Come the winds of monsoon, and we are relieved - with the cruel rays and scorching heat of the sun finally gone, we welcome the season with open arms. We dance with joy and let the elixir of heaven wet our bodies, as we feel the drops of rain strike against our skin... It is a joyous occasion, a symbol of cleanser of our souls and bodies. As P.B. Shelly says in Ode to the West Wind, rain is a tree whose roots lie in the earth but whose branches spread into the sky... Rain adds a dimension to our character - it is a symbol of growth, of nourishment, of life - the round drops falling down as we try to catch them, the brightened colours after a downpour, and the petrichor (the scent of rain on dry earth) after a fresh rain... We often stand amidst the miracle of nature and yet we often fail to appreciate its beauty. And this season stops at nothing to remind us of that.
We often connect rains with joy and celebration. But what many of us don't know is the legend behind this 'best season of all times' (Yes, some of us are really crazy about it; they even have pits dug up in their homes to enjoy the free 'swimming pool'). According to Greek mythology, the Titan Atlas, the god of astronomy and navigation, who held the sky on his shoulders (do a Google Image Search on Atlas, you'll recognize him) had a son named Hyas by a nymph called Pleione. One day, Hyas went to hunt into the forests. But unfortunately, he, instead of preying on a lioness, became a prey to her and was killed. His sisters, the Hyades were so grief stricken, that they mourned for their dead brother and wept till death. It is their tears that are said to pour down the heavens as rain. And because of their unending love for their brother; Zeus, the father of Gods, turned them into stars, forming the head of the constellation,Taurus. Their appearance in the sky marks the start of the rainy season in Greece. Hence the name Hyades, meaning 'the rainy ones'.
We celebrate this season with such joy, the story behind it being tragic to its core.
But there is more to this season than just thrill and excitement. While the people who benefit obviously from this season are the umbrella sellers (Yeah, raincoats too... And if, in future, there comes something that can actually help us dodge the rains, then that too) and farmers, this 'very refreshing' season of 'heavenly works' soon starts pissing people off, and I will give you plenty reasons why.
First of all, the mud. Yeah, the Hindi word keechad adds a 'fancy' ring to it. Go to some parts of North India, and you will hear people pronouncing it as chikkad. Laugh all you want. That's how they utter it. And so, this non-appealing brownish physical mixture of earth and water is as bad as it can get. If you're wearing sandals, you're in for a sure treat. Later in the day, you will be compelled to wash your sandals and your feet. And not to mention that uneasy feeling that bugs you as this 'heavenly gift' sticks to your feet.
You may win the first round of this championship, and walk home smiling at the fate of mud, as you wear shoes and save your feet from becoming a harbour to foreign sludge; but the rain is an active ally of mud and as I already mentioned before - 'roots in earth, and branches in heaven'. When you shit at the roots, the branches will give you fruits full of crap. (Copyright intended for this quote) And so, when you try to battle against the earth, the heavens are not gonna forgive you for that. As the rains continue through the day, the weak areas in the muddy roads will soon enough transform into potholes filled with muddy waters. The roads would get flooded, and then, you'd have to dip your feet in the water. And that's how they begin - the most painful hours of the day, as you try to battle against water in your shoes alongwith your wet feet and socks. And believe me, it's not a pretty situation. So goes the saying, "When it comes to nature, you have to compromise". You go to battle with the forces beyond your ken, you will find yourself kissing their ___. (What? I meant 'feet'!)
And the mud is not the only problem. With rains come hundreds of different species of insects, which are determined to make your days worse if the mud couldn't harm you, you know, just in case you are a car person. While that may be a carnival for the entomologists, you sure aren't gonna enjoy any of that. With their constant buzzzing sounds freaking you out, you wouldn't even be able to watch a movie on your laptop or a show on your TV with the lights off. So, your special 'screening' would be ruined; and you would be forced to waste electricity just to keep those creatures away. (That's a very good excuse for wasting power, by the way.)
As if that was not enough, we now come to an area, which although a master-art often only capable of being performed correctly by women, is often practised by men as a result of some punishment awarded by the womenfolk of the house. And that, my dear readers, is the art of 'Hanging Washed Clothes on ropes'. (Smile all you want). The gods of rain are merciless in this case. The clothes stay wet for days, compelling us to either wear the same old clothes over and over again, or to stink wearing the partially dried clothes. The home becomes a laundry, with clothes hanging all over the place - towels on the doors, shirts on the chairs, and undergarments anywhere you run your eyes. The stink of damp clothes fills the entire place and your bodies soon become the dining halls for Rhino-virus... And just in case you wished for leniency, the rhino-virus isn't among the ones who'd spare you. The colds will last for at least a week, and then you'll curse the rains for your plight, as you cough and spread the joy of life around.
As I already said, it's not all pinks and roses. While what I mentioned are only instances of personal experiences, there are far worse and devastating experiences associated with rains - heavy floods, thunderstorms, power failures and what not. These can really disrupt our lives and cause unrecoverable damage to a nation - these are some things we have got to live with...
Everything has two sides. Rains can be providers - they make plants grow, they nourish our souls, they add colours to our lives in the form of beautiful rainbows. But they can also be destructors - they can take away things we love in ways we would have never imagined. Appreciate beauty when it's in front of you, but don't try to play with forces beyond your control, because you never know when they will come to punch you in the face...
Adios!
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