It's raining, men!



A few hours back, the smell of freshly wet earth (there's nothing quite like the smell of the first rain!) heralded the onset of the long-awaited monsoon in Bombay. The rain sang its staccato melodies, with a full orchestra of light and sound to accompany it - and the city, crushed and wilting in the summer heat, awoke like a flower to the change in weather.

Old pal B having come down after a long spell schlumming it in Qatar, we were enjoying his hospitality in Mainland China when the showers began - sitting in an AC, shut away from the real world, our first intimation of the changed weather was when one of us got a call from an excited friend. The meal concluded (groan - I think I ate way too much!) we emerged to see for ourselves the truth of the weather bulletin - and indeed were greeted by a dripping Andheri raat, with noisy lightning rending the black velvet of the firmament every few seconds. And that oh-so-elusive aroma (yes, even in the heart of the city one still gets that heaven-scent bouquet!)

Give it a week, and I dare say I shall be cursing the rains. A job which involves traveling the length and breadth of the city practically guarantees that the rain will be no friend of mine - I can look forward to longer lead times, messier journeys and an unwieldy umbrella added to my already ungainly backpack. Ah well, that's for the future - for tonight, I shall enjoy!

.....rain is following chama cham cham...!

~lakesidey