Having been born and brought up in the beautiful city of
Mangalore, the Rainy season is the one which I have many memories of. Mangalore
rains are not which many of you know of, to understand one must experience. Nothing
better than the sound of pitter patter in the background for hours n hours
together which would soon merge with our
other day to day noises. The blasting TV , mom yelling, Sibling fights, the
Dogs bark, or the occasional reminder to bring him in. All in the back ground
of the musical, thundering rain.
Usually without warning, one moment we would face the scorching
sun, and totally taken by surprise an equally next moment it would begin
pouring and how !!. Since it rains n
rains andddddd (for the effect) rains drying washed clothes would become a
mighty pain, we have an open terrace where we usually put the clothes to dry and knowing the
mangalore sun they would dry within a few hours. BUT during the rains, the
clothes usually find shelter in other rooms of the house, Mom also found a room
just for the clothes, soon enough the clothes would begin to walk into other
rooms, railings and window panes. Even A
minute of Sunshine would have us running like mad bulls with clothes finding
their places for a little sun bath and would have us running at an equally
alarming speed when it suddenly begins to rain, of course, out of nowhere. Its
hard to explain, but people who have lived there will connect.
Heard of umbrella fashion? Sure enough each year the style of umbrellas used to change, from
extra tiny pocket umbrellas, to the Ajjana Kode(Grandfathers walking stick), From
the girly ones, with flowers and frills, to the standard black boring ones.
Every June mom took me shopping to buy an umbrella which was in fashion. While she
picked up a couple of other boring ones for the house and of course with the
torrential rains we needed a reserve.
I have many a memory of walking to school / college with an umbrella
in tow, sharing umbrellas with unknown passerbys, Friends who forgot umbrellas,
and getting totally drenched. Sometimes the rain would begin playing games with our umbrellas turning them upside
down , Breaking the sticks holding the umbrella together, almost flying the
umbrella like a kite, We walked yet, in the cyclonic rain. Getting home
completely soaked with water, Mother would, start us a quick HOT bath and
steaming hot milk (we never drank tea/ coffe then) and snacks, It sure was a
very comforting feeling.
A few of my friends , planned a trip during the rains, and
we decided to go to Manipal which is an Hour away from Mangalore. My Dad was
generous enough to lend his car and we began the drive. Soon enough it began to
pour , my friend who had never driven in such rain was taken aback, we could hardly
see the road, Yet busses would race with you, It was almost a guessing game ,
where would the next pot hole be, we had to use our non performing, intuitive
abilities, where was the next turn? Is there a vehicle ahead of us OH GOSH !! what
a relief that we had made it in one piece. I doubt any of us would forget about
that night. Oh Sure, IT didn’t stop
raining until we reached Manipal.
Now when people complain about the heavy rains in Bangalore,
I smirk, they really DO-NOT know what they are talking about. I am heading
right back home this rainly season. A hot cup of coffee at my Terrace with the
soothing rain outside is something my heart just years for these days.
TADA!!!
