raindrops are falling on my head

From a sunny morning, its suddenly all grey. Its almost dark, although the clock says that it is still afternoon. The first few drops of rain on my balcony, seem to be a total mood uplifter. And when it starts to pour, its almost magic. Rains and romanticism, have been spoken about, and written about, in a zillion. But somehow, its never enough, to write about the magic of rains.

Songs and poetry, novels and columns, stories and lives, many things rush to my mind, as I just enjoy. Enjoy the magical raindrops kissing my cheeks, wetting my eyelashes, and almost soaking me to the bone. The temperature is still at whats the coldest in my hometown, but why do I not feel the cold chill down my spine? Maybe its because the rains are soothing my bruised heart, caressing my shattered soul, so the rains are calming me finally, from the restlessness my mind was in.

I start humming," raindrops are falling my head," as I head indoors to change into something warmer, and my restless mind starts to race again. Rains bring forth so many memories. In reconnecting with me after almost a decade, a certain man close to me, had said, that he would love get soaked in the rain, while he walked the roads of the city of joy, holding my hand. Boy, was I floored that day, when he had just mentioned this. Its a different story that our hearts were not bruised as they are now. So everything seemed magical. Rains came and went, but we never did walk hand in hand with the raindrops falling on our heads. Now we just rush for the car, when the first drops of rain come down. But never say never, maybe we will walk in the rains, some day, when our hearts are healed for good.


I remember a lunch with a friend and a co worker who was visiting my city. suddenly the Kolkattan afternoon was all dark. And the first thing I heard was , rush and go and do a story, how dark it is in mid day. We did rush, and picked up my camera person from office, and shot the story, in central Kolkata. Shot the story, as Kolkattans and tourists ran for cover, hawkers covering their wares with plastic sheets, and 'Him, photographing me and my moves, in the melee of raindrops.' Rains and so many memories.

Rains and wading through almost waist deep water, for work, to show how affected the city was. Standing in the waist deep water, to do lives, and get teased by one and all at office, as to how they thought I would drown in the water logged streets. Rains and lives from atop the office, clutching onto the umbrella in one hand, and the microphone in the other, craning my ears to listen to the anchor, when the transmission often went noisy in the bad weather.

Rains and the madness with my dogs at home. Going out in the garden with all my dogs and just acting wild. With Ma shouting how all of us would catch a cold, and with all the excitement streaming through my pooches. Rains and ma's lovely cooking. Rains and Khichuri-begun bhaja at home, with hot gheee. Rains and hot coffee, rains and vodka on the rocks. Rains and shayari by Gulzaaar saaab.

Rains in school days meant the elusive midweek holiday--Rainy day, as we called it. Rainy day which started getting rare and rare as we grew up. Rains meant giving the colorful raincoats a miss, when parents weren't around. Rains meant splashing and jumping around in puddles, with childhood friends in tow. The memories are so sharply etched in memory, that it just seems like yesterday.

And how can we forget Bollywood and Rains. They seem to have an age old connect. From classics, to sleazy, from romantic, to fun, the rains and Bollywood's leading men and women have been captured in every mood and every possible combination. From Raj Kapoor- Nargis, to Shahrukh Khan- Kajol, from Zeenat Aman, to Mandakini, from the "pehli bhool" to fights during film climaxes , we have seen and enjoyed it all.

Amongst all the memories, all the romanticism, all the madness, rains come with that healing touch, rains come with hope. Rains cleanse our broken hearts, heal our overworked minds, soothe our souls. Rains urge us to walk the extra mile, instill the much desired optimism, in our otherwise dark and pessimistic reality. Rains, I shall love always love theee. The love story just gets stronger and stronger.