Nostalgic Days of Rain

11 Oct’08

After few weeks of sunny days, Bombay (Mumbai) was once again showered with rains during the second half of Navratri. To some it was relief from the heat, to some it ruined their Garba-Dandia plan, while I think it was in a way welcome to the godess “Durga”.

One could see the drama in the evenings when the clouds would gather to perform, riding on the winds, flashes of lightning filling the skies accompanied by the orchestration of the thunders. All beautifully composed, produced, directed and presented by Mother Nature. And the whole scene reminds me of the thoughts I had in my mind during the transition from waiting for the rains to the onset of it.

Just a look away

The much awaited monsoon came a bit early this time. Yes, much awaited, unlike most of the Bombayites (Mumbaites as they prefer to be called now) I was eagerly waiting for monsoon. Reason? Memories of last year’s monsoon and my new found love for photography.

Last year we shifted to new house and that opened us to more of the scenic beauty around. The dry and dead looking hills around would suddenly come to life in lush green embrace of the nature, dramatic performance by clouds of all shades from fluffy white to wet and heavy grey can be seen in the sky above. Even the small house garden of us cultivated and nurtured by my sister would be filled by colorful flowers. It was this that always made me long for the rains.

Being on the 7th floor gave me more open access to look around. The onset of rains would bring the greys in sky that would envelope the Matheran hills. The thumb like Karnala fort too would play a peek-a-boo through the clouds. The hills around have now been decorated further with falls. Every day brought new beauty and new forms that I couldn’t resist but capture. And the evenings were no less. Sky would sometimes look like a painting and other times like a palette with colors splattered around.

One thing that has been very evidently felt by all of us at my home is the amount of pollution. All through the summer there would be a haze spread everywhere and in the mornings a thick blanket of smog could be seen too. Fortunately, in the monsoon, the environment looks very clear as if some dust has been washed off our eyes. But it also makes us aware that now is the time to wake up and take some action or else soon the monsoons too will be blurred by the industrial haze.

With nature at its fullest now is the time to venture out and enjoy the most. But even while at home, I keep running to the windows and the terrace to capture as much as i can. And this is when I remember some photographer say on animal planet, "People ask me how you capture such beautiful moments? and I say that sometimes I just keep the camera aside and look around as what camera cannot capture can be captured and preserved as memories by my mind, and that is the ultimate pleasure".