Back........after a hiatus.....in line with the rains!

It was just yesterday that I was sitting and wondering how long it’s been since I’ve blogged…..and I realized it’s been close to a year. Too long a silence….even by my standards! And then I promised myself to update my blog before 30th July, by when a whole year will have passed………….

But before I knew it, the rains came pouring down……..and it dawned on me that nothing inspires me more than a chill shower…….. It may be argued that a chill shower could have been availed of much much earlier within the confines of the bathroom at home………but that’s hardly a valid comparison to the natural, blissful, serene pitter-patter of raindrops on the window panes. Nothing makes me want to pen my thoughts down like the fragrance of the first rain of the season. Ever more so when the monsoons have been awaited in eager anticipation for quite a while now………….the extended scorching summer has finally accepted defeat and made way for the king of all seasons – the Monsoons!

Everyone has their own ideas as to what is the ideal way to spend “A Rainy Day”. Even in school examinations, I vividly recall this topic as a perennial favourite and no essay book worth its while would be complete without a descriptive piece on the good, the bad and the ugly side of rains. But all of that is too predictable, too theoretical and too “proper” to serve any purpose besides preparing for exams.

The true beauty of the rains is its unpredictability. The true bliss of the rains is the freshness it ushers in. So there really can’t be an ideal way to spend a rainy day……only several things to do….some silly and some simply refreshing!

1) Curl up under the blanket (fleece blankets work best!) with all the windows open and all the fans switched off……..inhale…..exhale…..inhale……exhale……….keep repeating!

2) Wear light clothing, floaters and go splishing-sploshing-splashing…… (err….caution: leave the floaters outside if you want home to still look like home and not resemble a mudstream)

3) Walk out with an umbrella and twirl it first clockwise and then counter-clockwise………for better results, invert the umbrella and repeat!

4) Go swimming in an open pool………revel in the blissful way the raindrops kiss the surface of the water.

5) Laugh heartily when someone’s umbrella flies away or overturns (admit you’ve done it before…..everyone has!)……..and when it happens to you, pretend you meant it to be exactly that way!

6) Gather the neighbourhood kids, float paper boats in puddles, sing ‘rain-rain-go-away” (if they are really really small!)……..go back to your childhood!

7) Read Mills-and-Boons or a spine-chilling thriller, watch the video of “pyaar hua ikraar hua hai” and smile discreetly, listen to some soft melodies, look out of the window and dream ……..romance your soul!

8) Have hot, masala chai, with the age-old monsoon snack - hot hot pakoras.

9) If you don’t like tea…..have coffee…..or hot chocolate….

10) Or hot water…(!!!)

11) Play Antakshari……..or Dumb Charades……Sing loudly with all the air in your lungs….or Whistle likewise!

12) Sneeze……steam……..sneeze…..steam……sneeze…….steam……….take care!

13) Give everyone at home a tight warm hug!

14) Get everyone together and watch a movie………….then poke fun at all the characters!

15) Recline on the couch, shut your eyes, go for a stroll down memory lane…….

16) Look out of the window at night before you go to sleep…….chuckle to yourself and inwardly decide whether you want to step out the next day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

17) Let yourself GO……………………………………..ENJOY!

Use these pointers at your own discretion……the list is not comprehensive………..Add to it at will……….But no matter what you do, don’t forget to soak in the spirit of the monsoons…….it comes only once every year!

Hopefully, lots more posts coming up soon…….hopefully no more long silences to breach………..but till next time, from slo it’s Tally-ho!