I’m not a painter. I only have words and phrases to paint the beauty of summer. What if we have rains in summer? Some time ago it did happen and I could not let the moment go without attempting a portrait of it.
Summer has set in. With the onset of summer there is a distinct fragrance of Mangoes and Jasmines. The summer evenings are hot and sultry too. But Lo! There is a rain coming. The intermittent drizzle and rain signal that it is the pre-monsoon season. The trees refresh in whatever small shower that comes by.
The black clouds have started to spread a shadow on the roads. Suddenly everything is still. The sweat starts to trickle down the temples. And then there is an icy cool breeze that blows past. It brings the fragrance of rain from far off. The clouds seem to be rushing past. First there is a thick, cool drop. I raise my eyes to the sky, waiting for a few more. The drops are more frequent now. It is afternoon and already a few people have gathered inside the tea shack. The rain starts beating, pouring down in sheets, carried away by the strong gusty wind. The smoke from the boiler in the tea shop swirls into the rain. The aroma of tea awakens an urge to partake in the pleasure of sipping hot tea on a rainy day.
When the rain stops, the crowds are out on the streets. The umbrellas are down. A small breeze now and then lets the leaves sprinkle a few drops. The apples and oranges in the carts are clean and gleaming, refreshed by the gift of the skies. On my walk up the hill, I lie down on a stone slab to relax for a few moments. I grow attentive to the sounds of birds all around me. I hear a Koohoo Koohoo and a chichichichichi. There is the throaty sound of what bird I don’t know. But this made me happy. I felt I was being given a treat.