Colours of the Season
Earth, Water, Sky
Everything has its own
colour,
I always wondered why?
Do the seasons have colour?
I decide to give them
my.
March,
April, May,
The summer was on its
way,
nights had turned
shorter,
longer was the day,
Mumbai, Delhi or Kullu,
Everywhere there was
loon,
So I choose yellow
and blue
Summer has always been fun. When I was in school, by this time the exams were done and days of freedom had come. The childhood was so incredible; we never felt the need to spend on team building like we are now taught in the corporate world. A new resident kid was easily absorbed and was our own from day one. For us it was simple games that tied us in lifelong inseparable bond. We hardly watched TV; never knew when the day started and end. The day started with cricket in the morning, back home I was for breakfast at ten, then again off for playing marbles. The afternoons were usually spent indoors with chess, carom and cards. Again in the evening we had our kutta meetings that followed by series of games in the night. Few played badminton under the street light, while most of us enjoyed playing saakhli (human chain), stop & party (hide and seek) dabba ice-pice and the list goes on and on. It was indeed time memorable.
Even
now as an adult I am lucky to be doing what I am doing. As an independent
advocate this time of the year, the courts have vacations. I utilize this time
to explore new avenues. In my profession I have this liberty to still have that
feeling of school time, with all this vacations J
June,
July, August,
Rains have to be must
clouds pregnant with
water,
were pouring down,
banging were the
shutter,
gushing were the gutter,
it was wet all around,
everything was drenched,
from sky to ground,
umbrellas and rain-coats
come out,
most are black & white
no doubt
Rains
have always been fascinating. It’s time for new things, new beginnings. With new
bags, rain-coats, new books, a new year begins at school.
I
have been born and brought up in a small town about 3 hours from Bombay, which
is a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides and we are truly blessed to
have river which flows throughout the year. But in monsoons it is full to its
brim. Sitting on the bridge with friends having a hot bhutta, vada pav and
bhajjiya enjoying the scenic beauty of the greenery clad mountains is simply
mesmerizing and something I have never missed. With forests just kilometers
away, one more thing that we friends have religiously been doing is going on
treks and then rappelling down right from middle of a waterfall (waterfall
rappelling). There is also the river rafting, ploughing the rice paddy and with
many different things to do throughout the season it just keeps getting better.
When
earlier college and then work brought me to Bombay, I never missed the monsoon
fun. I have equally enjoyed it here, the scenic mountains have been replaced by
the vintage Gate Way of India and here I sit with friends on the marine drive
looking across the mesmerizing high waves in the Indian Ocean. The one thing
that has remained constant is the hot bhutta and bhajjiyas. Sitting there and
feeling the rain drops on my face with a cool breeze is simply rejuvenating.
I
have heard people in city crib about bad roads, potholes, shabby infrastructure
and transport during monsoon. But back in villages of India this is the most
sought after and loved season of the year. This season is the life line of the
middle class of India who is the backbone of the Indian economy to an extent.
The Monsoons are on which they depend for agriculture which still remains the main
source of income to most of the Indian middle class. Therefore there, people of
all ages are truly happy with the arrival of monsoons.
But
all this fun and frolic comes with a rider. As kids we had to strictly carry
homemade food and boiled water wherever we go. Not even a sip outside was
allowed and a tetanus injection was a must. Still some of us had a weak
resistance and used to suffer from fever, water borne diseases etc., but still
none cribbed as being ill means missing school and being pampered. And for
adults sometimes due to heavy pouring down it was a day off at work. So it was
always awaited by one and all.
September,
October, November,
Now it is all sober,
Winter has taken over,
lakes, trees, rivers
everything has a cover,
fruits, flowers, leaves
orange, pink, green
kaleidoscope of colour,
is all over
Winter
infuses in all of us a fresh lease of hope. It is pleasant everywhere and very
soothing to the eyes is a splash of colour all around. The earth is beautifully
painted in pale blue hues of a hydrangea, sun-drenched chrysanthemums, hues of
roses pink, the vibrant orange and many more. Time to let your diet go for a toss;
the markets are filled with some exotic tropical fruits and green leafy
vegetables.
Here
in India it is the festival time across religions. It’s time to meet and greet.
Even for student it’s the mid-term holidays and so the overall mood is upbeat. I
have always looked forward to the family get-together that takes place at this
time of the year. But the festivals I enjoy the most are Ganpati festival and
being a Gujju the Navratri is which I love the most. It’s the most colourful
season of the year. There is festival of lights Diwali & Eid, and the
vivacious people wearing clourful clothes for nine days of Navratri brightens
up everything and in the end there is colour of victory on Dussera, and then comes
the Thanksgiving. This season brings to the shore the Unity in Diversity of
India where people from different religions take part in each other’s festivals
and celebrate it together with equal joy. This is the most awaited time of the
year for me!!!
December,
January, February
The winter has just
subsided,
with crimson red
the year has ended,
With spring
the golden sun has risen,
taking us towards a new
horizon
Spring
is generally not acknowledged as a season in Indian sub-continent, but it is
one of the most beautiful seasons.
As Charles
Dickens explains in Great Expectations, “Spring is the time of year when it is summer in the
sun and winter in the shade.”
It’s
the season of reincarnation. The trees symbolize it all so well. It shows us that
we have to shred all uncertainties, worries and hatred and start a new life. It
is time to make new Resolutions (which are hardly followed). Even as a child it
gave me immense pleasure as the school was about to end.
It’s
spring which has introduced me to the world; my birthday falls in the month of
February. This is apt season to party; there is a feeling of revival and a
fresh beginning and to top it all, the effervescent atmosphere. It also helps
me as the schools are about to end, the children are mostly free. I prefer
spending better part of the day with these less privileged kids who stay in the
resident school near my place. They have no one to call their own, and it gives
me sense of contentment when I go out there and spend my birthday with them
every year, only after which I throw a party for my friends later at my place.
Each
season teaches us something about life, and Yoko Ono sums it up very well here
–
Spring
passes and one remembers one's innocence.
Summer
passes and one remembers one's exuberance.
Autumn
passes and one remembers one's reverence.
Winter
passes and one remembers one's perseverance.”
May
be as she doesn’t live in India, she missed out on Monsoon. Add Monsoon to it,
it would be as below.
Spring passes and one remembers one's
innocence.
Summer passes and one remembers one's
exuberance.
Monsoon passes and one remembers one’s
endurance.
Autumn passes and one remembers one's
reverence.
Winter passes and one remembers one's
perseverance.”
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Thanks.
WOw Karan, kya baat hai. You made me go thru all the seasons adorned with rich colours. Each season is so well-described and playing dabba ice-pice, saakhli is all nostalgic for me. Enjoyed your post.
ReplyDeletewelcome to my space Kalpana...I'm glad you enjoyed reading it :)
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