Drizzling..........

I always feel lazy when rain is falling like cats and dogs. But my imagination is never idle even when there is nothing better to do than sip a hot cup of tea and simply watch the wrath of the clouds pour down and spoil all your plans to go out and have fun. I think about all the stories that I have heard about rain, and as we all know there are countless stories people have made up about rain in different cultures in different parts of the world.


At times I feel that rain is some sort of prank played by the nature, because in Hindu mythology rain is associated with Indran who is always up to some mischief. But it is this control on rain that really makes him the king of Gods. In the early Vedas we do not find the trimoorthis very important. It is Indran who is the eldest among devas, all this shows that our ancestors found the rain and the rain god very important. There are stories of indran blessing and cursing people with rainfall. One such story is the story of ‘Ghandeevam’, the famous bow used by Arjun, the third Pandava prince. Agni the fire god who fell sick after the consumption of a lot ghee and sugar during yagas fell sick had to eat the Ghandava forest as a remedy. The forest was protected by the rain god who never allowed a forest fire to happen in ghandava. Agni had to seek the help of Arjun , and for this task he was given the bow Ghavdeevam and a special arrow holder which will never run out of arrows. Agni then burned down the forest in the shade of Arjun’s arrows, this time the rain god was defeated.


Even though I am happy that rain is defeated in the story I don’t actually hate rain, in fact I love rain as a natural phenomenon. It’s fun to go for a stroll when it is drizzling and take in the warm smell of the soil. It was so much fun walking back home from school keeping the umbrella neatly folded in the bag and being very happy getting wet until we reach home taking shelter in the local shops when the rain is too heavy and enjoying roasted groundnuts. Rain is beautiful to look at sitting in the veranda of my ancestral home munching fresh rice flakes mixed with sugar, coconut and banana. Rainy afternoons are also the best time to play chess, caroms and cards.