indian summers

Summers and an Indian summer at that…its energy sapping,its nerve wrecking and the sunshine is blinding. The whole country turns into one big soup cauldron …hot and moist! People are mopping their brows, there is road rage and the only drawing room discussions are power cuts and how long will this heat last. Hordes descend and take over the hill stations shattering the peace and quiet with loud music on their car stereos and even larger wallets in their back pockets ..the well heeled take their high heels to London, wimbeldon and the alps and the medium heeled make a dash for Singapore and Malaysia shopping sprees…..while the no heeled sit back in the heat and……
Enjoy the juicy musk melons and red watermelons
Mangoes of all shapes and sizes and taste…from the tangy to the oh so sweet
Sleeping in the open with a crisp white sheet under you and a starlit sky above
And the smell of raat ki rani and bela and jasmine just there but youcant pinpoint where
Strains of some old forgotten hindi song wafting in the air from some far away neighbours transistor
Crisp white starched kurta pajamas
Cool foods like pana and jawar and lauki and torai and cucumber
And long white stalks of rajnigandha stolen from someones backyard and hurriedly put in a stainless steel glass
Many a summer romance has blossomed inspite of the heat….there is madness in the mind and soul and to add to it all the intoxicating scents of summer flowers…..a heady combination indeed !
Getting up before the sun comes up to the sounds of birds waking up
And feeling fresh as a daisy
Long lazy afternoons in a room darkened and the fan whirring along with giggles and stories being exchanged
Drinking glasses of home made bel ka sherbet ot faalsey ka sharbat
Trying to steal a piece of the delicious pickled mango curing in the sun
And finally the evening comes and with it a cool summer breeze and its back to watering the courtyard or terrace
Laying out the cots and sheets
And waiting for the stars to come
Ah!the romance of summer……now why do people want to sleep in closed rooms with the aircon on ? what a waste of summer. We as a nation have forgotten to enjoy the good things of the hot season….give me summer in the open anyday !