Mumbai Rains

Everyone has their respective best rain story to narrate. Here's mine.



Since i've returned back to Mumbai last week have been really keen to get back to my jogging schedule. Came back early from work last evening and headed straight to the park. I had just about completed two rounds when the heavens opened up.



Now, this rain was no drizzle. Unlike short burst of light rainfall which was typically the pattern that monsoons were settling into this season, this one had large and heavy raindrops. The kind of rain which stung if you stood in it unprotected. Combine this with un-predictable winds and imagine me caught in white sneakers, black shorts and white t-shirt, and an i-pod (without a water casing) and you know I have a situation at hand. Running back home is not an option at all, and autos-taxi's in mumbai would rather drown than ferry me for such a short distance. The park where I jog in is circular and is surrounded by a busy roundabout leading into the sion-trombay highway. Finding nowhere else to take shelter in, I had to cross the road and take cover below the awning of a bakery shop. This was at about 8:30 PM in the evening when traffic was at its peak. From below the awning i had a view of the road leading in from Chembur rail station which circles around the park, and hits the sion-trombay highway.



Initial relief at having found protection quickly gave away to irritation at having my routine disrupted. But looking at the heavy downpour, very soon i realized there's nothing to be done except to stop and wait for the rains to subside. I possibly couldnot afford to have my gadgets getting drenched. I turned on my music and started listening to Indian Ocean. I think the song is Kya Maloom and very aptly some of the lyrics went "teevra aandhi, mrityugami baadlon sangh chale...". Trees around were swaying around in the wind almost as if they could listen to what was being played. Meanwhile people around, who like me initially ran helter skelter from the onslaught were fast recovering and getting back on their feet. Roads which had turned empty of pedestrians for a short time were now beginning to show some activity. Cars, which had parked themselves on kerbs because of sudden lack of visibility were beginning to rev up and pull out. Large multi-coloured brollies sprung up and people around started pairing up, with the request of only reaching upto the nearest auto/taxi. As for me, perhaps of all the people under the awning who stayed the nearest, I had comfortably resigned to me fate of being stuck. The rain showed no sign of relenting and there was no one who could come pick me up as well.

Thats when the smell first hit me and I realized what a fool i'd been all along! I was standing in front of a god-dammed bakery shop. Quickly i rushed in to make amends and bought my self a large blue-berry muffin. Indian Ocean had meanwhile moved on to "Arre ruk jaa re bande" but i didnot let that deter me. I came outside and slowly let myself sink into the bliss. Rain drenched wind on my face, a muffin to finish off, good music, and time to kill while u watch other people scurrying around. God, i could do this forever.