A Rainy Day

A rainy day in summer is a boon. A poet has written:

"After the dust and heat, 

In the broad and fiery street,

In the narrow lane, 

How beautiful is the rain!”

In summer, it is very hot in the plains. The people are sweating all over. Everybody is crying for rain. Usually, it so happens that a small cloud appears on the horizon, slowly it begins to expand. After the sky is overcast with clouds, the people get relief from the sun and heat. Then the lightning flashes and the clouds begin to thunder. A cool breeze begins to blow. This is a sure sign of the impending rain.

Shortly afterward, a few drops of water seem to fall from the sky. Soon they take the shape of drizzling. Then drizzling slowly changes into a heavy down-pour. The people rush to their houses. Those who must move out, have umbrellas over their heads.

| The heavy down-pour may just last for two or three hours or sometimes for even one hour. But during this short period, the roads and streets are flooded. In low-lying areas, water enters people's houses. Roofs of some houses begin to leak. Some old buildings even collapse. Sometimes there is the loss of life and property. Little children come out of their houses. They bathe in the rain. Some of them even float paper-boats in flooded streets.

After the rain is over, people come out of their houses. In the rural areas, one can see ponds full of water frogs croaking in them. The trees and plants get bathed and offer a neat and clean look. The air is free from dust. In the big cities, the roads seem to have been washed. But pools of muddy water flood the streets where the drainage system is not in order. The katcha roads become slippery and it is dangerous to walk over them.

As the rain is over, the intensity of heat is mitigated. The air of fans becomes cooler. The people heave a sigh of relief. But, sometimes, the wind fails and there is stuffiness in the open. The mosquitoes fill the atmosphere. Sometimes, after the rain, a rainbow can be seen on the horizon. It provides great enjoyment to the young and old alike.

Rain in winter often increases discomfort by adding to the biting force of cold. The people have to remain indoors in front of a fire or room-heater. They, however, spend their time reading, gossiping, or preparing and eating dainty dishes with hot tea or coffee. But we poor wage-earners have to suffer a lot. They cannot earn anything. In any case, it is in summer that a rainy day is an occasion for relief and rejoicing.