Rain and Thunder

25 May 2002
New Delhi

It sounded as if the cat was up to some mischief, knocking over something or scratching some object. Then I thought someone was knocking on the windows from outside. Was the cat trying to get in? It had been lightning for quite some time. It was a full moon night as well. Maybe the cat was getting edgy. But I heard the hail minutes before the rain started pouring. As soon as I realised that it was hail, I got excited. That should cool Delhi down. It didn't occur to me that it could rain too. It had been so hot and dry the whole of last week that I couldn't imagine that there was any water left in the skies.

I left my writing desk and opened the windows. I was dark outside. I could hear the hail stones crashing against terra firma and the walls of my house. But I couldn't see anything. The sound was happiness enough.

Then the water came. At first in in a few drops; big ones that make a lot of noise. The earth let out the rainy dusty earthy aroma that everyone, without exception, loves so much. I'm yet to meet someone in this dry subcontinent who doesn't like that scent of mother earth. The magic never fails to wonder me.

The storm came very suddenly; quite suddenly. I didn't expect it to rain, let alone a storm. A torrent of thunderous streams of angry water came charging against the parched but indignant earth. It was like a battle of epic proportions. It was like copulation between celestial objects. In short, it was very violent. But this violence will calm down and bring peace to many hearts in this starved city. I wish this would happen every evening!

The wind was so strong that it brought in rain water through the windows. I left them open so that some freshness creeps into out blast furnace of a house. I got more than I asked for.

My mother was happy. I was happy. I guess the cats were happy too. They had been suffering this heat silently. I mean they did meow a lot meaninglessly, but nothing compared to mom's cribbing. The bed was next to the windows and the pillows got wet. Momentarily mom was angry at me for that. But only momentarily. Then she settled down with her dinner, feeling cool and happy, chewing away to salvation. I rested my pen for a while.