"R" for "Rain Rain go away"

Dark clouds hovering near our flat. I always love those few minutes just before it rains

"Rain rain go away

Come again another day

Little Arthur wants to play". 

This is a famous nursery rhyme which most of us know. This rhyme has been tweaked and modified numerous times from many years. You can find few other versions of the same Rain poems here. Rain just makes me so happy that I never said, rain rain go away any day but there was one such night when I really wanted rain to stop. No the mistake is not rain's it is the condition of roads in India and bad water sewage facilities in low lying areas. On that particular night my version of the nursery rhyme was,

"Rain rain go away

Come again another day

Madam Afshan doesn't want to stay

She has to reach home come what may".  

This happened years ago on a special day 08-08-08 (Aug 8th 2008). Neither the Olympics at Beijing nor the power saving initiative to switch off the lights at 8:00 P.M. for 8 min made the evening memorable. It was the heavy traffic jam which made me stay on the dirty and crazy roads of Hyderabad roughly for 3 and 1/2 hrs which made the evening memorable.I was about to start at the office in a jubilant mood after winding off my work as it was Friday evening @ 7:00 P.M. sharp but one of my colleagues came back saying, "It is impossible to step out". When I saw through my window I could sense the cyclonic atmosphere due to the gush of water and fierce wind which were beating the window panes with "VROOM" sound. As we were helpless we started chitchatting and room was filled with gossip, loud laughter and the aroma of the hot coffee. It was indeed a blissful rainy experience but I was clueless on how to start from office. I got a call from my brother who saved me by saying, "Be ready .I will pick you up in 1/2 hr".It was 7:20 P.M. 

I spent the time discussing the ratings of new movies, music and books. Two of my friends who craved for hot fish curry left for the food court and I started towards the main gate getting wet tip to toe! Then the only thought which attacked my mind was, "Why do we always carry umbrella only when there's no rain :-o?" I could see the umbrella tops neatly placed in long rows and columns like a matrix at the office gate !The scene was worth enough to be captured in a camera but I was not in a position to do the same. Power saving initiative was strictly followed and lights went off at 8 sharp!I saved my head from getting drenched with my dupatta and hand bag and reached my car emerging out of 100's of umbrellas! While all the others were eagerly waiting for the buses and cabs, my brother , driver and I started off happily with Pappu can't dance saala on 91.1 FM but the happiness didn't last long :-( Crossing the office lane was not a big deal.The road was clear.Only obstacle was the terrific rain.The real challenge was to cross an area called "TOLICHOWKI" which hosts frequent pools of high current water when ever it rains.The car halted .I thought it might be the routine traffic jam we daily face. With the flow of the songs "chand sifaarish " "woh Ajnabee" "pehli nazar me" "Kabhi Kabhi aditi" and many more on radio I didn't realise how long we were stuck in the traffic! When we checked our watches to our utter shock we realized that from the past 45min we moved only a feet distance.

The impatience, cold, sneezes and the rumble in the stomach intensified as I was able to see only and only VEHICLES as far as my vision could reach! "These gigantic vehicles should be banned on such depressing roads!" I thought to myself.  "Hyderabad House" was nearing but the moments were so unpredictable that we couldn't risk going out and attacking BIRYANI and coming back. In such a distressing moment when hunger pangs were making us mad, my genius bro suddenly got down and bought a Chicken pizza and cream rolls from a near by bakery.Three of us had a moon light plus HEAD--LIGHTS dinner:-). I gobbled up 2 pizza pieces and felt heavenly as my hunger quickly vanished!

We were slogging, yawning and dragging the time some how. The program Love guru and the same old, long consoling suggestions and ideas only increased the count of "YAWNS"! It was taking 15min on an average to cross one shopping mall and reach the adjacent one on the road side. I got a crazy idea to enter in to a function hall and have dinner where "wedding" bells were feebly ringing due to the splash sound of rain and lack of crowd. It seemed like after ages we touched the borders of Tolichowki where we have a temple and a Dargah! Few cars were half drowned in the muddy pools at few places! It was 10:45 and there was no pause to the rain. The jet of water from the fly-over fell on the car top with a "DUB DUM" sound which strengthened me a little as it indicated that our destination was near. We reached home at 11:15. So it was a 3 and 1/2 hr restless journey on Hyderabad roads which normally takes not more than 40min!

The first thing I wanted to do is jump on my bed and just sleep, but the dinner table with hot tomato  dal, cucumber chutney and paapad were inviting. So I  gulped some food as soon as possible and had a sound sleep.The next Saturday morning I got up late and saw that my window panes were still being splashed. I yawned loud and sipped a hot relieving tea with a rain song "Vache vache nalla mabbullara" which means "Dark clouds are on their way" from the movie Aanand  playing on radio which made me think there is something magical about rain even after the unexpected troubles we face due to it." One more such day which made me sing rain rain go away was in Gurgaon when there was a power outage for 2 days due to non stop rain:(

One of the wonderful rain songs in Telugu. Must watch even if you don't understand the lyrics!

Rain surely is a wonderful experience provided it doesn't take lives or make life miserable like it did on that day. The city I stay, Bangalore invites the rains every alternate day. Rains love Bangalore and Bangalore love rains and rains in Bangalore have a musical/ lyrical effect associated with them and Bangalore is not like many other dull/ dark/ gloomy places where it frequently rains. It is refreshing. Any one who experienced Bangalore rain will say the same.Now as I am working in Hyd I am missing the Bangalore climate.  Rain soothes me. When ever I sit and watch rains I feel as if the rain has washed away all my troubles and worries. Shared below are few rain pics I clicked:) I feel so good even if it is a hot scorching day today. Whatever is the season in the part of the globe you are staying , do recollect a rainy day and have a nice tea and a good day!

A beautiful rainy day in Bangalore near my home

Two rainbows captured at office Hyd!

Bful rainbow at Infosys Hyd

Never loved yellow this much. Just before it rained in Gurgaon

This is my 18th post for  A to Z challenge 2014