The rainy season has just come and gone in Chennai. Well, if you can call it a season that is.For those of us who live south of the Vindhyas, yet east of the Nilgiris (read residents of Tamil Nadu) the rainy season is basically about 10 days of intermittent rain, probably comprising of 4 days of continuous showers. And yet, each time, this North East 'monsoon' is a much awaited affair.
And not for any romantic or even religious reasons! For a very practical one. With no perennial rivers in Tamil Nadu and particularly Chennai, these showers make all the difference for a comfortable, ground-water-rich summer which follows in a few months (and in Chennai summer begins in March if not sooner!)I suppose thats why come October, the rains are the hot topic of the season beating any other events of national or international significance. This year was no different. A late but bountiful monsoon made its appearance in October and continued onto November.
There is something about the rain which attracts us, atleast well, me. I dont understand why "Rainy days and mondays" can get you down(ok, I agree with the mondays part). And I'm like most Chennaiites who will brave the showers even as they make the helpless city resemble a refugee camp, and yet will stop short of saying "Rain Rain go away"! I dont know- there's something about wearing a raincoat and driving in the rain. Something about opening up an umbrella and hearing the patter of raindrops. The same something which fills me with happiness even as I ride in an auto, late at night from Park station (which I could not enter unless I chose to swim past the pool of water at the entrance) to Egmore, watching the rain illuminated by the headlights; although I have left late from work, my bags are wet and the auto is damp.
I guess each rain reminds me of other rainy days from the past. I remember driving to class in the rain in BIM. I remember the heavy rains of 2005 when the entire city was pretty much stuck at home for days and my university exams got delayed. I remember rainy summers from childhood when we made paper boats with the neighbours kids right here in Chennai. I even remember rainy days in Cochin when the premonsoon or "mango" showers would begin as early as April and how every week from May to August, our garden would look refreshed in a new shade of green! (Cochin is part of Kerala; Tamil Nadu's luckier, west-of-the- Nilgiris neighbour which has a real six month long monsoon)
And so, rain will always be welcome, as will be the memories it brings along. For now, am just happy we will have a comfortable summer!
And not for any romantic or even religious reasons! For a very practical one. With no perennial rivers in Tamil Nadu and particularly Chennai, these showers make all the difference for a comfortable, ground-water-rich summer which follows in a few months (and in Chennai summer begins in March if not sooner!)I suppose thats why come October, the rains are the hot topic of the season beating any other events of national or international significance. This year was no different. A late but bountiful monsoon made its appearance in October and continued onto November.
There is something about the rain which attracts us, atleast well, me. I dont understand why "Rainy days and mondays" can get you down(ok, I agree with the mondays part). And I'm like most Chennaiites who will brave the showers even as they make the helpless city resemble a refugee camp, and yet will stop short of saying "Rain Rain go away"! I dont know- there's something about wearing a raincoat and driving in the rain. Something about opening up an umbrella and hearing the patter of raindrops. The same something which fills me with happiness even as I ride in an auto, late at night from Park station (which I could not enter unless I chose to swim past the pool of water at the entrance) to Egmore, watching the rain illuminated by the headlights; although I have left late from work, my bags are wet and the auto is damp.
I guess each rain reminds me of other rainy days from the past. I remember driving to class in the rain in BIM. I remember the heavy rains of 2005 when the entire city was pretty much stuck at home for days and my university exams got delayed. I remember rainy summers from childhood when we made paper boats with the neighbours kids right here in Chennai. I even remember rainy days in Cochin when the premonsoon or "mango" showers would begin as early as April and how every week from May to August, our garden would look refreshed in a new shade of green! (Cochin is part of Kerala; Tamil Nadu's luckier, west-of-the- Nilgiris neighbour which has a real six month long monsoon)
And so, rain will always be welcome, as will be the memories it brings along. For now, am just happy we will have a comfortable summer!
