Baarish

The monsoon is finally here -liberating us all from the heat of summer.How lovely everything looks ! All the leaves,the grass ,the trees are so clean & sparkling green ,as if they have sprouted just now.It is cool & pleasant.Nature seems to be at its best as it brings succor to the parched earth & quenches thirst of all the beings.We also keep our cool as we enjoy the outburst of the clouds.Have you noticed that when it is raining you can take shelter under the shade of a tree but the minute the rain stops,one gets drenched with droplets of water as the branches & the leaves swing merrily due to the gentle breeze.

I recall that in school days,we would be making paper boats & play with them in poodles of water that got collected on roadsides near homes  when  it rained.Of course,the added benefit was schools would declare a day off due to heavy downpour !

As we grew up & joined the rat race,we tried never to miss office but for a different reason.We would try & some how manage to reach office howsoever late ! Our bosses would be surprised that their subordinates were so sincere to have made it to the workplace by beating all odds on such a rainy day.We were there with a purpose far removed from workholism.We knew, that there would be no late marks on rainy days & of course with luck,we might be allowed to leave  early .So ,on the rainy days,it was essential that we attended office to reach late & leave before time !

The fringe benefits of presenting oneself at offices in Monsoons would be ordering piping hot bhajiyas ,samosas,batata vadas,etal & endless cups of adrak ki chai.After all ,having braved the rains,we had to refurbish ourselves for the return journey home ! Ginger tea was a necessity as we needed to boost our immunity to keep attending office during the rains !This ,so that we could keep accumulating our sick leave for better purposes !

I was struck in office during the heavy downpour some years back. My office ,was magnanimous to put us all up at the office with food & bedding.The next night,we somehow managed to reach home.Obviously we took off the next day but later our employer declared those days to be special off s & we managed to save our leave as well.But that day,we  bonded  with absolute strangers & even put them up in our offices.This was done by others as well as that day,nature's fury  transformed  us all  into comrades in arms !

In he city office,it was customary to organize the Sri Satyanarayan Pooja during Shravan -during the rainy season .Preparations would go on for weeks- funds ,contracts & the works.All were coerced to contribute by the numerous unions which swore by  public display of Indian culture !Those who refused were branded as atheists.The higher the designation,greater was the money demanded.So,actually,the whole show was sponsored by the executives of the company.

The men would all dress up in Indian costumes like dhotis,kurtas,achkan etc & the ladies in silk sarees.So,there was fancy dress parade at the office .There were bhajans & kirtans as well - purportedly for the well being - of the employer,employees , the organisers etal.So all had a blast on the day of the pooja.Nobody worked - after all this was official that day ! Moreover,some did pretend to work but then such spoilsports were addicted to PDW ( Public display of work ) only once in a year -the Pooja day in Shravan.I am a devout person but have been unable to understand all this vulgarity.


Now that I am at home,I have to do work unlike when I was in office where I could get away with just signing the muster on rainy days.Of course with men,such problems seldom arise as they hardly work - at home as also at office -come rain or shine ! After all its a men's world !

I do keep watching rain from my windows now whenever I get time .Today, has been especially a bountiful day for rains -right from morning.Hopefully,the water scarcity will get over soon for this metro.The sky gets overcast every now & then & it starts pouring after brief spells of drizzles.

The rains will help our farmers as well & hopefully,this time around rains will be sufficient - neither more to cause floods  nor less to lead to drought.But for that,we have to respect nature & not try to play God.

I better stop here.My daughter is demanding aloo  bhajiyas & I have finally yielded to her demands.I will also have some & enjoy the rains.I may put on some weight but who cares !