Rain

“What's a rainy day without some delicious coffee-flavored loneliness?”

The above lines stole my attention while I was browsing through some of the pages in internet. I agree with the writer but there is lot more to do on a rainy day other than the company of a coffee flavored loneliness… 4^th June 2016 was one such day, the morning wind through the windows of S11 coach woke me up. The train was just crossing Ottappalam railway station. The hay hut and surrounding greenery on the banks of river Nila mesmerized and made me nostalgic.  Good to see Nila is half alive from the recent mid-summer rains. It was raining outside, slight drizzles giving the feel of rain in a very different way – rejuvenating. 

Actually my journey with rain started from previous day evening. I was at railway station and rain came from nowhere. In very little time it went from drizzle to downpour. The bright lamps at the station gave different color to the rain and it started dancing with the accompanying wind. They danced till all of us at the platform got drench. The bright light from an engine nearing the station reminded me of my journey. It’s time to move…

The book in my backpack also got a little flavor of rain. It was “Kunnolamundallo Bhoothakalakulir” by Deepa Nishanth. The latest tick mark I made in “goodreads” was yesterday on completion of this book.  Coincidentally the very first story from the book is also about rain.

The RE Bullet 350 in the garage was just waiting for me in the morning. As my 2 year old Sidhu says, the “du du du tata” is about to start. The rain from morning is still on, seems like it’s going to give me company for the journey.  The road is slightly slippery and I need to be cautious while driving the bike. My cousin joined me for the ride from an in between town.

We took a diversion from the highway towards villages where one can feel the real beauty of Kerala. Rain was along with us with its magical twists and turns.  In some points it reminded of the fast rhythm in Zakir Hussain’s Tabla concerts and in some it turn down as whispering voice to ears. The road was getting narrow and has paddy fields on both sides of it with water filled from the recent rains which gave a feeling of floating on the boundless layer of water.  In some routes, rain water was flowing on the roads which gave us a good wading ride with our RE 350. Rain has changed the landscape a lot. She has given rebirth to nature from the dry summer weather. The greenery is reborn which cherishes mind and soul. In the beginning of the journey itself, we decided not to take any photographs as it will spoil the numerous “wow” moments we were experiencing through. For us, eyes and mind are the best cameras and storage device.  Nothing else ever can match that. And this journey was really a visual treat.

The bike ride ended at the courtyard of a beautifully built house in a coastal village of Kerala. The sea was not visible from the house but still the roaring sound is audible. We met the author – Deepa Teacher – with a smiling face. We talked about the book, the background on writing them and a lot more. The rain was silent outside. A small drizzle, silently listening to what we were talking about. Meeting the author was a dream come true for me since I read her book two days back. Till yesterday evening at the railway station, I was not having any plan to chase the dream and meet teacher. But the heavy rains at the station reminded me about the first story from the book and I asked myself why can’t tomorrow I go and meet her. When I started from my home with my bike, I was having nothing with me except a “Name” to search for. So this time the Rain has conspired the plan and led me to this unknown address to meet a special person. 

The return journey was through the highway. This time rain was not there. I think her role of guiding us to the destination was over. Now it’s time to cherish the good memories had from the day. The different faces of rain, the countryside drive in the bike and moreover meeting a person whom you were spellbound about meeting since you read the book. Sometimes a lot more a rainy day can offer you other than the company of a coffee flavored loneliness…