Romancing the rains

“Finalllllyyyyy !!!! ”, I screamed in relief, jumping down from the bus.The pouring rain drenched us in seconds.Ecstatic we jumped about in the water.“Splash splash”, like a child discovering rain for the first time.

The extremely long and tiresome bus journey had left me squirming in pain but it was all worth it, for this was Nirvana !
Huge mountains draped with rain washed foliage towered over us.The sky, a deep shade of blue was leaden with overcast. Pregnant clouds floated above us threatening to burst any minute.
This was Malshej Ghat, one of the many must see spots in the serene countryside of Maharashtra, India. A few hours drive from Mumbai, the concrete jungle we called home.

After our jubilant rain dance we ran off the road to find ourselves at a cliff’s edge.Gusts of rain lashed against us from beyond the precipice, gravitational force non existent.I stepped back in awe,when realisation struck that we’d suddenly gone really really cold. Shivering uncontrollably we made our way towards a tea stall we’d sighted down the road, the gusty winds kept pushing us backwards, whispering past our ears as if threatening us,“You’re not welcome here”.The rain smacking against our faces,convinced me more so.Our heads bowed we kept walking.

Eventually we reached the small makeshift shack. Warm aroma of ginger tea swirled towards us.The woman behind the gas stove smiled at us welcoming.She seemed young and sturdy considering having a shop in these parts.
A hot cup of tea is a must when your soaked in chilled rain water from head to toe. As the steaming hot tea made its way down the throat, a warming calm took over the shivers. Our body temperature back to normal.
All charged up, we thanked her and moved on.

Walking along I wondered out aloud if I could probably open a tea shop here, away from the hustle and bustle of city life.My friend sarcastically informed me that, I probably wouldn't survive very long.
I scowled and kept my mouth shut,basking in the tranquil silence only interrupted by the merry music of the falling rain.
As we proceeded, the landscape kept changing, the mountains kept looming in and out of sight enveloped by humongous clouds now and again.The entire valley seemed to be moving in slow motion, creeping towards us, trying to engulf us. One moment the mountain standing miles away would suddenly be towering up above us, startling us to a stand still, making us feel small and insignificant.

On our way, we’d spotted several small waterfalls adorning the mountain slopes.Crystal clear water cascading, singing a cheerful tune as if crooning a passionate love song to the rain.Thanking it for its new life and reminding it to come back next year. Enthralled by their song we made our way towards one, hoping to share in on the love.