PoojaVerma

A WALK IN THE RAIN !!

Exhausted after an arduous day at work, I wind up, grab my bags & head out the door. Jumping into the elevator, I go down 12 flights only to see people cocooned in the corridor. “Is something the matter ?”. “What could it be ?”. One quick glance outside answers all my questions. Reason for the corridor clutter is the torrential rains hitting the ground with a deafening uproar. While some (without umbrella’s presumably) stand with their eyes glued to the glass door, waiting for the rain to reduce it’s fury, some others proudly fish out the umbrellas from their bags, open it in one quick motion and are gone.

With the mercury soaring in New York and the temperatures touching the 95 degree mark, the city had been boiling in the sweltering heat. I had been thinking of the rains lately and lo it was here. Such a welcome surprise. Not for all though, it seemed. Through the door I see people scurrying to the stores to buy umbrellas. Many stand sheltered under the buildings. Their frowning faces mentally chalking out a way to work around the imminent traffic delays, I suppose. In a city which never sleeps, people don’t have a minute to waste & anything which interferes with their set routines is met with distaste.

A thought flashes my mind "Should I run back to my office to grab my umbrella, I have a 15 minutes walk to the bus stop". Thankfully, an impulse curbs me from doing the predictable. The child in me takes charge and guides me out in the pouring rain. My fingers excitedly zip up the bags making sure no water seeps in to tarnish my priced possessions.

I forget that today my feet walk in the new shoes I purchased over the weekend and my business trousers are bound to get messy and will need an audience with the drycleaner. With the pearly droplets falling all over me, I look up to the sky and let the raindrops caress my face. I stand there, still, my eyes closed enjoying the divine touch. It's deja vu. Within a jiffy I am transported back to the myriad rendezvous with the rains I have had growing up. Each one memorable in it’s own sweet way.

My thoughts on a jet set flight now, make a brief hiatus to one of my most memorable rally with the rains during our stay in the heart of Thar desert (Jaisalmer). On arrival, the arid landscape had come as a surprising revelation. It hadn’t rained in years and the parched earth ached for rains. The sagars (small ponds) had dried up revealing a concave area where water once resided. Year after year, the locals had prayed, with offerings, but in vain. The rain gods showed no mercy for the next two years also. Scorching heat was melting us. Then one fine muggy day, it came, from nowhere, as a God's blessing. It rained cats & dogs and for hours together, flooding the streets and the low lying bungalows . With water seeping inside and the children running outside, our Air Force campus was a sight to behold. Nobody stayed indoors, first came the children and then the elders followed suit, they poured out of their homes as cheerily as the rain poured from the skies. The rain revelry caught on and soon the whole camp was out in the rains, dancing, singing, clapping and rejoicing. Station Commanders bungalow saw the grand finale with everyone gathering in the sprawling lawns which now resembled a mini lake. Waiters served Teas and snacks in knee deep water. Music flowed through the air and people danced in joy till eternity. Rains had never felt so precious.

Back home in India, onset of rains is a celebration much awaited. The dark clouds eclipsing the sky act as messengers from heaven, announcing the arrival. Accompanied by deafening thunder, lightning streaks the skies. Trees sway in the bracing breeze and people wait with baited breath for the first droplets to fall. And when they come, the ravenous soil embraces them to emanate the most intoxicating smell on the face of this planet. Wish there was a way to capture this smell. Wouldn’t it be delightful to rekindle the earthy moments, sitting thousand of miles away.

I am awakened from my thoughts by a passerby bumping into me. I see him running hurriedly to the nearest subway. I am back to the pouring NY streets. With the earthy smell & the sweet memories from the past still lingering on, I walk ahead, into the present. A song, long forgotten escapes my lips. Words I had thought I did not remember come gushing back to me. The world around me evaporates, all I can hear is the pitter patter of the rain and my own voice humming, all I can see is the lashing rains washing the concrete jungle around me.

At the traffic light, cars zoom past but I don't step back to avoid the splash. Though, my wet soaking feet are having trouble staying idle, they start to tap to the music in my mind. It's a rain dance of sorts. With everyone around me rushing, I carry on at a slow pace. It’s a hot humid day, a perfect day to be out in the rains. Ever since I came to the U.S, it has either been too cold or I have been holed up in my office when it rained. With my heart leading the way, a smile on my face & a song on my lips, I walk on, my soul drenched in my love for the rains.

Bus ride back home with the AC full blast : Gave me a Sore throat
Withered Leather shoes : Will call for a replacement soon
Soiled trousers : A trip to the drycleaners
Sheer delight of getting drenched : Priceless

posted by Pooja Verma @ 10:40 AM