… in gay abandon !

11^th June. 2004. Just a week into the vacation. The seven suns had tanned me. All was said and done. Just had a siesta and was nibbling away at my moiety of sandwiches, the bulk being with my brother. Nothing new. My mother’s beneficence always seemed to fall upon on him. Even my laconic revolts resulted in unexpected furore. My voice of concern for my physique seemed nugatory. “You are getting plumper by the day!”. A quick look at my topless torso reaffirmed their concerns. The “wiches” were very soporific. Bed-time. Again.

“It’s getting hotter by the minute”. My trunks soaked and sweat dripping off my forehead. The resultant struggle ensured I was on the floor. Regained my lost senses. Oh! No, not again. Umpteenth power cut of the day. The suave winds were, maybe, too tricky to handle for the electricity department. A phone call to them. And as ever, they were ready with their inscrutable reasons. Some of the choicest curses and abuses to them. Now what? The cool breeze lured me to the terrace. Ah! What a relief from the capacious suffocation. “Bon soir”, wished the sky. But the twilight was besieged by sinister darkness. Ebony clouds had got hold of the debonair Sun. The “asopalav’s” seemed to be dancing with the wind. While the obsequious birds had already surrendered themselves to the realms of nature, with the sun continuing its bootless struggle.

Winds had, by now, crossed every limit of graciousness. They were on a rampage. The aunties were worried about the clothes flying away; it was time for them to tie in the gauntlets in the interiors. Even they, the clothes, were trying to catch up with the gust. The four-legged’s running for cover. The resulting din faded away with the first onslaught of lightning. It was blitzkrieg. The Emperor had arrived. And was He not alone ! One more uproar. The world seemed to be breaking apart under His greatness.

The clouds had won their battle

But the war was yet to begin

The scene was perfectly set

Me being the pauper caught in between

The Sun was woebegone

Grass merrying away in the lawn

The cliffhanger was going to be taut

Or was it going to be just a naught?

The first raindrops touched my face and I remembered something. Why was I wearing the vest? Flung it away. For Him the celebration of exuberance had just begun. And there I was, ready to indulge in the melee. Nature’s diktat got the better side of me. They, the pearl shaped drops, were getting HARSHER. BOLDER. BIGGER. I thought it being for the BETTER!

Ferocious soldiers of the Rain God had engulfed the whole place. Each drop felt distinct. They had completely drenched me, with their mesmerizing pace. I was awed and shocked. Awed by the enormity of natures forces and shocked by the haplessness of us. For still, as far as I could see, not a single soul, except me, was ready to be a witness to the magnificence being displayed. Why such stubbornness, I thought. Many a people, whom I saw, were reluctant to come out in the open and enjoy this closeness exhibited by philanthropic nature. Maybe they thought they were too old to do this. Sheer boorishness! Take it from me; the bliss so received is holier than any of those you might be raving about. Just shed off your inhibitions for once, even your clothes if you want to, for this is the only chance to find out the real “YOU”. Or is it so that you don’t even remember who you really are? Ok, I can tell you that – be human – just follow your instinct. Nothing more. Nothing less.

O! Man, pity on thou

For you can’t be you

For thou is not what you think are you

Thee is what HE made of you

Nature wish’d to kiss thee

SHE wish’d you be with Me !

And the whole of the place was inundated. Streams, full of gusto and mud, ravaged through the streets. Astute children pushing their little boats to wade through chirpy waters, as if cajoling them to make it the farthest. Geriatric grandpa’s and grandma’s coming out of their confinements, finally forsaking their solitariness. Choked silencers and splashing four-wheelers, all seemed in harmony. Except for a hundred- two hundred potholes littered here and there, almost everywhere, everything was picturesque. Oh! So romantic…need I say anything more! Too good to be true. And a rush to the nearest bhajia ki larri with friends got our tastes flowing.

And the night brought with it sleek winds, which were like an icing on the cake. The temerity of the evening had descended. The sky was studded with stars, sparkling and twinkling with luminance. It got reinstated on its own that I too was a part of nature. So make a promise to yourself, from peons to professors, from pupils to principals, that the next time you get a chance to be with nature, then just do it. For nature itself is God. And watch the gamut of emotions you radiate. And here I am, waiting eagerly, once more, to surrender myself to Her … in gay abandon! … Hey, the lights went off again… and now you know what…!!!