More rain mayhem...

Perhaps only Seattle in the US experiences the kind of torrential rains that lash on us poor Mumbaites. Then again, they probably have some great infrastructure in place to combat it, knowing the penchant Americans have to be organized and prepared. Those of us living at the mercy of the Indian bureaucracy that manages a city that has historically been shaped haphazardly, are not as fortunate. Every other day, I am wading through ankle-deep puddles – bye bye stilettos and pretty pretty heels, hello sandals. I made the mistake of getting a pedicure after my first day walking in puddles – it lasted 5 minutes in the muck. I also have learnt to gingerly feel my way around gutters on the sidewalks– there are many open gutters and ones that are covered, are only just barely. There is a fair chance that they might collapse into the gutter when subjected to a human weight. I shudder at the vision of me stepping on one, which promptly gives way and I drop into a dark, rat-infested tunnel full of trash and faeces, and god-knows-what-else infected water.

I also wonder if the mortality rate of pigeons is directly proportional to the onset of rains. For there seem to be an increasing number of dead pigeons on the roads, sidewalks and building compounds. The ones I have witnessed so far, are completely squashed, the bones sticking out of their blue, spattered feathers and bloody, mangled heads mixed in with thick, pasty mud. Quite the appetizing sight before dinner, sigh!

But, Indians have developed a thick skin for hardships and we still manage to have our fun. With the rains, comes the chance for all sorts of warm food – fried dumplings in tomato sauce or how about barbecued corn with butter, lemon and red chilli powder smeared all over. Of course, cradling that steaming, hot cup of coffee or tea in your hands while watching the rivulets of water run down the glass window is a joy entirely its own. I love the verdant green carpet that covers everything, bringing a liveliness to even the dullest rock.The scent of wet earth is intoxicating - I often times stop by the garden, just to take in a few whiffs of the heady aroma. An, it is an amazing feeling to peek out from under my cozy covers to watch rain drops kiss the green leaves in the wee hours of morning.

I have been meaning to get a few pictures of the rains but turns out my camera is not exactly waterproof. Hopefully, I can share a slice of my rainy life soon J