My Memories of Mysore Monsoons..

"Hey, awesome rain da. Masalpuri or Jola?"..The same sms would be sent to all friends. This was just a bit more than a year ago. Masalapuri with friends, my favourite thing during monsoons and the thing I miss the most when it rains nowadays. With all friends moving out of Mysore in pursuit of a great career, masalpuri in our lives has indeed become 'C/O footpath'. It rained amazing this evening. I was sipping a cuppa all by myself sitting in my balcony, and I just couldn't help get lost in memories.


Monsoons are always magical. Rains make you feel Nice, Great, Ecstatic. The shift in the air due to the smell of sand when it rains , is a kind which every soul would love. All it did to me today was make memories dance along on my mind like waves at sea. Be it running out to play in the rain when we were kids or walking(read dancing) back home slowly from school to enjoy the rain, trying to catch the rain drops and our moms running out to catch us and taking us in and hurriedly wiping our heads with a towel saying , 'you will catch a cold'. Unable to go get drenched again, we watching the rain from the balcony after that, and  making those paper boats and running out as soon as the rain stops to let them sail in the water downstream; spotting the rainbow and reciting the VIBGYOR mnemonic as know-it-alls!! Well, everybody would have enjoyed their monsoons as kids. Dancing on the puddle and seeing whose white socks would turn total brown first was one thing that me and a friend would always do as kids. Stretching our hands out of the class window to reach the rain and the teacher giving us those killer stares; me playing the responsible elder sister by holding the only umbrella I had for my kiddo sister while walking her from her class to our rickshaw when I was in class five and she in kindergarten- my childhood monsoon memories would never end.

When my friends and I were rehearsing for a dance competition on my terrace and it started to pour hailstorms, throwing them at each other was as though we were playing in the snow. Mom came to call us in and there she goes, all the hailstorms thrown at her!! And as we all know, happiness is contagious. :)

A little ahead in time, when in high school and my first crush happened, and as destiny had had it, the pregnant clouds rumbled and showered,and boom! the filmi scene happens! Well,maybe from the black-and-white film era, but still, for the 'padaakus' that we were then, the aankhon hi aankhon mein and he lending me his umbrella and my 'thank you' still stays an engraved memory. After all, first crush and first rains you see;).

College life, when all the luvvy-duvvy stuff started, monsoons always came with a cue for romance.The first rain drops made the most romantic rain-song linger on, and a smile, was just for that one special person. Nobody to blame, music and romance have gone hand in hand since ages. From 'pyar hua ikraar hua' from Shree 420 to  to 'rim jhim rim jhim' from 1942 A love story to 'mere khwabon mein jo' from DDLJ to 'Barso re' from Guru and our very own, very soothing 'Mungaaru maleye..', the subtle connection between rain and romance and dreams can never fade. My college campus was an amazing one and it was all the more awesome when it rained. Hot coffee and pakodas with friends at the nescafe outlet we had there was just the next best thing to having the same at home with family. Sitting at nescafe, enjoying the company and relishing the coffee, we would watch the rain fade from a downpour to a gentle faint drizzle. The after-rains were always beautiful. And this was where our gossip session would start too. Watching the boyfriends pick their girlfriends from the girls' hostel gate and heading away on their bikes and cars for their drives and the like in full zoom and sometimes, we taking on their role, Gosh! We never got tired of it.

Be it the spiritual oldies or the fun loving us, I'm sure Chamundi Betta is the favourite adda of every single Mysorean. Its a pleasure to watch betta disappear into the rain and then reappear all the more beautiful. And to watch this from your very own terrace, which other city would have such an advantage? A drive or a ride to Betta when it rains is the best thing to lift up anybody's spirits. If you're riding pillion at Betta and it starts to rain, its the best feeling to have your arms wide open, eyes closed, face up and welcome the rain. And to go with it, what a beautiful view of Mysore with the mist and clouds forming a veil over it! The Amba Vilas Palace emerging out of the mist looks all the more Royal.

Betta was a beautiful view from my hospital too. And there were times when it looked so serene that we friends missed the afternoon class to drive to betta in the faint, soft drizzle and feel the gentle,lazy breeze brush through our hair. That was the best replacement we could ask for a boring afternoon lecture.  The times spent there and the snaps clicked are a treasure for sure. Clicking snaps at the view point, with Mysore supposedly in the backgraound, when it rained and mist covered the city, all we could get as the background was the white mist. And then, after a while, the mist would disappear slowly and there you go, such an breath-taking view. And the camera used to go 'click' 'click' again. Many friends shifted under one umbrella for a snap, then looked at Mysore and said ,'Mysore eshtu chenna alla?'. Going up the hill further for a cup of hot steaming coffee, Those were the moments that were really candid. Sitting and chatting for hours at Barista or going dancing at Hookah ain't gonna replace such times for sure.


For a fast flashback of other such memories, there were these times when, the clouds gave an unexpected delivery and the first rains took us by suprise. They say that the best things happen to you when you least expect it, and rains are no exceptions. Going on a two wheeler ride when it rains and then shouting 'son of a b****h' to the car-wallah who splashed a mud puddle at us; watching the Palace in awe when it along with its reflection in the water puddle in front of it made an attempt to illude illusion itself; the makeshift arrangement of their gaadis and small shops by the vendors at the roadside or the Devraja Market and the fast pace at which they do it sure adds to the vibrance of that place.

Rains have seen all our emotions-blissful smiles to walking aimlessly with slower than the snail footsteps to hiding tears amidst the raindrops. Rains sure touch our soul, deep.When we get drenched in whatever city we are, the rains make us miss the ones we had in Mysore. Maybe a tear would take a peek then. Hope the rains of that city would help us hide it..

Lifes changing. Friends parted ways. They went miles away to make their career. I too bid adieu to this beautiful city which has been my abode since the time the surfactant acted on my lungs and breath happened for the first time. We depart to arrive and you arrive to depart. Have to move on for the better and bigger things in life. But deep down, there is a voice that says, Mysore is home, and home is where the heart is. Whatever may happen in life, whereever we are, this is the place we are gonna head back when we need to 'relax'. The city we would head to might not treat us well or ask too much of us. But come what may, however low we fall and feel, we know for sure, Mysore is gonna be there for us. We are always welcome here.

They say, "your past never leaves you.". But at times, we wouldn't want to let go of our past. That's when past turns into memories . After all, such memories are the ones that bring a smile on our face when we are away and lonely. And then does the dialogue 'How I wish it happened again' gets conceived. Ahh! I started writing this because I missed home. And now, I miss it even more. If history ever repeats, I would surely want those good old days to repeat again...and again...and again.

Until next time,
With love and care,
Chandana C. Shekar

First Rains :-) :-)

My special day of the year, a fossil watch and gift cheques at home, an evening with friends at our fav restaurant, a couple of expectations going totally dead, but some other suprise coming my way, quite some photo-time, a long drive on the highway with our fav music on.... things were going so my way...and then, for the big suprise gift... the pitter-patter of rain drops on the roof n glass of the car :-) :-) . "Hmm... rain!!!" , went all of us in almost chorus mode. All our window glasses went low, hands went reaching out to feel the rain, and smiles on all our faces stayed glued :-) . All we wanted to do was stop the car, go to the middle of the road, face the sky, close our eyes and reach out our hands for the rain :).

'First rains'... They are always magical. Magical is just the right word I feel. It makes you feel ... Great... Nice...The shift in the air coz of the smell of sand when it rains , is one of a kind. I don't think there is one single moron who wouldn't love that sniff. First rains always take you by suprise. First impressions are the best impressions, and rains are no exception I guess. Memories dance along on your mind like waves at sea. One after another, the memoirs of what you did during the first rains of every year of your life come back into life. Be it running out to play in the rain when we were kids or walking(read dancing) back home slowly from school to enjoy the rain, moms calling their kids back and hurriedly wiping their heads with a towel saying , 'you will catch a cold', unable to go get drenched again, we watching the rain from the balcony after that, and  making those paper boats and running out as soon as the rain stops to let them sail in the water downstream, spotting the rainbow and reciting the VIBGYOR mnemonic as know-it-alls!! Well, everybody would have enjoyed their monsoons as kids. A little later, when 'teens' were what we were called and how we looked was the matter of prime importance, first rains were always a photo oppurtunity that could never be missed!! From choosing the umbrellas and the poses to feeling great for the shoot and the photos, lolz, was real fun.

College life, when all the luvvy-duvvy stuff started, monsoons always came with a cue for romance.The first rain drops made the most romantic rain-song linger on, and a smile, was just for that one special person. Nobody to blame, music and romance have gone hand in hand since ages now. From 'pyar hua ikraar hua' from Shree 420 to  'bheegi bheegi raaton mein' from Ajnabee to 'rim jhim rim jhim' in 1942 A love story to 'mere khwabon mein jo' from DDLJ to 'Chak dum" from Dil to pagal hain to 'Bhaage re man' from Chameli to 'Barso re' from Guru.. rains have almost always meant pyar, ishq, mohabbat, sapne, mauj and masti :) . Not to forget our very own, very soothing 'Mungaaru maleye..'. The subtle connection between rain and romance and dreams can never fade. I still remember the first rains in my second year of college when I had just talked to my then 'crush', the first rains in third year when the drive through the college campus made it look more beautiful and more serene. Oh boy, how can somebody forget those times.. If history ever repeats, I would surely want those times to repeat..again and again... :)

As a kid, rain and it's weather used to make me feel cosy and sleepy. I used to have my best afternoon naps when it used to rain. It rained pretty much last night and today morning. Maybe hence, I slept in till 11.30 am!! When I was driving after that, the roads of Mysore felt so different. It was such a relief from the scorching heat of the recent days.With a little bit of sunrays piercing the clouds that covered, the roads all wet and the sand smelling the rain, was a morning I hadn't seen since long. For one more time, Mysore looked like how it was when I was a kid. When we had a lot more trees and a lot less traffic. When boulevards existed in every third lane and parking lots had ample space. When general stores were all the malls we had, and the 'shop uncle' would give us chocolates for free coz he knew who we were. When Mylaari and Gayathri Tiffin Rooms were the Regaalis and Metropole, and Kukkarahalli lake was more frequently an adda than Barista . .I've lived in this place all my life. I know that the day to go from here is not very far. But anyday, whenever monsoon sets in, I'm gonna miss the ones I've lived here. I totally enjoyed my drive in the morning. I stopped and took snaps of my fav roads and none of the on-goers looked amazed. Maybe even they would have taken snaps of Mysore looking its own self after such a long time.

At the end, I ended up blissfuly telling myself, 'I love Mysore'.... and a big fat rain drop splashed on my face. :-) :-)

p.s.- Thanks to all my friends for all the wishes yesterday. I'm really glad that you guys exist in my life. Made my birthday worthwhile :)

Cheers,

Chandana C. Shekar