If it’s July in Delhi, there must be rain
Every year, like clockwork, at the end of June, the pre-monsoon showers start in Delhi. Its a welcome respite from the heat. Just when I think I can’t take the heat anymore and begin to despair, the skies darken, open up and there is thunder, lightning and rain.

July is the official month for the monsoon in the Delhi area, where I live. The monsoons start in the southern tip on India and move north. With a bit of envy, I watch the weather reports from the south and the east and west coastal regions of India, which receive rains before we do. But, when the rains come they bring great joy. Humans and nature lift their faces up to the sky to feel the drops, warm and welcome.
The plants, trees and flowers glisten with moisture and grow ever so tall. The humidity sets in and we being to perspire, something we don’t for the rest of the year in the dry heat of the North. The frogs begin to croak once the sun sets and the peacocks give them rather stiff competition. The birds are not far behind.
The rain has pleasant memories for me, taking me back to rural West Bengal where I grew up. As children we would play in the rain endlessly, jumping in and out of puddles, making paper boats, floating leaves and anything else we could lay our hands on. We saw reflections of our little faces in the water puddles and shrieked with delight. But, getting wet was the best part.
Now, as an adult living in the Delhi area, I watch the rain from my home, as it hits the several verandas on the ground and first floor. The water collects and creates magical reflections. Two water bodies spring up — one in front of our house and one on the side. The front water body attracts buffaloes brought to graze in our neighbourhood by the milk suppliers who live in an adjoining area. They are joined by young boys and adolescents who enjoy the freedom of the water. No fear of infection here. Just pure joy.

Driving in the rain is my great pleasure. I’m in the rain and I’m not. The raindrops dance on my windshield and are whisked away by the wiper. When it rains hard, the drops get bigger and the sounds louder. The wipers go faster. On the streets, the bicyclists, motorcyclists, walkers — all get off the road, taking shelter under the flyovers. But, some continue to move with the rain, because they to or they like it. The roadside vendors cover their products with large sheets of coloured plastic — blue, green, colourless — and hold them over their heads to keep out the rain.

There are downsides to the rain. There is flooding in some areas and there are traffic jams. People's schedules and work are disrupted. But, for me, its a small price to pay for the absolute bliss of the rain.