Sunday 10 June 2012

The Mumbai Rains

I finally experienced the first rain-showers of the year...After an unbearable streak of draining me off my energy reserves,  the hot sun has, finally, vanished behind the clouds and the so-called 'gloomy' weather that the rains bring has actually cheered me up and lifted my spirits!

I love the rains - the growling of the clouds, the rumble of the thunder, the pitter-patter of rain-drops - all these sounds - bring a smile on my face. There are people in Mumbai who dread and detest the rains but I am not one of them. Of course, I am not fond of wading in murky puddles nor do I like getting soaked in the rain immediately after getting ready for work in the mornings but I love the earthy smell and the feel of freshness that the rains bring to my surrounding...

It gives me a chance to forgo all my electronic gadgets - my iPod, my mobile phone - and just spend some time truly alone. I have recently shifted houses and currently, I reside on the fourteenth floor of a building. The view from the top is great! I love sitting in the balcony and just watching the rains pouring down...

Having lived in Mumbai for two years, now, I truly believe that it is a city that never halts! Even in the torrential rains, people are up and about, finding alternate means to reach work on time...I think to myself, "Had this happened in Kolkata, everyone would have stayed home and celebrated the prospect of getting a holiday!" But Bombay is not Kolkata and in this City of Dreams, come rain, come storm, the work in the city will never stop!

Whenever I talk about my love for the rains, people in Mumbai often narrate nasty experiences they have had of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere because of the downpour. I may not have been a resident of the city during the Mumbai rains of 26th July, 2005 but I, definitely, have had my fair share of bad experiences thanks to the rains. I remember getting stuck on the flooded roads of Mumbai for more than six and a half hours and making use of all possible means of transport (train, bus, auto-rickshaw and a lift in a stranger's car) in an attempt to make it back home. However, these events have not really deterred my spirits or succeeded in altering my love for the rains. I understand that the rains do cause a lot of inconvenience but, then, so does the heat...

Rains remind me of the time when I was a child and we made paper-boats and tried floating them in the rain-waters...Rains were the time when my mother used to take me shopping to buy a raincoat of my favourite colour and design - we would then, all, go to school wearing our individuality over our school uniforms! I find this excitement absent in the children, here, and that is something that I do miss about the rains back in Kolkata...To all the people who are in Bombay, it is just the beginning - the rains are here to stay for quite some time...So, this year, instead of cribbing and cursing, take a walk in the rains and savour each and every moment - don't just get wet!


10 comments:

  1. You write beautifully that I seem to be transported there to where you are just experiencing the rains with you! :-) I like reading a blog which narrates naturally with honesty and simplicity and in simple language that reading it does not become a chore. Your blog is like a whiff of fresh air.

    Looking forward to more from you.
    Take care and blessings to you and yours.

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    1. @Ellen

      Thank you so much for those wonderful words! I like to think of myself as a simple, honest, straightforward person and I am glad that comes across to people even through my writings :)
      I shall definitely keep updating my blog...Do Keep Visiting this space...

      Best wishes to you and your family :)

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  2. Hi Dhivya,
    Nice post ..
    I love the rains too .. And being a resident of a city like Chennai, the rain is always welcome after the unbearably hot summer .. We're still waiting for it though ..
    My favorite aspect of rains is the refreshing smell of wet mud and the sound of the water splashing against the windows and parapet ..
    Sitting by the window with a hot cup of tea and looking out at the rains, day dreaming is such bliss :)
    Oh I cant wait for it to start ..
    And you write very well .. Keep posting :)

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    1. Hi Aarthy!

      I am so glad to reach out to another rain-lover through this blog! I, too, love that splishy-splashy noise of the rain waters against the parapet and the window panes...Sitting by the window and watching the rains fall while sipping on a cup of hot chocolate and talking to a loved one is one of the few precious moments of life that I absolutely love relishing :) :)

      BTW My name is spelt D-I-V-Y-A and not DHIVYA!

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  3. I love rains too! I never mind getting wet in the rains. And rains in Mumbai have a charm of their own, nuisance too I agree. I used to be a part of my college Nature Club and the first rains would see us in Borivili National Park. It was a lovely experience, we would be filthy by the time we got back, but that awesome feeling of being with nature, indescribable!!

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    1. @Chatty Wren
      I have been experiencing the rains for the past 2 years and I admit that I really enjoy the experience :) :) :) I have never been to Borivali National Park - if you feel it is a place to visit during these rains, I shall :D

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  4. Divya!! So beautifully written! I could totally sense your excitement and love for the rains! But somehow, I have gone so far hating the rains that I am past the point where I could be converted to a rain-lover. Even so, I had a really nice time reading it! Keep writing!

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    1. I shall continue to hope that a day comes when your hatred for the rains fade away :) :) Thanks for dropping by!

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  5. I too love the rains-the earthy smell, the music, and getting soaked sometimes...I guess all of us arelike that only. :) I liked your blog theme a lot...starzzzz.....
    U described bombay..i have never been there. i want to live in bombay for some time...its a desire!! hehe... U have a nice blog :)

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    1. Thank You! Do visit Mumbai whenever you get the opportunity - it was my dream to live in this city for some time, at least...I liked it so much that now I don't want to leave!!

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