Rain Pain

The rain-soaked Garden today morning

The rain gods must be crazy. They should have been done with the monsoon in Mumbai by now. Yet it continues to rain camels and elephants, especially in the mornings when we assemble for our exercises. If news reports are to be believed, the weather shall remain wet till Sunday.
Going by convention, this is proving to be the third monsoon in one year. Twice we have moved out of the China Hut in the past month, only to rush back for shelter because the skies had opened up. We are still boxed in, out of fear of getting drenched needlessly.
Every other year, the Ganapati festivities have marked the end of the monsoon in Mumbai. This year everything went as expected and the sun had also come out… till Anant Chaturdashi, the day of immersion of Ganesh idols. The rains struck back with a vengeance. It poured and it poured and suddenly it was sunny again. After another dry spell lasting a week, the rains returned at the beginning of this month and since then, have refused to leave.
The reason the weather is being seen as a big deal is not because our exercises are only affected. We are in the midst of the festival season. Navaratri has already started. In a couple of days, the four-day Durga Puja celebrations would begin. Then comes Dussehra… and so on. For many of us, any further delay in the monsoon exiting would be disastrous.
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
Always look at the brighter side of things. Monsoon provides us the natural green carpet in the garden. It is a scene to be enjoyed and felt. Everything is green. Nature provides you all this free of cost. Where do you find so much greenery in Mumbai? Be thankful to the Almighty and enjoy His blessings.