Monsoon Magic in Mumbai

Monsoon is definitely the best time to be in Mumbai...especially the transition period between the hot and humid summer (when sweat beads stick to you like wax pellets) and the actual onslaught of heavy, non-stop, pouring rains with the immense water-logging and the incessant cursing and swearing.

The initial build-up and the actual advent of the first rains in Mumbai is so magical and beautiful that it's easy to forget you are in Slumbai and not Mumbai:-)

The clouds darken, the skies lighten, the breeze feels cooler...
The dust seems lazier, beaten to the ground by the relentless summer
The musty smell of wet earth carries through the air, overwhelms you...
overpowers you and then you are left with the palpable sense of anticipation...
The eager countdown waiting for the first drops to fall...

Suddenly, the skies open up, the south west wind blows through, the water-laden clouds give way to yield the slow and steady pitter-patter of raindrops: initially beating a gentle tempo and then quickly changing to a steady, rapid and unending drumming on the face of Mumbai...

Your umbrella quails helplessly and the windcheater bellows out futilely while your jeans get wet,smirched and muddied...
You rush to the nearest shelter and then a quick dart out to catch the first bus/train that you see...
You edge away from the window seats or struggle to slam the windows shut while dodging those sharp needles of rain pricking your face...
You walk on the edge of the road making Olympain jumps to clear the muddy puddles and at the same time avoid being splashed upon by all the speeding motorists...

And just when your mood is about to sour, the rains stop without any warning, a sudden departure, an abrupt closure, leaving the city sparkling clean and the people asking for once more...
Take a bow Rain till we meet again...Mumbai awaits you for an encore.