As someone who lived in Mumbai for five years, I am well aware of the joy of the first rain. I also know about the way it paralyses India’s commercial capital each year and the tedium of the continuing incessant rain. Mumbai rains are unique in the way that they inspire pure unadulterated joy and complete exasperation; and who knows this better than the Mumbaikar!
The rains were delayed this year; however for most it was a case of देर आए दुरुस्त आए .
The BMC prepares for the rains much as the Congress prepares for elections: not very well.
It is the lament of the Mumbaikar: it rains each year. So why is the municipal corporation unprepared each year?
There is flooding in parts of Mumbai each year. Roads are clogged and public transport grinds to a halt. This is the situation on the train tracks practically every year.
Our attitude to the Mumbai rains is a wee bit schizophrenic – as this tweet describes so well.
As one India’s fave standups says, the distance between ‘O Wow’ and ‘What the hell’, is a short one in Mumbai.
There is joy and welcome – which quickly changes to ‘enough, please’ pretty soon.
Getting stranded in the rain is a given each year. Difficulty finding transport is also an essential experience of Mumbai rains.
Each year we have stories of nights people who spent at the office; people who take in and give shelter to complete strangers… because Mumbai rains!
For Mumbaikars, a visit to Lonalava and Khandala is a must during the rains. For what is better than rains in Mumbai? Rains in the hills!
Rainy days are also meme days apparently. Social media is full of memes about the Mumbai rains as well as the shocking Mumbai roads potholes right now.
I remember a time when I myself waded through waist high water to get home. When buoyed by love, this ought to be quite easy, I'm sure.
Romance can dissipate pretty quickly – when confronted by the incessant rain.
Some people (like me) are longing for the rain. Right now, we are just plain jealous of the Mumbai rains.
While some crib about the rains, others scoff at them – because what’s a little bit of rain, they ask. When in Mumbai, that is a lot of rain!
Do you have something interesting you would like to share? Write to us at [email protected]
