Tuesday, April 21

A rain to remember...

I sat impatiently in the train as the train roared through the darkness of the night from Bangalore to Ernakulam. It was indeed emblematic. I was leaving behind the dust, pollution and heat of Bangalore (heat & Bangalore!!?? – Yes I mean it) to the wet roads, green trees and flowers of Kerala. The Exotic Kerala! Pure beauty of the country side is something I always miss. I come home after years… err… months… ummm… weeks... na… days? What ever... Let me fix it in DAYS!

Half an hour plus travel from railway station to my ‘Castle’, always seems to be the longest journey of my life. The book on my lap remained unturned in the page for a long time. Taxi breaks in front of the gate. I lowered the window glass and peeped my head through.

Nothing new-fangled! The same ‘86 year old Aristocratic - Nair - domicile’ as says my grandma, mother waiting at door. All dishevel and tiredness of travel disappeared seeing her. That’s the magic of all mothers; they have that extra gift from the creator.

“Take your bath” This time also it was no different, the same welcome treatment.

Ignoring her as always, stepped to the backyard_bare footed. I love to walk bare footed, just to feel the mother earth. I love it even better when it’s raining. I looked at the sky. No sign of rain. I wish my week long vacation at least have one rainy day.

I shout at mother “When it last rained??”

“Last week!!”

“When it will rain next??”

“Yes we have opened a weather forecasting office here!” This time it was from father.

Aahh... As always I forgot to say halo to him. ;)

“Go and take your bath first” I expected this from him too.

Came inside, grandma was coming out from her room. “Had bath?”

Ooops… Is my family so ‘bathaholic’?? I finally slipped to washroom!!

Mother came to me at dining: "Today is your D.O.B!! Let's celebrate your Bday today" - we celebrate our Bday's on stars, which was already over when I was at Bangalore!

I smiled and just realised, Gosh... 25 years on planet Earth. Celebrating Silver Jubilee!!. Hurray its been long time. How massive is one year?? Its that time taken by our earth to complete one revolution around the mighty sun. So 25 years means?? umm... mighty longggg...!

I have traveled a long way. And I’m still where I began.

But I have no time to think all those stuff, just a week vacation, and my only prayer-one rainy day..err... one 'heavy' rainy day in that!

Met so many relatives. All said many thing in common "You know us?" "You never call us!" "You have time to visit all of us?" "What it take to make a phone call ?"... No one ever said, “How is your stay alone there” or "Are you happy?" "..." aahh fed up!! I thought I made mistake visiting them. The so called unrelated relatives.

Met 'lot' of old friends; excuse me just 'two'. Yeah those two means a 'lot' to me.

I always enjoy hanging out with friends: be it pulling a prank on someone or them making a fool out of themselves, friendship is that unique stuff, I could never define here. Met a few from the Engineering days too. They are the real 'Machus' of my life-the MKCE demeanors!

Celebrated Bday, Vishu, Friendship, family functions, but still Rain wasn’t in the horizon :(

Final day of my week long vacation. Bizi packing. Driver horns his arrival. Took my luggage to dicky. I waved bye to grandma. Mom and Pa followed me to station.

All the way to station I was looking at sky. Bloody sun was laughing at me.

Reached station prior one hour. Entered the platform. I never sit in waiting room. So came out, even came out of the protection of the asbestos sheets at station. Some kids were playing. I looked at them. Believe me, watching small kids playing is the best time killer. Suddenly my entire sensory organ calls me altogether. I looked at my arms. A splattered drop of water on it. As I am looking, a few more fell. Yes it was raining…

The train pulled in. Every one rushed out of the protective sheets and rushed inside. Father was shouting at me to get inside the train. I kept my luggage and stood in the doorway. I was getting wet. I didn’t care. Mom yelled from platform “Get inside…..”

I shook my head.

“Sorry mom, this rain is for me, only for me. You can’t take it away from me.”

I was getting wetter and wetter. But I wished I could get wet more. Train started with a loud whistle… I waved good bye…!!

Indeed a rain to remember!!!

32 comments:

  1. hey dude ..rain was always my weakness... would really love to visit kerala (Gods own country). Have heard about it a lot. would like to experience it myself!

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  4. i thought i will go back home to enjoy the climate only next month :( but i think ur journal has forced me to rethink on my vacation plan.. i should prepone the trip :)

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  5. keep writing man..nice blog..

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  6. he is lying............. there was no rain on sunday morning in aluva. It rained only in the evening. Just joking. A very nice blog. As i was part of that friendship thing, we all got together, was complete fun. Brought back nostalgic memories. MKCE rocks, sorry we rocked MKCE and we still rock. Oh i drifted away from the point here. The point is The Author lied about the rain, it rained but 12 hours later. Hehe...... But nice blog and i hope to read more of it. I am proud of you my boy.

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  7. Very nice post! It made me miss my family; I feel like boarding a train right now! And I wish the rains came sooner, sigh! Great work, keep it up

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  8. ooooh! I love rain! What a fun post! Really enjoyable!

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  9. nice account of your journey.I was lucky to visit kerala some 3 years back It was awesome paradise on earth lush greenery and palm tress not forgetting the beautiful beaches.


    http://cutestangel.wordpress.com/

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  10. Annon: :)

    LEGEND: Go for it man...its the best time!!

    Annon: Again U LEGAND. 5 comments b/w 5 minutes that too at 2:30 AM.It can only b U dude...SHIVA!!ha ha.. I am a genius to figure out who the anonymous people are in my blog!maauhhh... ;) Thx dude eny way..

    Anish: First of all, I never lie; last of all as I said earlier, I tell stories...just stories. So wer is the need of rain in Aluva?? :) Three cheers for our gang!

    Asha Tampa : Thnx! I too wish the rain come sooner...

    Dame: Hig Fiv!

    Cutestangel: :) Trip again!!Thx!

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  11. no wonder rain inspired yot to write this
    interesting post

    nicely narrated

    well done!

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  12. Many a times (nowadays especially) we miss out on the simple enjoyments like gettin wet in d rain-dat we used toenjoy as kids, so this post for me atleast was really nostalgic as it remimded me of d days wen i used to play in d rain.

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  13. First time seeing a ‘bathaholic’family!! ha ha!!!

    Your narration is unique.I found so many touching lines while reading...:
    'I have traveled a long way. And I’m still where I began.'

    'Yeah those two means a 'lot' to me.'

    'That’s the magic of all mothers; they have that extra gift from the creator.'

    ' The so called unrelated relatives'

    'Half an hour plus travel from railway station to my ‘Castle’, always seems to be the longest journey of my life.'


    '.. No one ever said, “How is your stay alone there” or "Are you happy?" "..." aahh fed up!!'

    I wish u write every day!Keep writing bro!!

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  14. ....and I tooo love rain!!! The Best part is, as u said to get wetter wetter wetter and more weter...

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  15. I shout at mother “When it last rained??”

    “Last week!!”

    “When it will rain next??”

    “Yes we have opened a weather forecasting office here!” This time it was from father.



    Ha ha ha!! your father has got good humor sense!!

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  16. Aparna: Wonder-FuLL!Thx!


    Sormita:U said it gal!


    Bhanu: "Bathaholisam" is something in our Bloodd!!grrrrrrr...
    ...and rain....more and more wetter...
    ....afterall he is ma father.....loll

    Prasant : so kind of u!do come again!

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  17. lovely post....

    rain and hometown are the extreme pleasure that one can experience...

    and in yr case the timing was gr8....

    belated happy bday wishes.... :)

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  18. i blog when i read " I Blog Whn Im Mad!!". Thats the kind of inspiration you r for me.

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  19. Waoooo.... this is a fantastic post... The topic appears very trivial but its is the way the post has been written..!!!

    *Applause*Applause*

    Well rains are something which have an inherent ability to make us smile.. n happy... sigh.. my city hardly gets rains.. its like once in a century delhi is drenched in heavy rains..lol.. :P

    But I loved the way this post has been put up, with all the humorous and witty lines...!!!

    Happy drenching!!!

    Happy jotting.. :)

    ps- I have dediacted a blog to the rain Gods and jotted a few experiences of mine when delhi was lucky enough to get some meagre rains.. :D lol
    Btw did you click those pics posted here?? :O

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  20. wow sajith what powerful narration.

    " I like to walk in rain so no one can see me crying "

    :) beautiful isnt it?

    wish i had said that. it was charlie chaplin.

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  21. very well explained....nice post!!!!!
    your right watching kids play is the best time pass!!!

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  22. Who doesn't enjoy rains, especially in hot and humid Indian sub-continent, except for a farmer who hates an untimely shower.

    Well written.

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  23. The Vitruvian Boy : Maktub!!It was/is written!
    Thx for wishing!


    ASR: Inspiration & Mee...*HA*HA* Am mighty amused here actually!


    SIZZLING SWATI: I knoe swati..My 2 year stay in Delhi had just 2 rainy day :( its horrible...
    ..and these pics, nope!!But it takes ages to find pics...and the post waited until I did.


    Sudhir Kekre:Yeah - I recommend never CRY in Rain, U may miss my darling(rain)!


    Nazish Rahman : Yeah-! :)


    Sikander Fayyaz Khan: :)

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  24. nice writting on rain!..rains r always gud :)

    keep blogging!:)

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  25. Your one-line replies are also MIND-BLOWING!!

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  26. hope u enjoyed it dude..

    its hot here in mumbai..i really wish it was training here ryt now :(

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  27. beautiful writing...being a keralite who hardly visits kerela I could relate to it...U have brought me back the good old memories of the rains at god's own country...keep it coming , bro. loved ur writing

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  28. So well written ... rains , always a pleasure !!! :)

    Cheers,
    adisha

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  29. lol..lol... CRD.. "training" here right now... hahaha... typos typos... sorry sajith could not resist btu point it out here on the comments corner.. :P

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  30. *HA HA* SWATI....*High Fiv!!*
    Long live Typos!!!:D :D

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  31. good one sajith.. wish we could have some rain in calcutta. this post reminded me of my village koth in up...

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