I was sitting at my office desk jamming hard on the keys of my laptop to complete a long and critical email and then as I moved my gaze away for a moment to think 'what next?', I got half distracted. Looking wistfully beyond the french glass windows of my office I was completely smitten by the beautiful sight which greeted me. The thick clouds had cast their grey blanket cover over the city and the faint pitter patter of rain drops had already started caressing the glass panes announcing the arrival of the city's first rains. The first rains always have the same effect on me, it mesmerizes my senses and then my mind takes a visual flight to a distant land in past and fond memories engulf my senses.
Rains... mean so many irrepressible emotions...gay abandonment, freedom, innocence, pure joy, romance, love, serenity, solitude, thrill, excitement and adventure....
The heavenly sweet fragrance of the first rains when it gets introduced to mother earth yet again ...is something which will linger forever in my memory. Even now it brings with it some long lost memories and the many wonderful experiences of beautiful rainy days of past which engulf me with its cool breeze.
Rains meant something very special as a small kid...a reason to hurriedly rush out from home and thrust into the soothing embrace of the first raindrops of the season just like we greet our much awaited best buddies on their arrival after a long wait.
Rains as a kid meant paper boats...boats set sail from the confines of our tiny hands into the muddy puddles and watching them go bobbing along the whirls of rain water pools. Sometimes surviving the tumult, sometimes going under and sometimes cruising along in synch with the emotions of the eagerly watching kids.
Rains meant gum boots, rains meant new school uniform and new text books being start of the new year at school. Rains meant splashing through puddles and drawing angry looks from adults. Rains meant innocence, mischief and peals of pure laughter. Rains meant raincoats and umbrellas..rains meant school grounds filled with water, rains also meant chutti from school on lucky days when it rained cats and dogs. Rains meant missing school bus and not reaching school on time.
For me, it also meant climbing on Fiat's bumpers and wiping with a pair of deft hands ..the raindrops hanging on the window panes in a single finishing stroke. Also, sometimes losing my balance in that act and falling off the car and breaking bones. Yes..and getting a fracture too!
Rains in college meant picnics, hikes and treks to nearby mountains....enveloped with a lush green carpet and beautiful waterfalls.
Rains meant bunking college and going for movies, having bhutta on the beach.
Rains meant walking along marine drive with someone special and braving the splashing waves of the Arabian sea and getting half wet and half embarrassed.
Rains meant going away on impulse drives with your gang to nearby Alibaug beach, Bushy Dam at Lonavala or Matheran and not to forget, coming back with hoarse voices from all the singing and shouting.
Rains meant bunking college (again!)for no reason and sitting in college canteen and playing antakshari with the whole zing bang, creating ruckus and bringing the college down.
Rains meant cutting chai and hot bhajjias. And if at home, then a cup of warm coffee, a romantic book snuggled with a warm blanket..with soft numbers on the cassette player or an old movie on the VCR.
Rains...Rains..rains...oh so many emotions..and memories of yore, cherished even today.
So today in spite of some days when it decides to go berserk and play havoc with our feelings, cause traffic jams and potholes in our lives...i must say rains....thank you for these wonderful memories..i love you all the same!
Rain, Rain...please don't go away...and come again yet another day!
