Monsoon and mushy thoughts

IN a letter to his heartthrob, Chilean poet Pablo Neruda wrote: ‘Rains and romance go hand in hand. Whether it’s a union of souls or a separation of hearts, rains add to the intensity of both the states love often passes through.’

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Now, when the monsoon is imminent, hearts are filled with mushy thoughts. Just recall Raj Kapoor and Nargis singing ‘Pyaar hua iqraar hua hai, pyaar se phir kyon darta hai dil…’ in Shri 420. The drizzle intensifies their love and stokes their passion. At the other end of the spectrum is the painful separation from the beloved; an inebriated Dev Anand sings, ‘Aisi hi rimjhim, aisi fuhaarein, aisi hi thi barsaat…’ (The same drizzle, the same showers, the same torrential rain) in the classic song ‘Din dhal jaaye hai, raat na jaaye, tu toh na aaye teri yaad sataye….’ (Guide). Here, the rain makes the sighing lover pine more intensely for his beloved.

It’s said that poetry in any language chiefly has three subjects that have never become hackneyed: love, separation and rain. The trio will, indeed, never go out of fashion in poetry. ‘What lies in rain that inspires two hearts to crave all the more for each other?’ asked US poet Ezra Pound. Pat came the answer from his friend and Nobel laureate TS Eliot, ‘The drizzles delight the hearts and surreptitiously give the come-hither.’

The rainy season is a catalyst for love. ‘Rain-soaked hearts are a perfect recipe for love,’ wrote British poet laureate Sir Stephen Spender. Indeed, rain-soaked hearts are game for heart-warming love.

In the film Barsaat ki Raat, Mohammed Rafi sings: ‘Zindagi bhar nahin bhoolegi woh barsaat ki raat….’ (Never will I forget that rainy night). And when a downpour drenches Madhubala’s dupatta, the protagonist croons: ‘Surkh aanchal ko dabaakar jo nichoda usne/Dil pe jalta hua ek teer sa chhoda usne….’ (When she squeezed her dripping-wet red dupatta, a smouldering arrow pierced my sighing heart).

The onomatopoeic ‘tip-tip’ of raindrops can fill hearts with longings and cravings for the beloved. That’s why great Sanskrit poet Kalidasa says in Ritusamhara: ‘Viradheen praliptam madira-sadrishyam….’ (Every raindrop seems like a celestial drop filled with the wine of love and union).

It’s been geographically proven that love hardly blossoms in places which experience less or no rain. Meghalaya’s capital Shillong, famous for its rainy and overcast conditions, reportedly draws honeymooning couples in droves throughout the year. Lovers who visit Shillong feel as if they are in the UK. That’s why it’s aptly called ‘The Scotland of the East’.

So, make the most of the monsoon and fall in love. It inspires you to lose your heart to someone. Remember that raindrops are Cupid’s arrows aimed at drenching your heart, soul and body. Never miss this romantic opportunity.