ALSphere Foundation
Yeh daulat bhi le lo, yeh shohrat bhi le lo,
Bhale chheen lo mujhse se meri jawani,
Magar mujhko lauta do bachpan ka sawan..
Wo kagaz ki kashti, wo baarish ka paani..
These popular lyrics of the renowned poet Sudarshan Faqir beautifully capture how the rain and the rainy season evoke nostalgia in every adult, making us long to return to our carefree childhood days and revel in the rain with pure joy and abundance. Poets worldwide, expressing themselves in various languages, have immortalized the fervor that rain ignites in young, loving hearts. However, it’s undeniable that childhood is the time when one savors the rain the most, and the memories of playful childhood moments in the rain leave a lasting impression on the mind.
In my childhood, around six and a half decades ago, it was a rough and tough world. We kids were left to experience life firsthand, and our parents weren’t worried about infections, viruses, bruises, or wounds. We were allowed to play in the rain, fall, and roll in the mud, and soil our bodies and clothes without any inhibition.
As kids, we loved playing in the rain – jumping in puddles and splashing water on each other. Walking home from school in the pouring rain, wearing our colorful Duckback raincoats, felt like a journey to heaven. Back then, parents didn’t pick us up, and there were no long lines of cars outside the schools. We waded through the flooded streets, the water filling our shoes and making a plop-plop sound with each step, which filled the heart with exhilaration. We even threw our shoes in the water, turning our journey into a fun game, vying to see whose shoe ran the fastest.
Upon arriving home, it was a blissful gratification to see our mother standing at the door with fresh towels and sets of clothing for each of us, the siblings. Then we were asked to make ourselves cozy under a “khes” or a light blanket, and a hot meal was served to us in bed.
The school bags had gotten soaked, so the books and notebooks were spread out to dry under the fans by evening. Enjoying hot chai and pakoras with the family in the evening was an added excitement. We also indulged in traditional monsoon-related snacks like kheer and pudey. If the torrential rains continued for two or three days, the schools were closed, which was a godsend boon for us.
After the rain, the sight of the sun trying to peek through the rain-washed trees and the rainbow stretching across the bright blue sky would send us children into rapture. The rain-soaked ground would inspire us to create our new games. We would take a small iron rod, hit it on the ground to make it stand straight in the soft ground, then stand at the hole thus created, and hit the ground again at a distance. Following this pattern, we would move far away, not paying attention to where we were going; and when a sibling was sent to find us and drag us home by the ear, we would often be located three blocks away from home.
What a carefree and lively time our childhood was! I can go on recounting the effervescent memories associated with the rains.
If only I could turn the clock back, and relive those euphoric moments!
Narinder Jit kaur
