It has arrived, the monsoon, and with what frenzy. With the temperatures taking a huge plunge from the maddening 40Cs to the refreshing 20Cs and the city washed off its accumulated dust and summer sins, everything sparkles in a nascent, green light. A huge, huge sigh of relief it is. This much-awaited and welcome change has also brought some odd guests along - waterlogged roads, traffic delays and the most annoying of all, the common cold. It has been raining achoos all over and in my case, it is accompanied by a horrible sore throat as well. Home delivered pizza, lazily boiled soup and ginger-clove tea is what I have been living on for the past two days.
There is also the old, trusted cure of books, the very smell and feel of them and Roddy Doyle's Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha it is this time. Devoid of chronology or coherence (and sometimes sense too), initially all one gets is the feel of listening to a little boy ramble on about his adventures with his friends. But then slowly it grows on you, this beautiful chaos, and flashback by flashback you get it all. Ten-year old Paddy's colloquial, naive first-person narration, the abusive relationship between the parents, and the reader's humored confusion, all remind me of Francie Brady's life in The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe (a must-read, by the way).
There is also the old, trusted cure of books, the very smell and feel of them and Roddy Doyle's Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha it is this time. Devoid of chronology or coherence (and sometimes sense too), initially all one gets is the feel of listening to a little boy ramble on about his adventures with his friends. But then slowly it grows on you, this beautiful chaos, and flashback by flashback you get it all. Ten-year old Paddy's colloquial, naive first-person narration, the abusive relationship between the parents, and the reader's humored confusion, all remind me of Francie Brady's life in The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe (a must-read, by the way).
For some reason, I have always enjoyed Irish literature, its characters in particular and the resigned manner in which they go about their lives. There's a subtle yet sublime stoicism in them that I admire, one that caters to my present sour mood quite well.
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A word about the pictures in this post:
Unable to lug the gigantic SLR around in this weather and my cold-ridden state, I finally tried my hands at Instagram, and viola! I am absolutely in love with the fact that one could just work wonders with one's mobile phone. Now the very hip and happening Urban Dictionary defines Instagram as - "Every hipster's favorite way to make it look like they take really classy pictures when really they are still using their phones. Yeah, you might really look cute/old school/vintage/retro, but it's still a cell phone picture."
Whatever the purists might say, I am all for this instant fun. What say you all?
Why ever not? Needs must, and ease of handling is an obvious plus at a time of suffering. I hope your cold gets better soon. Colds and flu are not something I associate with India, the scent of spices, herbs and flowers, dusty roads and burnt earth, yes, but snotty hankies? Definitely not.
ReplyDeleteRe your question: yes, that is a laburnum, which has now faded, with all the myriad tassles having lost their bright lemony hues.
Snotty hankies indeed, haha!! I am much better now, thank you. Cold and flu are a common sight/news now with all this drastic change in the temperatures. It's like you wait and wait for the rains but when they do arrive at last, you realise what a blunder all those prayers were.
DeleteHow I wish we had laburnum here, such a mood lifter it is with its tumbling, bright grace.
Hello Suman
ReplyDeleteI hope your health is restored soon. Glad to hear the temperature is going to be more moderate.
Glad to hear you like Irish literature. My youngest brother who lives in Dublin is an avid reader and keeps me appraised of new and upcoming Irish writers. Have you read any of Joseph O'Connor's books, I do believe you will like his writing "Ghost Light" I recommend.
Be well
Helen xx
Hello Helen, I feel much revived and ready to take on the world now! Thank you for your wishes.
DeleteA life in Dublin, how exciting that must be! Sadly, I haven't read any of Joseph O'Connor's books, but I am surely gonna take up your recommendation.
We are still shivering in low temperatures here, but daily I hear from my parents in Ottawa where it was more than 42 yesterday. I much prefer the cooler weather, but could use a dose of sunshine!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the same enduring stoicism in Irish literature. There's something of that in Danish literature as well - or in the translations that I've read. Funny, but I don't know any Scottish literature......
I hope you'll soon be feeling well!
We all need that spark of sunshine isn't it, howsoever tiny it is. I am quite well other than the lingering cough; thank you for the wishes.
DeleteSomehow, I knew you'd have the same thoughts on Irish literature! Danish literature must be intriguing, and now that you've mentioned its similarity to Irish literature, I must look for it here. Regarding Scottish literature, besides Burns's poetry and J.M Barrie, the only writer I know is Muriel Spark via Maggie Smith's brilliant performance in 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie'.
mu dekhi tili ku barsa re water loging hei tila hitec city re , au tu kahilu ni ta deha kharab thila . abe rosie kana lutu banu chi ?
ReplyDeletena, mostly baharu order karuthilu khaiba.. lotu doesn't know how to cook! :P
DeleteThat pizza looks YUM. I want :P
ReplyDeleteDominos is the word! :-)
DeleteHello Suman. I hope you’re better. The monsoon season must be very peculiar. It’s both a relief from heat and a cause of disasters. It’s very impressive. Take care. And the ginger clove tea sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThank you Celine, I feel quite better now. Just send some more wishes that would make the annoying cough disappear! :-)
DeleteYou are right, it's a strange time, but I guess that's what nature is all about. We simply have to flow with its moods.
Rain does cleanse the city, though it is difficult for me to imagine the intensity of monsoon season. Hope you are feeling better. This instagram photography is great, I love the immediacy and spontaneous quality of the photos. Cheers
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wishes P.K, they sure worked! The common cold, quite literally, is very common around here during the monsoons.
DeleteI am glad you love Instagram and like you said the spontaneity is what makes it a big hit.
Hi Miss Suman. To fully relish the rain one has to go to the mountain..Like the moon is not complete without the marks rainy season is not complete without the cold...taje care..
ReplyDeleteAgree, agree! The mountains are always enchanting, always inviting, isn't it. Thank you for dropping by!
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