‘The woman is rain, and when she falls, she is a monsoon, To love is her to drown.”
Who says Monsoon only brings floods, waterlogging and power cuts. It quenches the thirst of the parched earth. It brings back frogs and lizards from seclusion. Rainfall creates the urge to munch on pakodas, bhajiyas and corn. Monsoon showers are blessings for school going children. Nothing is blissful than an unexpected holiday from school. I always cherished that moment of staying at home during rains and gaze on the lavender sky.
Smell of the wet earth arouses creativity and romance at same time. Today I woke to the sound of the rain water beating on my window panes. It was like getting a fresh lease of life. The joy of celebrating monsoon arrival has changed a lot. During the 80’s, I used to enjoy the rain from the comforts of my room window. Holiday from school was like icing on the cake.
The heavy rain lashes of 26th July 2005 changed my conception about rain. I was taken hostage by heavy rainfall, wet and hungry in a bus for whole night. Everything was at halt. Power was cut off, telephone lines busy and roads fully flooded with water. This unexpected calamity reminded me of Hollywood movie – Day After Tomorrow. I returned home next morning, exhausted. That incident made me cynical about monsoon. I no longer waited for monsoon. Mumbai rains meant only flooded roads.
Decades back, when I read an essay about Monsoon by author Ruskin Bond, my resentment for rain lowered a bit. The monsoon memories flooded back to my mind, bringing back the visuals of childhood monsoon moments. Bollywood captured the moments of monsoon beautifully in movies like Wake-up Sid. Nature cannot be blamed for the carelessness of Municipal authorities. Nature is our mother, always ready to embrace
The long drive to Marine Drive, Gateway of India or any part of Mumbai’s location is simply rejuvenating. Nothing is blissful than enjoying a romantic movie on a rainy day in the company of your soulmate. Today, I don’t have any hard feeling about the monsoon showers. I will welcome the monsoon showers with open arms.