Monsoon tales -by Nimue Gal

Last night on twitter I happened to notice a conversations regarding rains. One line of the conversation remained with me after hours – “Rains are just
rain. Its us who find meaning into them.” Earlier in the day I had wrote a post on seasons and how there is no longer much distinction among seasons. The differences have reduced so much due to technological advances. But this statement made me realize , there is nothing like rains. Rains are not just rains for me. They are an emotion in itself. An event that makes you feel so different every single day it rains. You love them , or hate them , but you cannot really re create their effect any other way. The mud pools , the petrichor , the washed look on trees , the droplets on random corners that stay hung long after the rains are gone , the clouds , the rainbows.

Can any human feel the same about any of these ? Rains are not just about the beauty it brings to nature , or the unique colors we see around. It is more to the extreme emotions it extracts from people. The romancing lovers , the tired soul seeking a moment of beauty and peace , the restless kids of your area , the farmers with crops ready to bear produce, the old ones who cant hear or see well but can always feel the weather around .. Every one waits for rains. We do not wait for summers or winters to come. We wait their end. But monsoons , we await their arrival and follow the forecasts closely as the south west monsoon winds begin their way from sea to the land , travelling from the western states towards the north. And unless of course they cause floods , we do not really wish rains to stop coming.

So many songs on this season – of celebrations , of love , of longing and despair .. already glorify the fact that monsoons hold a very important place in our life and culture too. The dash for shelter , the sudden pleasures of getting drenched , playing in the water logged streets with kids , the craving for hot chai and samosas (or pakoraas) , the shine in eyes as the first rain drop hits your face .. no other season binds us like rains do. no other season gets you messages from your friends across country telling about rain in their area and how much they are enjoying it. Enjoying it enough to make you feel jealous about it ! And the cribbers ? the one who complain of humidity , muddy roads , traffic jams , spoiled outdoor plans etc etc .. I hope they spend that moment looking at the rains and trying to find a connect between each droplet and every breath of peace that they can evoke in you. find a blessing with every shower. Smiles may suddenly prefer to rain on your day. Oh, I so love monsoons. Awaiting the love affair to begin again soon , all ready to get cozy with the feel of it. Are you?

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