Its “Raining” man- hallelujah..!!

Snow had fell in Badrinath; the same day, it hail- stormed in parts of Gurgaon. Even though that I stay very much in Gurgaon; I had to be satiated with the News alone. There was not as much as a drop of water that fell here in Palam Vihar.. or even around.

Last week, it stormed for 48 hours, dusty and yellowish was wherever if you could see i.e., Temperature had certainly come down a few centigrades; Rains were still awaited. After nearly 2 and half days and a scary cyclone, it drizzled more like how the Temple Priest sprinkles Holy Water upon us mortals. It would either stay cloudy or storm dust around. Last two days, it had been drizzling off and on; more off than on. I have not checked the temperature reading in Celsius yet, but it’s as pleasant as it could be. For starters, A/c units are off, the fan whirls at the minimum regulator speed. The overhead tank water, which has been keeping itself at boiling point since the past two months is icy- cold now. These are not metaphors, neither is exaggeration. Invite yourself over a cup of coffee any day; depending upon our Mother Nature and Rain God, you would get to experience at least one of the defined state of water.

Myriad colored birds flew around. One was as if a sparrow was painted parrot green, but with a longer tail, two of those blue- robin look alike sat perched on the electric cable fluttering its wings- wetting themselves in that drizzle. One Lemon Yellow colored, small bird- flew across from the tree visible from the back- side balcony to the one visible from the front- side balcony. I had never seen any of those till I resided in Delhi; I bet you too haven’t, unless of course in zoos or wild life sanctuary.

The last two days have been the 1^st – since summers set its hands, feet and everything else – that I bathe directly under a shower. Leave the “save water” thing alone, the water temperature keeps so warm here that it’s a task to even do the dishes. Washing face or hands is a tremendous labor. You could pour some from the tap and dip a tea bag for your cuppa. I wish that after the Sun Screen, they invent a Water Temperature Shielding or Cooling Agent Dispenser, one that could be fixed at the tap nozzle so that the running water is not only purified, but also leveled at a usable temperature. And please, make that Battery operated coz summers are synonymous with power cuts resulting in no electricity for the maximum part of the day. Crazily, the power cuts never affect the power stations or electricity offices..

Pleasant weather makes me feel good too; as it is making me now. Last evening, even though it wasn’t required for me to cook, since I had enough for my dinner; I had cooked up yet another veggie. Just went to prepare a cuppa; and refilled the oil bottles while the tea brewed. I had been procrastinating such a simple task for weeks now; summers- remember? I don’t “cook myself” more than it is required to. I have bottled all different oils separately in different VODKA bottles 🙂 They say that its healthier to drink all the different oils instead of petting the only one of those. So, why not then? I have quit butter long back; can’t the cheese yet 😀

It’s been breezing and is becoming darker now; perhaps raining at a distance too. I wish each time someone reads this post, whichever place or country he may be in (except for flood stricken area), gets to enjoy heavy downpour soon. Heavenly musings.. Rains are what is required now and torrential ones at that. Let it rain in monsoons; when else would it then? I too hate the water puddles and logging, but then, that’s the MCD limitation. Why should we not welcome Rains because of our Municipality condition? If only they had utilized their time working out the water outlet system instead of “sealing” and breaking down the buildings resulting in National Loss, Trauma and even grief stricken Deaths. Like they say “who would judge the judges?”; like wise, “why would the Government follow our rulings?” So be it then. I am praying for heavy Rains for environmental balance, temperature and humidity control and all other benefits that Rains bring alongwith. Dear Crops, start preparing to drown and dance. Prepare to get happier. For a change, you would get to bathe in Rain Water instead of chlorine treated one unfit to even drink; redundant fertilizers and pesticides.

Seems that the Rains too is following the “save water” slogan die hard and hence, not raining enough for the last couple of years. If this is how it goes, we would be left with coastal land, snow- land (unless global warming takes its toll) and desert. There won’t be any plains, rain forests, wildlife etc. India would cease to be the only country with multi seasons. We would have to then do with tablets alone for hunger satiation. Crops wont happen you see, so even pasta and noodles would die.

Evening

My boss had kept occupied for the day, I just had to send a couple of mails and co- ordinate at 3- 4 places. At 3.00pm, Uday- the cook at my friend’s place had comeover to prepare a few things, so my domestic could learn the recipe. The 1^st thing he did was to ask which the duster to wipe hands was; upon my sign, he picked that up and sat it on his shoulder. I took that off and had asked him to spare his Bihari mannerisms for the next couple of hours. This fellow was such a mess himself in his mannerisms, that it took 2 complete hours to then clean the kitchen alone. If only my landlord had seen his house- my home in that lay-out, he would have suffered a cardiac arrest. I had prepared a drink while both of them were busy dirtying my kitchen- to calm my senses; I had half a mind of turning him out- that’s right- I didn’t. Weather being pleasant, I could handle that guy. He beats the ladle on the cooker and saucepan. The lighter was smothered with garlic paste and the bowls sat on the floor after their act in the air; all within the 1^st 15 minutes of his glorified entry into my domain. It was as if a mini circus was at rehearsal. Vegetable peels, pieces had covered the kitchen table and floor too..!! And no; I’m not prejudiced, my maid too comes from Bihar.

He had found it so unusual that all spices were sat in glass bottles.. Help..!!

To hire him or even someone like him, one would have to hire yet another one. That way, the 2^nd guy would keep picking up the spread that looks like pizza topping; kitchen table and floor being the base. The only trick I could understand was he used pureed tomato instead of sliced or chopped- that was all. Very well then, I would now be able to prepare Jeera Aalu myself and also Aalu Paneer Kofta. Let me try and prepare these myself someday before I post the recipes.

My head aches now. He talked too much and asked questions that were so irrelevant; atleast, I didn’t owe him any answers. That’s exactly how I want them to be; and ought to be. My maid had become berserk and lost her balance watching him. She too would take a couple of days before coming back to senses.

As for me- I wish I could vanish myself from the planetary surface and dwell in Nature becoming Ethereal. I wonder if the great sages had cooks like him who had made them renounce this materialistic world and go the Jungle way, surviving in Denial Mode. So perfectly he had shook my entire state of being. Argghh!

I had tried the 5 in 1 L’oreal shampoo sachet that came sticking to one of the April HT- Brunches in the morning. Wonder; why do the hairfall control rinse always makes my hair to fall- till I come back to my humble brand again (now Dove and Pantene)?