A rainy day in Pondicherry (India)

The month of November is known for rains in Pondicherry or most of east coast owing to formation of low depression in the Bay of Bengal. Interestingly the rainy seasons for us is a very conveneint one since the rains do not last longer and one can wait a bit and it will get over with. Maybe that is why most people do not buy umbrellas in Pondicherry. Of course, we get some intense rains in the year but it is hardly for 15 or 20 days in a year which anyhow prevents you from going out. 

Our problem are not due to the rain per se, but more due to lack of planning for those few extreme events of rainfall as original storm water drains have been downsized, encroached upon or even sold off by vested political personalities with the support of corrupt revenue officials. Why extreme events? Even a small 10-minute rainfall can cause flooding in the streets of Puducherry and there are specific streets of Puducherry like the Anna Nagar (near Indira Gandhi Statue) which remain flooded days together even after a moderate to heavy rainfall of say 20cm

But these visuals are from a short spell of about 10mm rainfall over 30 minutes which has given a beautiful wet and shiny texture to the ground and the grass and other objects and the already bloom lilies appeared lit from inside with the beautiful hazy sunshine from above. (Visuals from Sri Aurobindo Society, No.11, St.Martin Street, Puducherry-605001, India)

I like the  monsoons than any other season as it brings us the necessary rainfall to keep the life supported, sustainable and much needed respite from the heat, the dust and the pollution. If at all, we were a bit more ecologically evolved, almost all our problems would have beautiful solutions!!!

 

 

Learning to swim and other memories..

When we think of our childhood, we become nostalgic. The way you grew up in your home, the day you spend time, your school, the village life etc. etc. 

I was borne in a joint family and we were five children - me the third. I remember even today those early years before I started going to school. We were taught at home - all basic writing, reading, the Gunakoshtam or the multiplication table etc. Sathyalayam - that was the name of our house in Thottekad, Pulpatta about 8 km from the nearest town of Manjeri. We had a beautiful little pond in our home. As children we had to learn swimming and the usual practice is that you are pushed into the water when you are just about 3 years old. You drink a lot of water (of course the pond water was much better in quality than what you get through municipal supply these days) and you somehow start to swim. Thachi (my maternal grandmother's elder sister) had taught all of us swimming. I still remember my sister being pushed into the water and when she came up all frightened and gulping water, Thachi gave her a slap and said it will prevent from being afraid of the near process of drowning.. 

On a rainday in November...

 

This is November and it is supposed to rain sometime this month in Puducherry. When I say it is "supposed" to rain, I mean that as for rains in Puducherry, nobody can be certain when the rain will start on will end. Rainy season in Puducherry - or for that matter- along the east coast, it all depends on formation of a low depression in the Bay of Bengal. One can say, it might rain in Oct-Nov. 

And so it rained .. quite nice, heavy rainfall.. Beautiful climate, all wet and cool. One has to learn to enjoy these rains. Because, it is these rains that bring water to us. Beautiful monsoon.