Bringin' in the rain

First it was June 29. Then, July 3. And now, even as heavy clouds float in the Delhi skies, the monsoon rains have been sporadic and ‘not quite in their element yet’. But the inevitability of that cannot be doubted, and Delhi-ites are as excited for the downpour as they can be. After all, just last month the city saw the mercury almost touch 48°C, the highest temperature the Palam observatory has ever recorded. Rain would bring the much-needed respite.

YSK Prerana, who started working in Delhi in March this year, and will be witnessing the season here for first time, paints quite a pretty picture—“Having recently shifted from

Mumbai, my idea of the monsoon in the capital is mostly romantic and far less challenging than the Mumbai rains. For, I want to walk the gardens and nurseries of the city, smell its lush foliage, and just marinate in the everyday-ness of that process.”

For Jaideep Misra, a food and beverage consultant, Delhi rains provide the perfect opportunity to enjoy a drive. He usually steers clear of places prone to traffic, and often stops by a stall for a warm cuppa. “It has quite a calming effect on me. The pitter-patter of the rain on my windshield, that sort of a thing. Looking forward to that this season,” he says.

Yet others like to take advantage of Delhi’s parks and monuments, especially places like Lodhi Garden and Sunder Nursery, especially if it’s a short drizzle or the day after heavy rain, when a nice breeze runs through the city. Filmmaker Garima Pura, a resident of South Delhi, expresses a similar sentiment, “I love getting drenched. Functional morning baths in concrete washrooms just serve the cleaning purpose, but rains, the monsoon, especially, fulfills that primitive desire of mine. Now where’s that big downpour?”

And then there’s food. While Delhi’s street food is popular all year round, the temperature drop often prods people to step out and enjoy warm snacks. The classic bread pako-da and chai combination is well loved, but there are other delicacies like gol gappas, momos, chole bhature, pav bhajji, parathas and jalebis that become equally irresistible for Delhi-ites. Gopal Sharma, a street-food vendor, agrees—“I have been working in Pragati Maidan for the past nine years and I love the season because it increases my sales by 25 per cent.”

Seniors too love to join in the fun. Take, for instance, RK Jha, a 72-year-old retiree, who comments, “It has been so hot for even an evening walk. Presently, the prospects of rain even makes the thought of a walk in my society complex exciting.”

And, yet, there’s the bane of traffic that comes along with the rain and makes things difficult for cab drivers such as Manoj Kumar. “I am stuck in traffic jams. Work slows down. Plus, cities are all cement and concrete and there’s no place for the water to drain,” he says. But he too agrees that the city could use some respite brought by the monsoon.

So whether an opportunity to enjoy a cup of coffee indoors, or step to out and soak in the sprinkle, the season has everything for everyone. Hopefully, the city doesn’t come to a standstill this time.