What goes on in your mind when it rains?
If you ask me, the first thing that comes to my mind when it rains is traffic. Well, I guess that’s the side-effect of living in a city. The moment it rains, I can’t help but wonder if I’ll be stuck in traffic while going back home and how that will affect all the things I need to do once back. But no that’s not fun to read about, is it?
So, let’s talk about the other things that come to mind during rains. Shall we?
Having grown up in Shillong, the beautiful and picturesque capital of Meghalaya, I have seen more than my fair share of rains. I remember we never ventured out without an umbrella because it could rain anytime. Being a hill station where sometimes clouds floated through your windows, rains made the town even more green and pristine. But even as children, we had our struggles with rains.
During rains, we didn’t want to wear raincoats but it was an argument we seldom won. Also, on days we walked to school, we had to carry another set of socks for the ones we wore were sure enough to be soaked wet in the rains. All of this was not something we liked as kids. These were hassles more than anything else. Rains on school days also meant lunch in the classrooms as opposed to the playground, something we never fancied. But there was one good thing about rains in Shillong which now that I look back I realise. We never had power cuts during rains. Never. If you live in Bangalore, you’ll realise how unbelievable that seems where power cuts are common at the slightest drizzle.
Rains of childhood though are different for there are no responsibilities or worries attached. Back then we didn’t care if our clothes didn’t dry or if the plants in the garden died as a result of too much rain. Being a small town, there wasn’t any problem with traffic as well. So, apart from the inconsequential and sometimes absurd things like not being able to play outside or being confined to the school corridors at lunch, rains never bothered us much. Of course, things are different now.
M had jaundice as a newborn and around that time it was raining constantly in Bangalore. What we needed was sunshine but there was just no respite. I don’t think I disliked rain more than I did during those first few days with M. In fact, I was in such a state of mind that I even wrote a post on 10 reasons why I dislike rains back then. It might seem hilarious now but at that point, it was a little too much.
I think how we perceive rains depends a lot on what stage of life we are in. No, seriously. When I was dating S, rains felt romantic to me. Of course, S was never a lover of rains. We had a love lane in college were couples walked hand in hand. As a young girl, I often dreamt of walking hand in hand with S through our famous love lane. But then, of course, I realised soon enough how rain and S never really worked together. And anyway, come to think of it, I think it was a ridiculous wish!
Now that many years later I’m a working mom, rains only spell trouble. Every time it becomes cloudy, I pray that it rains only once everyone reaches home. Rains now mean laundry which won’t dry, wet towels which will stink after a point, a room that will be filled with damp clothes with the fan on at full speed not to mention cough and cold attacking family members too. Then there is the fear of reaching home and the daycare late. So, rains are not pleasant in any sense of the way now that responsibilities have crept into my life.
Still, there are times when I don’t mind a bit of rain. I love listening to the sound of the pitter-patter of rain at night for it means a snug sleep under the blankets. When we lived in Shillong, the cottages had tin roofs and the sound it made when it rained was something we loved as kids. It was therapeutic and we always fell into the sweetest slumber listening to the pitter-patter on our roofs.
That was then though. Now, rains as much as necessary have wreaked havoc in our cities and towns over the past few years. If anything it has exposed our abysmal infrastructure and planning.
I think it’s safe to say that like everything, rains too have two sides to it. Sometimes it depends on what phase of life you are in to enjoy or abhor it. Sometimes it depends on how well your city is planned to not be left scarred by it. Yes, seriously!
So, beautiful, necessary, romantic, scary, sometimes ravaging, that’s what rains are. Depending on what it chooses to be you get to see what happens around you when it rains.
This post is for the #WordsMatter linkup hosted by Corinne, Parul and Shalini.
I received this tag from Shipra Trivedi at Vibhu & Me. It’s my pleasure to pass on this tag to Anamika Agnihotri at The Bespectacled Mother. There are 42 of us on this month’s Blog Hop!
Your post brought back so many memories from my childhood in Kohima, Nabanita—we too had to carry an extra pair of socks those days as we had about 2 km uphill to trudge along before we reached the school gates! No playing outside and no sun did leave me sad. What you say about our responses changing with time is something that I totally agree with. I’ve moved on from once hating to loving the rains to being indifferent now! Bangalore stinks in the rain and the commute is nothing short of an extended nightmare if you’re caught up in the midst of a downpour! I had similar concerns as you have now, when Arjyo was a little boy wondering if I’ll be on time for pick-up. Today, I don’t mind if everyone’s home on a Sunday and it rains. Ten years in Bangalore but the powercuts still throw me into a tizzy every single time.
Esha M Dutta recently posted…When It Rains | #WordsMatter
True that. It is difficult to enjoy rains these days. I live in a place where there could be a landslide or cloud burst anytime. But I hope against hope for a peaceful monsoon every year and try to enjoy the light showers. Beautiful post, Naba.
Thanks for participating in the Words Matter blog hop. Hope you have fun 🙂
Shalini recently posted…When it Rains…
Almost everything has its good and bad points, doesn’t it? I love the rain, so long as my roof doesn’t leak and it doesn’t come inside under my doorways or around my foundation! I’ve never had the laundry problem so many of our Tribe have described, today – my dryer and central A/C must work well, and we do clean the vents out regularly. It’s humid here, whether it’s raining or not. I love the rain, but if my home were ever flooded in a hurricane, I would be traumatized by it.
If it starts raining close to end of work day, I’d say rain does remind me of traffic on the way back home too. This city’s major traffic roadblock falls on my way back, so it is almost a involuntary thought. But otherwise, I just go out to the corridor and watch it fall onto the lawn. 🙂 I agree with you. Rain has both positives and negatives these days. Childhood was somewhat easier. More nostalgic now. Never won that raincoat argument either. 😛
Leo recently posted…When it rains… #WordsMatter
I get your worries as a mom when it rains. When I was working in Bombay I would see all moms begin to get restless if it rained near closing time. And then the calls from daycare would start coming. I wasn’t married then but I could completely understand their restlessness. Oh and that jaundice – that can be so worrisome. H and N are also monsoon babies and N had it right after she was born. It freaked the hell out of us.
Obsessivemom recently posted…Chai and a book with a dash of nostalgia #WordsMatter
I can completely nod at every word that you’ve written. Everyone it rains incessantly there is such a mess traffic wise. Everyone starts gaming sick and yes damp clothes. Going outdoors becomes a pain. With our infrastructure rain often wreaks misery but if we don’t have enough, we state at a water crisis. Such travesty!
It must have been a real hard time for you as a mother with M suffering from Jaundice. The troubles are the same in all Indian Metros with the traffic. Reading about your childhood days in Shillong made me nostalgic of my rainy days in Guwahati.
Anamika Agnihotri recently posted…To take or not to take a rainy day off #WordsMatter
I can truly imagine your situation as keeping the kids away from rains is a very difficult task
You didn’t have powercuts when it rained!! that’s excellent. The first thing we looked for was a candle and a matchbox because power cuts were pretty common. I have never worn a raincoat. Although I would get drenched even under an umbrella, I still won’t wear a raincoat 😛
I remember my Bangalore traffic woes. Took me 2 hours to go 10 km.
Shillong sounds like such a magical place to me as I have heard so much about the North East but havent ventured there yet. Your views on both the aspects are true actually – its where you are standing at the point of introspection, thats how you truly see the thing.
Wet clothes, traffic and being late to pick up one’s child are terrible side effects of the rains. Yes electricity playing truant is another one; happens here in Gurgaon too.
I hope the next time it rains, you have one of the best rainy days that puts the smile back on your face at the mere hint of rains 🙂
Its lovely of you to share all those wonderful moments with us. Strangely though in Hyderabad when it rains most of the time the traffic is clear and I reach home early than normal days.
I was nodding all along while reading your post, Nabanita.
The one thing I experienced differently was when we had Chikoo with us. Walking your pet dog out when it is raining, and coaxing him to finish his business quickly so that we can return home soon is a tough task which needs tremendous patience and tolerance. 😛
Other than that, I think it’s all the same..as youths, we love the romantic side of the rain. And, as responsible adults, we dislike all that it brings along with it….potholed roads, sickness, infections, damp clothes, and whatnot.
Loved your post! <3
So true. Whether you love or hate the rains depends on your stage of life and state of the roads! And whether you are getting soaked to the skin or safe at home with a hot cup of chai.
Interesting perspective – about the stage of life, Naba. I find the rains scary these days because of all the chaos they seem to be causing. The rains are best enjoyed from the comfort of a safe home!
I get how you feel and that is true of a city like Bangalore. Traffic is exploding and day to day life becomes a mess. I always loved rains and I still do but I never liked getting drenched. So I am someone who would stand in the balcony and watch it rain. Sometimes I am still intrigued by the tiny drops of the water (and they clog the city). 😀
Loved reading this memoir cum reflections post, Naba. Happy that you joined #WordsMatter. See you in the October edition soon.
Parul Thaku recently posted…Gratitude List – August & September 2019
I know what you mean by the two sides of rainy weather. When I was younger, I used to get irritated by all the trouble that rains used to bring. Now, I quite enjoy them, as long as I get to stay home and not get wet