One day relief from the heat

This June feels much drier, dustier and hot than any other. People, animals and plants all are being tortured alike. There was just one day of respite though. The clouds gathered sometime around late afternoon and decided to provide us some relief.

It did not rain much though. It was a 10 minute shower. The old gecko on the garden wall forgot to change its color as the wall got wet and turned dark maroon from the dusty brown earlier. Its light color skin on the dark wall could have easily given it away to any eagle flying overhead. The mynah pair building its nest in the apricot came back and took shelter quickly. The short shower also wiped out dust from the trees giving them a much greener look. When rains wash out a garden like this, they give it wet look with darker hues of every color. Add to it the smell of rain. I just love that sight and smell.

Leechees have been the only comfort this season. Amazingly sweet, with shades of red, round and soft. The most perfect leechees that you can ever get. I bought some that day and was sitting in the garden cutting them off from leaves and washing them. It started raining then. It was after so many years that I was at home when it rained.

As a kid, this was the most anticipated time of the year. Long before the concrete jungle took over there used to be wide open fields with a buffaloes lazying around. There used to be a lot of space. We would start gathering in one of the fields as soon as we got the first hint of the clouds. Each of us would bring along whatever cricket accessory we had. And then we would play until it started to rain. Then we would take out our bicycles and go around the neighborhood gleefully splashing the freshly formed puddles of water. This was often followed by steaming pakodas, samosas, jalebis and tea at the local sweetshop. It tasted all the more awesome after all the play and fun. 

Those days are long gone. The field were overtaken, bit by bit, by new houses and colonies. Friends left for different cities for studies and other things. And I have not had a chance to spend one monsoon season at home in last 5 or so years. All I am left with are these few drops of dusty water and the fragrant garden which constantly reminds me of those days.