Waking up to Rains

This year the rains have been late beyond expectations. Every year, by 15th July I've had enough of rains, enough of the dull grey atmosphere and enough of wet days. But this year the sun shined brightly till mid July, and people awaited heavy rains with anxiety. I woke up to the pitter-patter of rain, first time this season a few days ago. The feeling was awesome! Stirring up to consciousness and realizing its raining. Then, shifting in to a comfortable position, lying under my cozy warm blanket and drifting to a half asleep state to the hum of raindrops. It was heavenly.

Finally making an effort to get out of  bed, I pull up the curtains and let the faint monsoon sunlight stream in. I smile. I open the windows wide open and stare out. It is breathtakingly beautiful! I'm awestruck with the minute details that mark the beginning of monsoon and also that make this mundane world pretty. I hop to my shelf and bring out my camera, oblivious to the freshness in the air, oblivious to how the change in weather makes me feel serene, calm and happy...

Below are the few shots I took. They don't capture monsoon as a whole season but I've tried capturing the things that made my eyes twinkle the day I woke up to the first heavy rains of the season. :)

Rain drops

I love the way the buildings seem to fall down down upside down through the drops!

A trickle down the roof

Saw these beautiful pearls curled up the raining, the moment I woke up

A tear of happiness?

Jewel  donned branch

Sunset After Gloom

I sit by the window watching. It has been drizzling for the past one hour now; one of the first pre-monsoon showers after a bright summer. The first showers were welcomed with great joy and children ran out on the streets to enjoy the rain.

I close my eyes to meditate on the noise of the rain drumming on the roof. The pitter-patter gets harder and louder and I open my eyes to see that what had been a few sparse clouds drizzling, has now become a pouring expanse of dense grey sheen overhead, blocking the last rays of light. It is gloomy and it is barely five o'clock in the evening. I need to put the lamp on.

This sudden change is transporting me back to my past, a very dark past. A past, that I hate accepting that it were once my life. A past as dense as these clouds that blocked away all hopes, all light! A past I didn't see coming. Just like the initial drizzle it made me happy, it sowed a seed of bliss in my heart. Just like the scent of mud it tranquilized me, he tranquilized me...

...to cheat on me!

I hear the thunder outside.

Sounds just like my howling.

He was a dog, a jerk!

He swallowed five years of my life. I lived five years less.

I realize I'm crying.

Jeff comes and hugs me from behind. He is warm. I feel secure. I hadn't heard him come. He plants a peck on my cheek. I wipe my tears hesitating to look up. I let him hold me.

He puts his hand under my chin and turns my face towards the window. "See how beautiful the sky looks," he points out.

It had stopped raining and the clouds have cleared except for a few fluffy white puffs. It is sunset time and the sky looks dramatic after the rains- a blend of pink, purple and orange.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

A light wind wafts in through the window blowing in our hair, carrying a whiff of freshness.

I smile.

"It is. It is very beautiful. Who knew it would be so charming after a heavy downpour. It's like, it's like you are my THIS!" I chirp.

"Your THIS?" Jeff smiles down at me as I look up at him.

"Yes. You are this soothing sunset after gloom. "

 

Waari: Facts and Fotos

> Waari, is one of the largest and the longest on-foot pilgrimages in this entire world.

> This tradition is about 700 hundred years old.

> About a million people walk a 250 km route for 21 days from Dehu (carrying Sant Tukaram’s Palkhi or palanquin) or from Alandi(carrying Sant Dnyaneshwar’s Palkhi) and reach Pandharpur on Ashadi-Ekadashi, where the Vitthoba temple is situated on the banks of river Bhima.

The Palkhi of Sant Tukaram with his 'Padukas' or footprints in it.

 > Vitthal or Panduranga is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and hence an avatar of Krishna.

>The people who follow this pilgrimage are known as ‘Waarkaris’ and they usually belong to the Vaishnav sect, although any one is free to join the Waari. It is said that the Waari dissolves all the differences between people like caste, creed, profession, rich and poor.

A vagabond fortune teller

Baby Mauli

A female Waarkari clapping on the beats of Abhangas sung

A group of children proceeding with the Palkhi

>The Waarkaris call each other 'Mauli' while talking which literally means God. It's as if they are talking to the God in one another.

Mauli

>The Waarkaris wear a U shaped tilak/naam with one black dot and one orange dot on their forehead. This is known as ‘Ashvagandha Gopichand Bukka’

>The Waarkaris travel in different groups, one after the other. These groups are known as ‘Dindis’.

>The Waarkaris sing abhangas, kirtans and devotional songs all along, praising Panduranga/Vitthal, Sant Dnyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram.

A Waarkari singing and dancing!

The Taal

The Dholak

>The Waarkaris either carry the saffron flag or musical instruments like the cymbal, the mrudung, the dhol,  the taal and the tutari. The women Waarkaris balance the Tulsi plant (Holy Basil plant) or a water pitcher on top of their head throughout the journey. Waarkaris also carry their bear belongings in a make-do jhola which is strung against their shoulder or balanced atop their heads. That’s the closest they can get to backpacking!

With the Veena

Orange flags

A women carrying a Tulsi Vrindavan

 

>There is a sense of unity, group psychology and lightness as these Waarkaris proceed singing and dancing. The exuberance and sheer euphoria swallows their tiredness and sorrows. Their souls are at peace. All the worries and materialistic joys are discarded to embrace peace of mind, body and soul.

Sporting an Orange Turban

>As they pass through various towns, halting for the night, natives of those towns and villages provide them with food. They like eating simple meals like the traditional Zhunka-Bhakar and bananas in between breaks.

>It is said that smaller towns and villages experience a huge turnover during Waari and the amount earned is enough for them to survive the entire year.

The Balloon Seller

The Business Bubble Boy

>Pandharpur is so crowded, two days before Ashadi-Ekadashi that steps of shops and homes or even a small place in a veranda are rented out for exorbitant prices for the Waarkaris to spend the night. 

Carrying Sant Dnyaneshwar's Idol

A lot of foreigners and people from other states flock the Waari

>Waari is magical in its own sense. It’s a huge jashn (celebration) for lakhs of bhakts (devotees) coming together willingly to immerse themselves in spirituality.