Rainfall in Nangla, by Jaanu
[I]
It's 9:00 AM. Black clouds have overtaken the sky. It is quiet around Nangla. Cars are speeding by on the Ring Road. Suddenly, water starts to pour down from the sky. Bikes stop and young men driving them take shelter under the bus stand. Very few people from Nangla have stepped out today. Those who have, have covered themselves with black tarpaulin sheets.
It's 9:00 AM. Black clouds have overtaken the sky. It is quiet around Nangla. Cars are speeding by on the Ring Road. Suddenly, water starts to pour down from the sky. Bikes stop and young men driving them take shelter under the bus stand. Very few people from Nangla have stepped out today. Those who have, have covered themselves with black tarpaulin sheets.
[II]
Three carts are parked in the lane which serves as the main entrance to Nangla. Two of them are covered with black tarpaulin. No one is standing near them – neither buyers nor sellers. From the partly shifted sides of the sheets, one can make out one cart is loaded with bananas, the other with mangoes. The third has a big vessel containing biryani, and it is not covered with tarpaulin. The vessel is covered with a big plate. The rain has doused the fire which is lit under the vessle to keep the biryani warm. Rain refuses to stop.
[III]
Slowly, the pouring water is relenting. People have started to step out of their homes. Someone has a waist cloth wrapped around his waist, and his pants are rolled up till his knees. Someone is wearing a raincoat. Someone says loudly, “At last it's a little cool today! Oh, but the drains are blocked and there will be lots of mosquitoes now."
A balloon seller has appeared and is doing the rounds of the lanes. Because of the rain, children are not running out of their homes to greet him and buy balloons from him.
[IV]
The rain has stopped. There is a slight drizzle now. The entire Nangla seems to have climbed onto the roofs. Someone is fixing their asbestos sheet, someone the black tarpaulin sheet. A train passes by slowly from behind Nangla.
[V]
Soon after the rain stopped, the sky started to look like the kingdom of colourful kites. Young boys have climbed onto their low roofs and are flying different kites with names like mawa and gowa. One kite, which has got stuck in the branches of a peepel tree, is slowly stirring with the wind. The weather is very pleasing.
The sky has not yet cleared. That is why people are busy cleaning their roofs and removing material which is blocking the flow of drain pipes – in case it starts to rain again!
Three carts are parked in the lane which serves as the main entrance to Nangla. Two of them are covered with black tarpaulin. No one is standing near them – neither buyers nor sellers. From the partly shifted sides of the sheets, one can make out one cart is loaded with bananas, the other with mangoes. The third has a big vessel containing biryani, and it is not covered with tarpaulin. The vessel is covered with a big plate. The rain has doused the fire which is lit under the vessle to keep the biryani warm. Rain refuses to stop.
[III]
Slowly, the pouring water is relenting. People have started to step out of their homes. Someone has a waist cloth wrapped around his waist, and his pants are rolled up till his knees. Someone is wearing a raincoat. Someone says loudly, “At last it's a little cool today! Oh, but the drains are blocked and there will be lots of mosquitoes now."
A balloon seller has appeared and is doing the rounds of the lanes. Because of the rain, children are not running out of their homes to greet him and buy balloons from him.
[IV]
The rain has stopped. There is a slight drizzle now. The entire Nangla seems to have climbed onto the roofs. Someone is fixing their asbestos sheet, someone the black tarpaulin sheet. A train passes by slowly from behind Nangla.
[V]
Soon after the rain stopped, the sky started to look like the kingdom of colourful kites. Young boys have climbed onto their low roofs and are flying different kites with names like mawa and gowa. One kite, which has got stuck in the branches of a peepel tree, is slowly stirring with the wind. The weather is very pleasing.
The sky has not yet cleared. That is why people are busy cleaning their roofs and removing material which is blocking the flow of drain pipes – in case it starts to rain again!
comments
Stephen Shastay
@ 02.07.2006 15:48 CEST
Very very good. I have just found your blog. I read several postings. Very very good.
Very very good. I have just found your blog. I read several postings. Very very good.
Sabiha Al-Issa
@ 02.07.2006 16:16 CESTI really enjoyed reading the story. It is vivid and living.
Thank you.
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