India by the amblingindian : Quirky ideas for us!: Bangalore monsoon and Bollywood..

The first of the May showers has arrived . This time with a big bang. Torrents of rain, all in a day. The whole place is now wet and soaking, much like a Bollywood damsel dancing in the rain. Bangalore is transformed, from warm, very warm and turning hot, into cool and cooler. The grass is sprouting, leaves are erupting. The mercury has dropped, and jumpers are out. Overnight, the city is transformed, it is now back to the blissful Bangalore that we know best.

Frangipani in the rain ( courtesy Flowers of India)

I sit in my terrace and enjoy the cool breeze caressing my cheeks. Feels like a soft, silken touch of delight - overnight this, from hot, dry, arid to cool, calm, placid. Feels so blessed, to live here. And the rains, pouring every now and then, bringing the monsoon early, with hopes of a full-fledged one later. The monsoon- eagerly awaited by all the nation. the harbinger of relief from hot and dusty days. The hope for the parched soil.. for the farmers. Reminds me of long,meandering train journeys, travelling along dry, ploughed fields, which gradually morphed into landscapes of lush paddy crops. Of the paper boats we made as children, setting sail on freshly made puddles.The smell of freshly wet earth, mingled with frangipanis and jasmines which have re- bloomed. I inhale deeply, the smell infuses my soul and my being.

The monsoon - so eagerly awaited by many , inspires many a Bollywood gig . Remember" O Ghata Savari, from Abhinetri", meaning "O lovely monsoon", a Joyous Hema Malini number that i am singing today- and many more, all signifying the "Saavan ka Mahina" - the season of rain, of bloom, of desire, and joy.

Every now and then, I watch Russell Peter's joke on Bollywood and laugh out loud- it goes like this.
Russell Peters : " What does any sane person do when it rains ?"
Peters again :" I duck and dive. And what do Bollywood heroines do when it rains?"
Peters , swirling around slowly this time, and trying to act like one :" Ah.. they scream and screech, and burst into song, they dance around,getting all wet".

Ha, Ha, Peter, I thoroughly enjoyed that joke of yours , especially you acting as a Bollywood heroine, with your good looks and figure too. But, don't forget, Bollywood and the rains are inseparable, like the butterfly and its wings. A raindance here, a kiss in the rain, a heroine getting wet, this is Bollywood at its sensual best, and remember, it has to be wet and wild, wet being the key. So you might as well start immerse yourself, dance in the rain too and enjoy yourself thoroughly.. The rain cometh, my cup of joy floweth over..

Here's a couple of numbers for you to enjoy !

Bheegi si.. bhaagi se : ( wet and running, she falls into my arms) - from my favourite movie, Raajneeti, a story of crime and conspiracy, love and loss, with another favourite : Katrina Kaif in the lead...