Rains, Sur Malhar, and Me- an inner experience.

Summer is on. And its an Indian summer...Back in UK, it feels good o have such weather, but in India, it gets sweltering. Temperatures were regularly above 40 deg Celsius. Hot, even for me to venture out. For one and a half months, Everyone has been enduring this terrible heat wave. These extremely tough conditions bring out the unwavering trust in God. People pray- pray Him to open the doors of the heavens... Send down a torrent of rain- cool down the earth, and renew life. We know this works. God opens the backwaters he holds for 7 long moths. the result? First showers- indeed, the most beautiful, and most awaited ones.

It was couple of days ago, that it first rained in Pune this year. It made my day. Or rather, the evening. I had not experienced a calmer and more peaceful evening than that in a long long time.
The ingredients:

• Torrential downpour
• A masterclass of Sur Malhar
• and food in complete darkness.

The evening started just as any other- tea and biscuits in the veranda, staring at the vast expanse of the lawn stretched in front, and listening to the occasional, yet extremely loud calls of a peacock. Suddenly, an extremely endearing sight. Clouds gathering on the horizon, accompanied by thunder, and significant lightening. It charges you up; at least me.

what followed was simply amazing. i had shifted my base now, from the veranda to my balcony to catch some cool air. thats when it initially started drizzling, and soon, there was a big deluge. the smell of first rains, the rustling of the leaves, the sound of the drops hitting the roof are extremely refreshing. fortunately for me, i was alone at home that day. i could thus, enjoy a peaceful rain. it was already dark, and then, it started getting even darker when the sun started to set. it was then, that i realised that there was no electricity. the sudden downpour had broken or shorted one of the cables in the colony. well, more reasons to celebrate!!

i have never had such a wonderful experience of the rain- i could actually make out five to six different types of splashes-
of drops falling on the tin roof
of drops falling on leaves
of drops rolling of leaves onto the ground
of drops falling in the pools that get accumulated
and of drops falling on the shingled roof.
just to name a few...

After, I dont know how long i had this sudden, as they call in marathi, hukki to listen to any form of Malhar. I had a clip of Sur Malhar by Kishori Amonkar, which i had recently acquired. i played it on my cell phone. those twenty blissful moments are few of the best in my life till now. It was an extremely beautiful bandish.. badrwaa barasan ke. I dont know why i waited so long to hear it. but it was worth the wait. the trickling of rain had made it even more beautiful.

I was in a complete trance. No worries, no noise, just calm... only disturbed by the rustling of the leaves and the occasional lightening flash. Every time i closed my eyes, the "Sa" that was struck was kishori amonkars magical voice was resonating within my body. Music has power- atleast it has enough magic in it, to make us believe that it has powers. whenever the words badarwaa barasana were being sung,i felt that there was an increase in the ampunt of rain for that micro second. it was definitely an illusion- but magical nonetheless.

The absence of electricity had made it even more beautiful. Rain, Music that brings out the flavour of the rain and pitch black- i couldnt have asked for anything more. It was one extremely goosebump giving effect.All this, coupled with the chill that the rain brings and the wind that was blowing really refreshed me- from within. I dont know how long i was sitting outside. but when i finally went in, my parents had arrived, and it was about 1 am. i have never ever had such an experience. it was simply mind blowing. Now, finally, afters years of pondering, i came to realise, why rains are held in such high regard, and why their imminent arrival is so despeartely awaited...