From 38°Fahrenheit on the morning I left USA to 38°Centigrade in Bhubaneswar, I traveled a long way. During World War II the British Prime Minister Churchill desperate to drag America into the war due to the incessant German blitzkrieg in Europe, he flattered USA President Roosevelt - "We are common people separated by common language". Similarly, I saw common temperature separated by common degree on both sides of the globe".
It was far from a normal arrival at home. I missed my mother's welcome with her usual cheerful smile, standing at our doorstep, embracing me saying "TU JHADI JAICHU, KALA PADI JAICHU (How much have you thinned, looking dull). There would be hardly any visible sign of my weight loss and I am expected to look dull after a long, arduous travel across the globe. This time I could feel the void left by her. Mom, I may be the apple of your eyes, you are my star in the heaven. Even in her death my mother she is still alive in the house. I could feel her presence everywhere.
The love of a mother is at the purest form, precious and unadulterated, like the clear spring water bubbling out of the top of a glacial mountain. It is perennially pristine, unequivocally soothing, unwavering and unflinching. When I come to India, my mom's hug and caressing hands felt so soothing, something I long for days, months and years. Mother's love is panacea to all ills plaguing mind and body, heart and soul. Unfortunately she is no more and I am yet to get over her loss and probably never will.
It was scorching hot during the day with temperature touching 100 (110°F with heat index). Evening felt muggy with stalled atmosphere. Like me the air decided to take a vacation. Suddenly at night near 11 PM it started with wind gusts quickly turning into a squall. It started pouring heavily as the sky opened up to shed all the sweat it had accumulated during the sultry day in form of heavy rains. I stepped out to the balcony as doors collided with walls and windows started banging each other sounding "Dhoom Dhoom Dhadaas" like we have seen in the horror movies. To add to the background giving credence to spooky milieu the power went poof.
The rain commenced with few droplets to bring out the petrichor, the smell of fresh rains on parched earth which can beat the best of French perfumes I inhaled in various of Duty Free Shops across the globe a day ago. The ADINA MEGHA (unseasonal rains) in form of "KALABAISAKHI" as its is called locally lashed out with heavy winds with small raindrops giving way to heavy droplets of water plattering the ground with rhythmic music. The swaying coconut trees in the dark looked like gargantuan Wind Mills, their branches acting like giant windshield wipers of a big truck were seen swish-swashing the silvery gray sky of patchy clouds amidst a backdrop of bright shining stars in a very distant horizon. When the electricity came back, the silvery stripes of rain turned into golden sprinkles by the neon light before it could reach the ground. It was a pleasant feeling of tranquility spending time on our balcony, relishing the wind shower on the first night of my stay in Bhubaneswar briefly reminded me of my childhood days.
Yet the first night can be painful, the first night with jet lag post arrival. A stubborn Jet lag is a real pain in my butt. My body clock simply refuses to relinquish the US Time Zone as I woke up at 3 O'clock in morning. Jet lag for me now seems to get too stubborn to relent as I age. It feels miserable to get up so early in the morning, without being able to sleep any further. Kishore Kumar's song from Rajesh Khanna's movie AAP KI KASAM - KARWATE BADALTE RAHE SAARI RAAT HUM (turning sides on bed for whole night) never sounded more prophetic.
Steady rain continued for sometime. After waking up early I peeped through the window at the nearby plants and trees showering under the bright street light. The rains wiping off dust from the foliage like wiper blades of a car, as the rainwater rolled drop by drop from coconut, jackfruit, flower trees and betel nut palms. The buildings looked a whole lot brighter wet washed but lightened up by the sunshine peeping through cloud. The parked cars looked fresh after the rain wiped off the surface dust, providing them a free, natural car wash.
The morning after the rain cleared, the sun smiled, struggling through the disbursing clouds. I was glad being able to see though the far less dust studded air, thanks to the unseaonal but much needed rain. The air looks clean and crispy. City-zens of the city won't mind to enjoy the dust free air while it lasts. The craters on the street across our house were filled with muddy water. One of those craters was used by the familiar stray dog who is part of our family, for we never fail to feed him. He was seen slurping the khaki color water as his eyes were scouring for a drier spot to rest. The flora and fauna around were trying to make the best out of the unseaonal rains.
I stepped into our balcony facing the street and neighborhood and breathed a lungful of the cool breeze which wafted in carrying the fragrance of flowers from trees in our frontyard. A bat flew fast into the semi-dark, dense mango tree. Morning star shines brighter than the fading moon, slowly dissipating into pink sky. I could see lights going off from the street. Crows begin crawing, sparrows and pigeons crisscrossed the parapet, slicing the air. All announcing me back in my beloved city, to the loving arm of the city which nurtured me during my childhood and early part of my youth. A long day awaits me. More later..
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