There is a concept called "Puskara" - a more complicated part of several in series of the post death rituals. It is calculated by the direction given by "Panji" based on our Hindu Lunar Calendar. In case, some one passes away during that "Pushkara" phase, then additional complicated midnight Puja is done to pacify the departed soul. Otherwise, the spirit is termed as malicious to its family members.
Fortunately per our priest, my mother passed away on an auspicious day untouched by the "Pushkara" scenario - a blessed day to leave for heavenly abode. As she left during a non - Pushkara phase, I don't have to go through the gruesome midnight ritual. Like a good soul, my mother never troubled anyone, in life or death.The afternoon brought some respite from the stifling heat in the form of cool breeze wafting from distance. I smelled some thunderstorm close by. It turned out to be true, as soon a bout of KALABAISAKHI (summer time thunderstorm) rumbled in from the South side of the city. The sky turned from gray like my sombre mood and turned dark, as the wind picked up speed, the dust filled wind giving way to heavy droplets of water plattering the ground with rhythmic music. The swaying coconut trees looked like gargantuan Wind Mills, their branches a la giant windshield wipers were seen swish-swashing the silvery gray. It was a pleasant feeling spending some time on our balcony, relishing the wind shower which briefly reminded me of Bhubaneswar of my childhood days.
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 any day. Standing on the balcony I was looking at the nearby plants and trees showering. Squalls of thick, silvery streaks of rain lashed for few minutes, slicing through the thick, humid air. The rain kept on pounding, bringing down multiple trees in our neighborhood. The nimbus cloud bearing dark sky gets alive with the spectacle of flashes of white lightening as if zillions of flashlights are switched simultaneously in the sky, a la the zigzag lights on a circus stage.
The streets were filled with few broken twigs and leaves from the wind. The power went out but it didn't feel so bad as the rains brought down the temperature considerably. The ground was strewn with leaves and tree branches in a haphazard pattern, not to mention mangoes, some of them half split, covered the near of the entrance of our house. It was mother nature's turn to do an equable act, to bring relief from sweltering summer heat, at least temporarily. It felt cool, though still sticky due to the high level of humidity. I watched the rains wiping off dust from the foliage a la mopping off dust from wooden floor, as rainwater rolled down from coconut and betel nut palms. The buildings looked brighter. The parked cars looked fresh after the rain wiped off the surface dust, providing them a free, natural car wash.
The muggy air made my overgrown unkempt salt and pepper beard get sprinkled with sweat topping, making it feel itchy due to sal. I am looking like the Iraqi Dictator Saddam Hussain when he was caught after days of hiding. The morning after the rain cleared, the sun smiled, struggling through the disbursing clouds, 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 are enjoying the dust free air while it lasts.
The buildings are looking wet but lightened up by the sunshine peeping through cloud. 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 on nascent poodles formed on the pothole filled roads to quench his thirst as his eyes were scouring for a drier spot to rest, being curiosity watched by a Bull close by shrugging off the excess water from its body. The flora and fauna around were trying to make best out of the unseaonal rains. The much welcomed showers lifted my mood a little bit, the optimistic side of me reminding that there it is always darkest before dawn.
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