Its Raining Again ....

So this, my 5th monsoon season in bombay, seems a little less taxing than in previous years. Maybe its just tougher for a single girl to navigate the rains, perhaps I'm just not partying as much as before, and the meaning of 'romantic rains" has suddenly hit home. I used to scoff at my indian friends who waxed eloquently about the romance, the mists, the opportunities to cuddle up and drink hot chai and eat fried pakoras ... claiming that no Brit could ever appreciate the rains after years of feeling persecuted by the rain god. But now, I kind of see what they meant. The monsoon season is an excuse to cuddle up and be romantic, and an unnecessary interruption for anyone who doesn't need, want or have that option. 

Its interesting how the rain has pervaded a national consciousness and become almost an ally in managing life's challenges. Being a few minutes late for meetings which is anyway normal in the land of IST (India Standard Time) stretches into hours of delay, caused by waterlogging (or "waterclogging: as its oft referred to) and the fear of a 2005 flood is never far from the mind of any Mumbaikar once the clouds open up. Paranoia (understandably) sends office workers scuttling home, images of Mumbai afloat and the death of hundreds still fairly fresh in the mind. Yesterday was the anniversary of "26/7", the flooding which brought Bombay to a standstill and created havoc in the lives of so many. Papers were full of it, and the rains fell heavily in commemoration.  Its tiresome if you are trying to manage a busy schedule with the kind of punctual inner clock which I seem to be unable to shake off, and I find myself unable to relax when the rain messes up my carefully planned schedules, but then again, sitting on the couch earlier this evening with a cup of tea (which has since been replaced with a glass of red wine) and snuggling up to my beloved, watching Brothers and Sisters on TV and hearing the rain lash against the windows makes me more appreciative of this annual ritual. Rains, bring em on.