When it rains ~

Some people walk in the rain ,
others just get wet ~ Roger Miller

Do you smile when it rains ?
Do you hum a tune as you walk in the rains ? 
Is there a song that you associate with the rains ?
Do your taste buds crave for something special in the rains ?
For there is nothing as refreshing and as rejuvenating as 'when it rains' :)
It is the only element of nature that directly binds the sky and the earth which otherwise never get to meet.

 The smell of dry parched land when it gets pelted by heavy raindrops is highly evocative and one that is not likely to be forgotten in a hurry. A smell that you would want to breathe in, preserve and never let go . Rain is nature's biggest blessing to life :)

For us, it is that time of the year when it rains continuously, relentlessly and endlessly for months at a stretch. It rains at regular/irregular intervals, it drizzles, it pours , it is accompanied by thunder and lightning, it rains cats and dogs, it causes trees to uproot and the electricity to snap off and finally when it does stop, it still threatens to rain at the slightest of provocation . No respite !
I remember, as a child, I used to love waking up to the sound of raindrops beating benignly on the window panes. It was a sure sign of a rainy day in school. An unexpected holiday in school was enough to brighten up our morning and send the spirits soaring even in the dull and gloomy weather. But today, it's sad that the concept of rainy day holidays is done away with and my kids are not even aware of the paroxysms of excitement it is capable of bringing. They attend school in raincoats and umbrellas. I feel the dereliction of such holidays rob the kids of simple childhood pleasures that we so fondly associated with the rains .

There is joy on every blade of grass, every surface of leaves, every inch of greenery shines and sparkles as the raindrops fall ubiquitously on each , purging, cleansing and washing them, not allowing any to go neglected. The flowers that look flaccid under the pressure of the raindrops, spring back to life with renewed vigour and bloom in abundance appearing more lush than ever :)

There are some things that go hand and glove with the rainy season marking the beginning of 'Saawan' and the  Saawan Mela is one of them. Swings, green coloured attire, bangles and hennaed hands are all associated with the the wet monsoon months that is a sign of prosperity and new life that this lovely season promises to send along with the showers :)
Some of my better memories connected with the rains are - long drives with the windshield wipers working furiously in tandem, the car windows totally blinded and frosty, the visibility next to zero, some rain songs playing on the stereo and stopping at roadside 'dhaabas' for chai in 'kulhars' accompanied by onion 'pakodas' . That's the way to enjoy the rains to the hilt :)

Even at home, rainy days require several cups of tea with an assortment of 'samosas' and pakodas of just about anything that can be 'frittered' and devoured while sitting in verandahs and balconies to the sound of cicadas crooning from some secluded corner that are concomitant of the  event :)
A lot can be said about monsoons or the rains , something that is trite yet so pleasing . What do the rains mean to you ? Do they bring forth happiness, cravings, yearnings, songs, movies, memories or anything else ? Would love to hear it from you . Have fun and get drenched , at least once. I'm sure you'll love it .
Signing off with my favourite quote " The best thing to do when it rains, is to let it rain " . Keep smiling, keep dreaming ...till we meet again  :)