Memories of a rainy day!
Rain in Kerala is normal in June-July. It is a down pour at times, a medium rain at times, and the chemmeen rain (the little shrimp rain) most times! Children are not allowed to go in the rain for fear of catching cold. We were children. We can't play in the rain on school days. But on holidays if mother's permission can be got there is a chance. My friends were already playing outside and it was a holiday!
I got her permission and was happy as a lark to fly out! The air was clean, the flowers were fragrant and the birds were chirping happily! The minahs were all around along with the sparrows who quarrelled with each other over the grains they got. The ubiquitous crows kept on cawing for , the copper smiths made their routine beats. The rain with still falling lightly which we called the 'chemmeen mazha'.
The small by lane had become a rivulet. It was flowing to the eaasst where the lane turns left. If wse made a small bund with mud we can make a small wanter shoot with a papaya tube. This tube comes from the stock of the papaya leaf. A piece of it was cut out and we made a small bund with our hands by amassing the mud which was wet all around. In no time water started to accummulate and it was a small dam in no time! Now I put the little tube! Water rushed out to the other side. I can close it too, if I wanted. No. I won't do it. There is plenty of water coming. Let it flow. I can rather add two more pieces of papaya tube. It will really be good to see it. Two other little boys of the neighbourhood and my own little sisters and brother were the team. All of us worked to scoop up the mud and put it wherever it was required. We smoothened the mud and at times put a leaf here and there to fortify the structure. The mud was all of over us which we did not consider as dirt. In fact, the mud was very clean compared to these days. At last all the papaya tubes were used up. All of us stood on both sides of the little dam and enjoyed the sight of the water-red muddied water--flowing through the tubes six or seven of them! What a joy! Water was flowing in plenty through the by-lane which usually converted into a little ford on rain in those days.
Nobody thought of tarring up the surfaces in those days. It was considered to be a sin to cover up the earth in any form unless for making houses or edifices. There was travel difficulties, if one had to travel in those rainy days at that point of time. But such occasions were rare and people seldom travelled as all were mostly attached to agriculture or like jobs which were usually in the vicinity only.
Mother came calling. What is happening here. " All of you have become mud statues by now. Go wash yourself behind the house, and come inside the house". She raised her gaze in the direction of my neighbour friends and told them "And you, go to your respective houses. It is going to rain more now" and they were gone.
When we reached inside the house after a wash breakfast was ready and we sat down to have our kanji and curry when it started to rain cats and dogs outside. Our dog came in and sat at my feet ready for his breakfast. He had his own plate which was kept in a corner. And if he was present food was served to him too! He was also considered as one of us in the family!
Rain in Kerala is normal in June-July. It is a down pour at times, a medium rain at times, and the chemmeen rain (the little shrimp rain) most times! Children are not allowed to go in the rain for fear of catching cold. We were children. We can't play in the rain on school days. But on holidays if mother's permission can be got there is a chance. My friends were already playing outside and it was a holiday!
I got her permission and was happy as a lark to fly out! The air was clean, the flowers were fragrant and the birds were chirping happily! The minahs were all around along with the sparrows who quarrelled with each other over the grains they got. The ubiquitous crows kept on cawing for , the copper smiths made their routine beats. The rain with still falling lightly which we called the 'chemmeen mazha'.
The small by lane had become a rivulet. It was flowing to the eaasst where the lane turns left. If wse made a small bund with mud we can make a small wanter shoot with a papaya tube. This tube comes from the stock of the papaya leaf. A piece of it was cut out and we made a small bund with our hands by amassing the mud which was wet all around. In no time water started to accummulate and it was a small dam in no time! Now I put the little tube! Water rushed out to the other side. I can close it too, if I wanted. No. I won't do it. There is plenty of water coming. Let it flow. I can rather add two more pieces of papaya tube. It will really be good to see it. Two other little boys of the neighbourhood and my own little sisters and brother were the team. All of us worked to scoop up the mud and put it wherever it was required. We smoothened the mud and at times put a leaf here and there to fortify the structure. The mud was all of over us which we did not consider as dirt. In fact, the mud was very clean compared to these days. At last all the papaya tubes were used up. All of us stood on both sides of the little dam and enjoyed the sight of the water-red muddied water--flowing through the tubes six or seven of them! What a joy! Water was flowing in plenty through the by-lane which usually converted into a little ford on rain in those days.
Nobody thought of tarring up the surfaces in those days. It was considered to be a sin to cover up the earth in any form unless for making houses or edifices. There was travel difficulties, if one had to travel in those rainy days at that point of time. But such occasions were rare and people seldom travelled as all were mostly attached to agriculture or like jobs which were usually in the vicinity only.
Mother came calling. What is happening here. " All of you have become mud statues by now. Go wash yourself behind the house, and come inside the house". She raised her gaze in the direction of my neighbour friends and told them "And you, go to your respective houses. It is going to rain more now" and they were gone.
When we reached inside the house after a wash breakfast was ready and we sat down to have our kanji and curry when it started to rain cats and dogs outside. Our dog came in and sat at my feet ready for his breakfast. He had his own plate which was kept in a corner. And if he was present food was served to him too! He was also considered as one of us in the family!
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