Tuesday, July 01, 2008

When the rains came

The weather has been amazing in namma Bangaluru. People often say the monsoon gives respite from the sweltering heat but the heat was shortlived this year and we actually did not get much opportunity to chide the summer. It is very pleasant to walk down the promanade to the pick-up point every morning that you will always notice a spring in my steps, a cavort(ing) gait and eyes wandering to take in everything that the morning has to offer.

It rained yesterday and it took me to the days of yonder when I used to look through the window on some rainy days and sing my heart out. The window was behind the sofa. I used to kneel on it backwards and hold the window grill and peer through it. Ah childhood!

I admired the mangoes, promising life and how the water droplets would slide through the skin and fall from the tip. The yellow orchids clung to a branch of the mango and bloomed to glory. Beside the mango tree were the hydrengias, the roses, the lilies, the nine-o-clock flowers, the bottle brush and many more. Cousin and I would run in the rain and play in the mud skating bare foot, skidding, falling, getting up, skidding, falling, getting up until grandma would scold us and say that she wants our mothers to stop working and control us. We would jump and pluck a bottle brush flower, run inside, tap the flower on our palms and lick the nectar. What must have been our aspirations or struggles in those days? Maybe, just do homework and get promoted to the next class.

It rained yesterday and I wanted to sing out loud and be that child once more. Presence of the brother-in-law stopped me.

I see myself being moulded to the role of a provider from being the provided. Took the brother-in-law shopping and made him buy whatever he wanted for passing out of the Academy. I enjoyed the experience of caring for someone younger than me, of being responsible for him. Led the mom-in-law to places she wanted to go in Bangalore. Her child-like enthusiasm reflected on her face as she explored the unventured places. On the other hand, sis told me that mom was complaining that I hadn’t called her last week.

I caught up with Lin and Ju, my childhood friends over the chat. We used to read Archies tucked inside text books, Photo Romance tucked inside the Atlas map book, talk boys, share lunch, play together and compare marks as to who got how much and who topped the class. The comforts of childhood and endearments still very much intact, we chatted about our married lives, plans of having a child, responsibilities and mother-in-laws and wondered, when did we all grow up so much?

20 comments:

austere said...

Interesting changes. How wistful this post is, and how hopeful as well.
:)
best.

Unknown said...

Hi Arunima... loved your post as always!.. i came across your blog last year and got hooked to it ever since!... I check ur blog almost everyday ... and every post put a smile on my face and that dejavu feeling grips me :) ... Keep up the good writing..! :)

manuscrypts said...

grr, more importantly why? :|
raining while i comment from a comp running on Windows Vista.. sigh.. what changes!!

Unknown said...

I know,rain makes me go down to childhood always...that fun and frolic and freedom...never again!!

Cynic in Wonderland said...

yes, when did we grow up so much. or when was adulthood thrust upon us. lovely post

Anonymous said...

The last para.. so true.. I can totally relate.. I had fun hiding photoromance and Archies.. inside my books.. hahaha !!.. sigh.. sometimes one wonders where time flies.. I was just feeling nostalgic again..

AmitL said...

Hi,Arunima...that's a nice description of your morning route,especially the 'cavort/y gait and eyes wandering to take in everything that the morning has to offer'..that's so true- I feel the best part of the day is always the morning-fresh as a daisy,so to speak!:)

hehe to the memories of enjoying rains in childhood-don't you long to do the same thing even now?

Lovely memories,the rest of them,too!!:)

Stone said...

but why why why :(
till yesterday, being youngest in family everyone used to treat me like a kid, and now they treat me differently, and with lots of respect :-) which I find hard to digest :-)

Anyway, now even wifey says I've started to look like an uncleji :-( :-(

Arunima said...

@Sudha: Could you send me an invite to read your blog in that case?

arunimaksh@yahoo.co.in or arunima@gmail.com

Tys on Ice said...

ahhh..the rains...been telling wife to make sure my son gets drenched in the blore rains....in our tharavad, we used to stand underneath the canal of the tiles to get a waterfall on our head and take bath in that rain...butt naked...never ever got sick from getting wet in the rain...

love the rains...sigh...

Anonymous said...

its raining here too... even i was thinking..when did we grow up? read this post at right time :-).

OUR SPACE..OUR VOICE... said...

i came across your blog sometime last may and somehow i relate to yoru style of writing. It's not pretentious...
have stopped by occationally and did so today (lackof work, i confess :D ) but was pleasantly surprised at how far along you've come.
Beautiful writing, keep it up.
Anand
www.scorpioblog.wordpress.com
P.S. mind if i blogroll you?

Anonymous said...

Bangalore rains drive to me sleep and i don't feel like waking up at all.

Its always nice to get pampered by elders :D

vivek said...

Arunima: Thank you for coming to my blog and leaving a note.I promised myself so many times that I would write some thing sensible or not, but do not because I work long hours and tired to do anything else. I will try. Thank you again.I will make a comment soon about guys who bother you by not knowing about NORTHEAST.

Arunima said...

@Venkat: Hi Venkat, Thanks for dropping by. I have not been really bothered by people because of the northeast tag. Yes, I am angry at their ignorance but I don't let people bother me. It has never worked against me.

Quest4veracity said...

Its a delight to read something like this.This particular line is so touching.
"I used to kneel on it backwards and hold the window grill and peer through it. Ah childhood!"
Keep posting.

Lavanya said...

I can so relate to this post! The rains, the musings, the in-law talk and ofcourse the very pertinent question on when did we all grow up so much..keep them coming! Great stuff this!

Romila said...

Nice, feel-good post, at work now and its drizzling outside, want to run home and cozy up inside the blanket with my little girl.

Unknown said...

Nice post.. reminds me of those rainy days back in childhood. The rains here in Mumbai doesnt remind me anymore of the childhood days..maybe i have changed..or maybe i have lost the vision. Thanks for showing me that vision again.
Time do fly.. when did i grow up so soon...i only know :)

xyz said...

i dont why?? but i can relate to u....ur hostel thg...ur in laws... n all that...i miss it the way u do...