from harmless drizzles and a few notorious showers here and there, I do enjoy that violent, nihilist rain too. Apocalyptical rain. The kind that torrents down, uproots trees and saves innocent school kids from going to school on that day.
Beautifully written- a must read for those complaining souls who hate to get their feet wet.
ReplyDeleteThe monsoons was my favorite time of the year too-- wearing raincoats and gum boots and just swooshing around carefree- almost like having a joint celebration with the thunder gods. I must admit-- there is something v romantic and mystical about the rain and the rhythm of the falling raindrops---and its mood swings, sometimes a soft melody and sometimes hard rock, sometimes soothing and healing and sometimes a wake up call!
Out here in sunny southern CA, it hardly rains- we crave rain-- and what you would call a teasing drizzle is the 'talk of the town'.
So enjoy this season and all that it brings-- as they say-- each season has its joys to treasure, to lift our spirits and bring us pleasure.
Keep writing.