Thursday, August 07, 2008

It's almost here ...

The rain.

The weather outside is simply brilliant. Cloudy skies, almost completely dark at 5.30 pm, calm cool breeze flowing through my room and the anticipation of the smell of rain on earth.


Why can't it be like this everyday?

It's started now. The sound of raindrops going pitter patter brings a smile to my face, always has, even through the worst times.

At home in Bombay (I refuse to call it Mumbai, sorry) I'd sit by the huge windows all the time during what they called preparatory leave - the 25 or so days before engineering exams that you're granted to cram everything you refused to even look at through the rest of the term coz you were always too busy doing ... err... things and stuff.

I'd have morning tea, read through the newspaper (yes, I did that once upon a time) study through planned time tables, sip tea again in the evening listening to the latest music on the now antiquated music system - the latest in bollywood sometimes Rafi, Lata and Mukesh ... all of this while sitting on the granite ledge near the window.

And when it was about to rain, clouds would gather all over the horizon, outlined by the hills that separated Thane from where we lived and amidst the darkening gray, the outline of the hills would suddenly vanish.

Which is when we knew it was about to pour.

We'd rush to the windows in the bedrooms and take in almost dry clothes from the line before the rain got to them and feel victorious as the 1st drops of rain hit the window and got steel rods instead of clothes. :-) (Bro and I stopped short of a hi-five most times, it would've shattered the cool facade we had going around each other)

The rains have ever since, never ceased to delight.

Do you have this thing that nature brings to you whenever you're asking for something to smile about? The rains have always been mine. Through it all.

When I failed to get through my 1st ever job interview while 33/74 classmates did. (Don't judge me. That kinda stuff was BIG for me back then).
When I was sent away to the then dratty madras for an internship with no one to keep me company. It was bang in the middle of friggin summer, the Madrasi's ultimate nemesis, and it rained for the 1st time in YEARS. (I still claim it was cause I asked for it to. Fine. Snigger if you want.)
Whenever I so much as wished for it back in Bangalore. And many many more times here in Singapore. From nursing an awful day at work (admittedly not many of those) to nursing a broken heart. Amidst colleagues going "God. Not AGAIN!" when they looked out the window and saw it darkening to when people shielded their heads and ran for shelter as if it was acid itself dropping from the sky. (It's water. You drink it. How bad can it be??).

The rains made my day, no matter what.

Now change that to the simple present tense while I enjoy the view outside my window :-)

Have a lovely day...

Edited to add: Nothing like hot Kadhi Chawal to make a brilliant day brilliantER no? :D

6 comments:

prasi said...

Is that the view from your window? -- how beautiful. Few places in Bangalore today offer such sights, and when it rains here, it doesn't always feel like a good thing.

unpredictable said...

Prasad: It is indeed the view from my window :) I know what you mean ... it's the same in bombay. I just got lucky back home, and here

*starts the anti jinx chant and keeps it up*

Anonymous said...

Yes, we know it's not acid dropping from the skies. But really, the rain-God wanting to show his love just at the exact same time as you're leaving for work is not my definition of joy. Sorry for being such a spoilsport.
To redeem myself though, let me just say that rain on a Saturday afternoon with chai and a book is perfect!

unpredictable said...

Penguin: Yes i know you hate what you fondly call "dhaad dhaad" on work days. I understand, I do.

Bulletvish said...

Its drizzling in Chennai!
But you wouldn't want to get caught in the slush filled, fly over in progress roads.

Its blissful otherwise.

Anonymous said...

Kadhi chawal is my fav food