The Vada pav season

Monsoon has always felt like a watershed season in my life. Before I explain why, I want to mention some lucid memories of rains, chronologically; memories which I just need to close my eyes momentarily to cherish.

Kindergarten

The faintest oldest memories include heavy rain in Hyderabad as my sister and I are moving in a cycle rickshaw ridden by Ramu uncle, from our schools to hom. In a cycle rickshaw the hood being up doesn't really prevent the rain from making its presence felt especially if its even a bit windy. But worse was Ramu uncle getting completely drenched, but he seemed to not mind it!

School

Vada pav is certainly the breakfast of champions!

In Mumbai, when it rained, the skies came down to meet the ground. It was the kind of rain that can stop trains and shut schools. That would be the best day of my life. It felt like I had gained an extra day in my life to enjoy, play, and cherish. My fondest memory was collecting all the coins I could find around the house, inside drawers, old wallets, and in the prayer room and heading to the nearest snack shop for a steaming hot vada pav with fried chillis. Its literally the only thing that I miss of that city! 

College

In Bangalore, the rain was very well behaved; It would often stick to schedules and leave when done, no encores or unexpected downpours. You could go about doing your chores with just a raincoat or an umbrella. I don't remember a single day of college being closed due to rain, which was a pleasant expectation in Mumbai.

Later in life

In the Western Ghats, sipping tea, beer or rum with friends with a fire on the side while its raining is my best memory.

In Bomdo, Arunachal Pradesh, it could rain any time of the year but largely during 9 months of the year. Everyone would go about their chores with interesting rain gear, some made of bamboo and cane. Days were spent listening to the rain on tin roof and reading a book or writing. Or make a fire and cook a meal while having a drink since there was nothing much else to do. Weeks were spent in this way, when it felt that life and work were stuck in inertia. But those days taught me valuable lessons; to enjoy the moments when life slows down and to remain calm and occupied till it got sunny.

A Bomdo family planting rice seedlings in their jhum field in heavy rain

Today

Goa monsoons coincide with the tourist off season; so its just wonderful. Beaches are empty and rains give me the same nostalgic vibe I used to feel in Bomdo, except there is electricity, internet, chores, and the phone!

This year the monsoon is different though, too little rain and too late but yet the watershed moment in my life has been to be diagnosed of chondromalacia patella and meniscus tear in my knee. Remember the post in which I talked about underestimating normalcy? Well it turns out my meniscus had torn by then and I will be needing a surgery in a couple of weeks from now.

Either way, I look forward to getting the knee fixed and returning to active life within a month after the surgery. Reminiscing about the past is my favorite thing to do when its raining, which is probably clear from this post!