Sky Pours & Pirated Novels.

The sky opens and the drops come sloshing down. Pitter patters alternate with dramatic rapping as the rain ebbs and flows. Rarely does it cease. Rarely does it let up. The thirsty Earth welcomes this juice, this elixir. Ruddy, muddy grounds speak of rejuvenation. Trees, plants, and greenery glisten with droplets and new stories. Wet pavement tickles the nose and flashes silver.

These rains are familiar.

The rain brings bounce to each strand of my hair, brings moisture to my skin. The rain takes me back to many monsoon seasons that I spent here before, sitting on the balcony of Marz-o-rin drinking hot coffee, coming home from yoga practice with mud stained around my ankles, taking a hot bath and wrapping up in a shawl to read a good book.

I love these rains. I love these sky pours.

Speaking of good books, my cousin and I stopped at our favorite outdoor book market today. Acquiring a pirated book on the open road is much more enthralling to me for some reason than going into a store. I picked up some exciting finds – one is about Panchali, the wife of the Pandavas, and the other is about Ram from the Ramayana. I will be back to soon to pick up the new Harry Potter and the first Game of Thrones.

I took a lot of photos today.

Camel in the rain.

Gulab Jamun from our lunch.

Fresh sugarcane on the road.

Twenty-four hours in Pune and already I am at home.

I hope the days go by slowly.

peace and love,

sonia

• ← Dates in Chennai
• Indian carrots. →