It was Friday and holiday due to the birthday of some leader. I could not get up early in the morning and therefore missed my morning walk. I decided to make up by going out in the evening.
The day before there was big wind with heavy showers. It seemed as if there will be much needed respite from sweltering heat. Whenever one goes out for a walk, the oppressive heat engulfs him. It weaves a cocoon around us and tries to suffocate us by imprisoning us in its cocoon. I thought that climate will cool down but it turned out to be empty rhetoric. It was all thunder storm and wind which albeit broke many weak twigs from the trees and some fronds from the palms lining the avenues. There was huge banging of windows and doors. The rain caught many unawares. There was a puppy which was wailing due to rain and though its mother had brought it into the entrance of our block, it was feeling very fidgety and tinkered with cycles parked near the staircase.
It became quite pleasant after the rain and thunder has gone. Also it became evening. The clouds were thin white transparent and scanty. There was the moon in the sky. It peeked through the veil of the clouds and looked dull and sick. Here and there, occasional stars also penetrated through the veil.
What was more?
It was completely peaceful. There was no movement in the nature. Not a leaf was rustling. It was in complete contrast to the afternoon’s weather. Nature seemed to have gone to still mode from the animated mode. All seemed like a picture. Had it not been for the wet roads, dripping trees, nature had tried its best not to leave a trace of its exploits. But the water on roads, poodles in the nearby ground betrayed it. Otherwise nature had become so still like a naughty boy who after spoiling many things in the house plays a very timid and obedient boy. Only sounds that of cicadas which were piercing the otherwise rare tranquility. There cacophony was as if hundreds of tailors are snipping the cloth pieces with the scissors. Bats were flying from one tree to another and foraging for fruits hanging on the branches. Partially eaten fruits, the rinds lay scattered beneath the trees. It was not the handiwork of bats alone because in the day time, parrots gorge on these trees.
And lo, suddenly without any rhyme or reason, breeze has broken and started shaking the leaves of the branches. The still picture has dissolved and animation mode again has become active. In fact, the the weather here is still very hot and humid. Even during the night, many times the body perspire effusively. There has been no torrential rains which every year threaten the city. In fact the city has become captive to such abnormal phenomena. Though the rain is necessary for agriculture, for filling up the lakes around Mumbai with such exotic names like Tansa, Vihar, Tulsi, Vaitarna and Bhatsa because the water for city supply comes from these lakes, yet BMC must be feeling happy that this year nature has not put it into embarrassing position and exposed the inadequate arrangements made to deal with the flood situation.