It's Raining {uh not men , but plain H20 } Hallelujah !

The rain gods have arrived in Bangalore and how! Since the past couple of weeks Bangalore has been receiving its share of rains. At a time when rest of the country is getting ready to welcome the winter, Bangalore is busy shaking water off its umbrellas and raincoats.

Its so weird and wonderful how arrival of rains can have an effect like no other season or weather. There is nothing like the first shower of rains and people caught unaware and unprepared. It’s almost like nature having her bit of fun watching people scurrying for cover.

The rains bring a spectrum of memories to my mind, predominantly the ones in Belgaum where I did my graduation. Belgaum is a city that gets more than its share of rains and with the facilities in our college hostel, the rains were not the most looked forward to event. Incidentally, the floor of the ground level rooms had a mysterious ability to get semi-flooded and it was quite a herculean task to keep the floor dry . I was invariably allotted one of the ground level rooms and had my ingenuity tested to the hilt in the mammoth task of keeping the floor from looking like a swimming pool. And in case you are curious.... Newspapers !.. It works !!

There was also the temptation of dashing to the rooftop , which by the way was a taboo ( you see, the boys hostel was adjacent to our hostel and the warden could not risk rain soaked youths singing ‘Tip Tip Barsa Paani, Paani Mein Aag Lagaye ’ on rooftops.) But we did sometimes manage a quick dash without being obstructed and it was during one of these escapades, we spied a lovely rainbow in the rain aftermath. Breaking rules sometimes pays!

Of course the most recent 'rain memory' is that of Pune a couple of years ago. While Mumbai was getting flooded, Pune just kept receiving rains and rains and endless rains with no particular effect. I would wake up every cloudy morning hoping the rains had finally reached a point where an official holiday could be declared. But God is workaholic and any such hopes were religiously dashed. A few places in Pune did get the flood alert, but with the resourceful people of Pune things were soon bought under control. My most vivid memory is listening to an appeal for help on Radio Mirchi and sending my flat roomie with packets of rice and daal to the collection center. She returned with mixed feelings firstly, because our packet was the smallest parcel in the room and secondly, because it reflected the magnanimous nature of the Punekars in helping their fellow beings. Ah Pune .. it brings sweet memories.. But then I am digressing..

Coming back to the monsoons Like I earlier said the rains evoke myriad emotions that a summer or winter can only hope to stir ..It’s all in the dripping umbrellas, the wet dupattas, the colourful raincoats, the cold damp fingers, the clammy shoes, the Knorr soups , the hot chai and pakoras, the hot water evening baths, that towel tossed carelessly over the chair......That's what makes the rains so special ...Makes you fetch your twice mended umbrella and hum the very romantic song from 1942 : A Love Story...Rimjhim Rimjhim .....

Copyright (c) Neha Shinde 2007