The Rain and a Tryst with Destiny

THE RAIN AND A TRYST WITH DESTINY

The monsoon brings the rain. This is the most romantic time in India. The hot summer months give way to rains and showers and from the peacock to the tiger it’s a time of bliss. It is also a time for lovers to express their love and the great God Lord Krishna holds sway. Many poets and writers have eulogized about the glory of love when the monsoon is in full sway. It acts like an aphrodisiac and kissing in the rain with the water seeping in is a rare moment. The rain makes the peacock dance, and the herds of elephants raise their trunks and trumpet with joy.

Now that many seasons have elapsed, I remember that it was the month of June, and the monsoon was resplendent in all its glory. I do not know where to begin as everything now has become a little hazy. My bungalow nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas close to the hill station of Mussoorie. It is enveloped with greenery. The Himalayan Forest begins from here. I came out of my house and stood on the veranda. My maid had not come, and I can't blame her because with this torrential shower she must have decided it would be safer to stay at home. I was watching the rain as it splashed around, creating a dull patter on the earth. Far away I could see the mountains now hazy with the rain falling. I wondered whether I should go to the office or work from home; after all, with the China virus having engulfed India working from home was also an option. I sat down in the rocking chair and looked at the rain falling in the small garden in front of my house. The flowers swayed gently as the raindrops fell on them and I was wondering what to do.

The sky now darkened, and lightning flashed across the heavens; suddenly I felt exuberant and took the decision to drive to my office. This is about 20 miles away in the city of Dehradun. I do not know what made me decide to go to the office in this torrential rain but decide I did. Through a side door that opened into the garage, I went in. I saw my Merc the black slick S 400 parked spik and span. I opened the garage door and then came back and sat in the car and pressed the ignition switch. The machine moved forward like a gentle giant; it had just come back from the service garage. I drove off into the rain, leaving the garage door ajar as I didn't want to go back and get myself wet. As the rain lashed all around the car, I looked at the side seat and was happy to note that my Jeeves, the boy from Nepal had placed a thermos and I knew it contained some hot tea.

As I left dark clouds covered the sky. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed and boomed again. I had a feeling that it reverberated from the distant hills as the rain pelted down on the earth reducing visibility to almost zero.

The road was winding more like a snake and it moved through the hills and forest. I drove slowly confident that my Merc which responded very well would take me to my office. Through the haze, I could make out a temple just off the road. I had seen this temple so many times but had never stopped there. I was planning to bypass the temple again when suddenly I heard a crunching sound; the engine seemed to sputter and all I could do was to pull the car to the curb. I wondered what happened. I tried the ignition a number of times but nothing seemed to happen and here I was stuck close to do the temple.

I was wondering what to do and the realization dawned that very soon there would be a cloudburst. I engaged the handbrake of the car and put it in gear and came out. I planned to go to the temple and take cover. At the back of my mind was the thought as to why the car had stopped. There was no explanation for it. I had no time to reflect and immediately rushed towards the temple but that did not stop me from getting wet. I entered the foyer of the temple and realized it was dedicated to Lord Krishna. I wondered why I had never stopped in this place before as I had been going every day to my office. Today the Merc had stalled right in front of this temple and at the back of my mind was the thought that some supernatural force had brought me to this temple. The almighty Lord Krishna had something in his mind.

I looked around and then my eyes took in the girl by the side of the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum.  She was perhaps about 22 or 23, but she looked lovely in her sari, which clung to her body. I could not help feeling at that time that it was an enchanting sight. A lovely girl as created by the Lord and the rain thundering all around, creating an aura of magic. I was reminded of the poetry of the poet Kalidasa who had written lovely descriptions of the rain and lovers. The thundering rain all around created an enchanting world. Perhaps it was the will of Lord Krishna that this magical world was created. I wonder how many believe in magic, but I certainly felt that something magical was going to happen.

The girl also saw me. As I was totally drenched, without thought took off my wet shirt and used it to wipe the water from my torso. I looked at the girl again and liked her very much. Her age was perhaps half of mine. She was slim and lovely, and the sari enhanced her allure. Not a word was spoken as she silently stared at me. My eyes moved all over her taking in her back and slim waist and her raisings; accentuated by the wet blouse clinging to her body. The foothills of the Himalayas get cold and as the wind blew and the rain fell, I observed a tremor pass through the girl. The cold was getting to her and now I was a little worried.

“You are shivering,” I said,” but don’t worry I have a thermos flask in my car with hot tea I’ll just bring it.”

 With the rain beating on my bare back and chest I soon returned with the thermos. I unscrewed the cup on the flask and poured the hot tea and handed it to her. She was hesitant to accept the cup, but I looked at her sternly and said,” drink, it will do you good.” There was magic in the air, and I had an uncanny feeling that some other force, a supernatural force was acting on us in the temple. She took the cup to her lip and sipped the tea. Then she smiled and it was one of the prettiest smiles that I have ever seen.

"Yes," she replied," this is a good idea".

“What are you doing here in this lonely temple with the storm all around,” I asked

She was silent for a moment sipping the tea and I could make out that there was a storm in her mind.

“You better tell me,” I said,” what your purpose is to come here otherwise Lord Krishna will never give you anything.”

“You are sure?”

“Absolutely”

She stared into the cup in her hand and then softly said, “I have been praying to Lord Krishna for the last four years ever since I got married but I have no child and now since the last one year my husband and mother-in-law beat me regularly. I just do not know what to do and so I started coming to the temple and praying here.”

“Do they beat you often?”

“it’s not like that but yesterday my mother-in-law was very angry, and she beat me with a small belt. Do you think the Lord will help me?”

“It is all going to change now.”

 She smiled sadly and said," you think so, the lord will help me? Ever since you have entered the temple and given me this cup of tea, I feel there is magic all around and I am wondering that something good is going to happen.”

The lightning hitting the tree had an effect. She began to cry as an element of fear crossed her mind. Thunder boomed and boomed again, and big raindrops began a systematic pattern on the earth. The magical moment took place. There was a crash and thunder split the sky and the rain beat on the earth ferociously and just 200 feet away lightning crashed and struck a tree.

The cup now empty fell from her hand and fell on the green grass. She was alarmed and rushed towards the cup to retrieve it. “Don’t, “I said, “let it be.”

I followed her and tried to catch her hand to pull her back but as I caught her hand, I slipped and along with her, we both fell on the soft grass with the rain beating squarely on us. The magical moment then took place, and I can never fathom why it happened and how it happened. With me on top of the girl and the rain beating down on me, I was swayed by a tremendous passion and immediately kissed the girl. I continued to kiss her even though she made some feeble protest, but I could make out that there was an enchanting spell on, and she was also under its power. I will never forget what happened that day as I drove my tongue inside her setting of shattering moans that were loud enough to hear with the rain beating and creating its own dull sound on the earth. She was almost like an instrument to play with, and I pulled her closer to me. She was raw, intense, and delicious as the inevitable happened. She lay on the grass her legs shaking and her body trembling when I finally slowed down to look at her. I saw her eyes were shut, her hair in a tumble, and her face was glowing, and the rain continued to beat on my back.

I got up overwhelmed with the enormity of what I had done and rushed to my car; surprisingly it started immediately and that again surprised me as to why it stopped at the temple earlier. I drove off to my office, but the incident remained in my mind and now I made it a ritual to always stop by this temple. A month passed and I never saw the girl again though always I was hoping I would see her. One fine day again with heavy rain falling all around I saw her again. She looked ravishing as she stood before the ancient deity of the lord in the inner temple. I coughed to catch her attention and then she saw me and lowered her eyes.  I caught her hand and took it to my lips and kissed it and asked softly, “has the Lord helped you?”

She looked at me and said,” yes.”

Having said these words, she ran away from the temple, and I could see her mingling with the green foliage as she vanished in the rain. I looked at the image of the icon and bowed my head. I realized this was a great tryst arranged by the Lord and there was nothing much I could do about it. I wanted the girl again but I knew that she was not going to come into my life. I went to the veranda of the temple and stood there. The rain beat. on the earth. Strangely I was not sad but happy and that is something I can never explain. I started walking in the rain towards my car.