Enjoying the first heavy rain shower

Yesterday I stayed back home. My hubby, Yogesh wasn't feeling well, so at first I thought I'd go to the office at 10.30 am or so. We both were chatting about some timepass topics and the 10.30am went to 12.30pm, within no time!

When I looked out of the window, I saw HUGE dark clouds gather in the sky. It looked scary but I was amazed. For a city that has had to wait for about a month for a mere shower of rains, these clouds appeared JUMBO. And then just like you'd turn on your tap, it began to rain. It wasn't just a shower, it was a total downpour. Within 2 minutes, the small lane between houses in the chawl in front of our building, were flooded. These lanes come by my apartment building and from my window I could see small rivers flow fiercely towards us. The water passed from front of it to go to the right where it joined more such rivulets ahead.

I sat on the sofa by the window to see the lane flood a knee deep. Water from the asbestos tiles on the roofs fell into tin enclosures made at the end of the rooftops, to avoid the dripping all over the front yard. The tin enclosure slightly tilted towards one end of the roof has a small pipe or a hole for water to flow out and down. Yesterday water flowed out from it with so much force that for a second I thought we must collect it in all the buckets that we have. Rain water harvesting was what I began thinking of. Just then I saw some women rush in the rains to put buckets, plastic tubs below such pipes. They were doing it just for fun I guess.

Women called unto each other in the neighboring houses to just stand in the rain, in foot deep waters. Small kids, some crying when their parents held them in the rain, some dancing and scampering, holding umbrellas not necessarily on top of their heads, some little ones with all clothes left at home to enjoy the shower full time, filled the small lane within no time. Gradually all parents and old women came out. A guy even got a foot ball to play water games with these kids.

We both were watching this from our window. I decided that a better view would be from our covered terrace. I went up to see that our neighbor on the top floor was already drenched in the rain. I thought that I too shouldn't lose this chance to make my day. I step into the heavy shower, with Yogesh warning me that I'd get sick.

Wow, and the cold water took me by surprise!
‘Pani kitna thanda hai!’ I cried out.
'Bhagwan geyser On karna bhul gaya hai', Amit my neighbor said.
His wife Archana joined us. Yogesh was pulled in by Amit. We called Arti Tai who stays near us. She came with her umbrella and we had to trick her to get rid of it. And then the fun began. Our terrace was filled with half a foot of water, more than enough for us to splash it on each other. Me and Archana tried jumping in it so it splashed even more. It was fun.

'Just gimme a tablet tomorrow if I get sick', I shouted out to Yogesh where he was standing under a roof.
'Sure and I will give you a good kick too, for getting drenched in the rains, when I was warning you!’, Yogesh said :)
Nevertheless I continued playing until I was tired and shivering.

Although I do enjoy the rains every year in more or less the same manner, it was my first shower after getting married, after coming here to a new place, new surroundings, intermingling with new people...

We came home, changed into dry clothes, and had a cup of nice hot tea and steaming Maggie while looking out of the window.

Rain not only cleanses the air, the streets but also stressed minds and bodies. It brings all kinds of people together to celebrate and it opens up our souls to one another.

Where are the rains?!

For about a month now, we in Pune have been waiting for the monsoons to start! With eyes looking up to the skies, we expect to see huge dark clouds. And they do come almost every alternate day, but there's no rain. The clouds disperse just as quickly as they come. It's like they are mocking us in their own way.

Pune's major sources of water are the dams - Temghar Khadakwasala, Panshet and Varasgaon. And as of today 1st of July 2009, only 2.23% water remains in these dams. Even with extensive cuts, water will last only until 20th of July when the monsoon is expected to hit the city! Situation is grave. Puneties need to understand and do their little in conserving water individually. Pune Municipal Corporation needs to create more lakes for conserving water and find alternate source of water for the ever growing city. It needs to urge citizens to do rain water harvesting and provide all necessary help. Social awareness is a must!

Coming back to my own selfish self, I still need to buy a raincoat. I see shops display rainwear (umbrellas, jackets, and beautiful raincoats) and wonder when people will start buying it. I also am planning to make some great rainy season trips this monsoon as soon as there's greenery everywhere, but I have to wait until then.