Summer is the season when nature
manifests its anger , with some sweet relief in shape of melons, cucumber and mangoes . Though some
retreat to vacations to colder latitudes but the large majority have to slug
the heat to make the ends meet.
The summer
is in full bloom, the monsoons are awaited , the temperatures are being
monitored. The birds search for water in streets and doorsteps of concrete
structures! The dogs gasp with elongated tongues, the world moves on!
Summer brings many memories . In Vishakhapatnam I would read regularly the
fatality count on account of ‘Heat stroke’ , most who died were poor labourers
working on roadside without shade and
who did not have the freedom to stay secure at home. Now I am in Goa and
here too the summer heat and humidity is sapping .
However
, many memories of the summers spent in the heat waves of Allahabad come
rushing; though all seasons visit Allahabad, but the city is famous for its
summer ! My Mother returning home by
rickshaw after her examination duties,
would insist that an urn full of water be given to the ‘Rickshawala’ and she would ensure that a
piece of 'gur' ( jaggery) is also given as it was her belief that in hot
weather when one was sweating one should not drink cold water empty stomach
.Water serving points( piau) were available at street corners as it was
the custom of the city.
The summer began soon after Holi and ended
close to Diwali, May to August were hottest period. At that time Air conditioners
were non-existent in middle class homes
, later we could afford water coolers ;but not in all rooms . In summers we
would lie on the floor and the solitary USHA fan was our source of survival;
the fan is still serviceable! The heat in Allahabad was a challenge, we were always
cautioned to guard against the dreaded 'loo' ( the heat wave peculiar to
summer seasons in eastern UP) and covered our head with a soft towel when
venturing out, the agony was aggravated by the fact that the movement was slow
, either on cycle or on rickshaw; scooter came later which was a relief. Sometimes I
would see a solitary person on the road between High Court and Circuit
House on a cycle with his head covered fighting the heat wave and opposing hot
wind and trying to make way, his movement ahead would be very slow and from a
distance it would appear the cycle was
stationary on the road. During the afternoons the only shops open would be of
'Paan/bidi/cigarette'!.
My Father also suffered in summers along with
other lawyers as there was no change in the dress regulation, he was tied down
by the black coat and what accompanies Lawyers' uniform and was sweating all the time , there were
white sweat marks perennially under the arms of his coat. Maybe the court rooms were air
conditioned/air cooled or 'khus-khus'
was put but the travel to ‘High Court’ was full of hot air and slowness of
‘Rickshaw’ made it even more treacherous
. Most Government offices had coolers for the officers and ‘Khas-
Khas’ mats for the staff, casual staff was recruited during the period to
water the vertical ‘Khas-Khas’ mats fixed to the doors and the windows
which cooled the air and the very smell /aroma of Khus -Khus was refreshing (I
miss those days).
Reading occupied much of our time during
vacations; Nandan, Parag ( children's magazines) when children and weekly/ fortnightly magazines such as Samtahik
Hindustan, Dharmyug, Illustrated weekly,
when grown up. We graduated to reading Premchand and James
Hadley Chase soon. ‘Panna’( a drink made of raw mangoes, fresh mint
and sugar/jaggery) was available at home and ‘Kissan's ‘ orange and lemon
squash and ‘Rasna’ were also there, Coke was a luxury. Water was cooled in a
big 'Ghara' ( a big earthen
container ) which was filled in the morning, it was supplemented by a
few 'surahis' ( a slim earthen
container- Pitcher ). Water
purifiers and filters were non existent.
‘Surahi’ was carried during journeys on train and often purchased at the
station and whilst disembarking either handed over to a fellow passenger or
broken by throwing out of the train. It was a common belief and experience that the water
of ‘Surahi’ was the sweetest ( or was it the water of Jamuna in
Allahabad which was sweet?).
In the
evenings when the sun had set but the warmness persisted we would look out for
the Ice - cream vendor of the famous
local ‘Rita ice-cream’ . During that era each town and city had its local brand
of ice-cream and the big brands monopoly had not set in.
Sometimes we friends would go to swim at
the enclosed ‘coral club’ swimming pool.
Cucumber the thick and thin variety were relished after application of liberal
salt and red chilly , the ‘Kharbujas’ ( melon)of Allahabad are to be
found nowhere else , green in colour from inside and yellow-green pattern
outside , always sweet, we made juice out of it when ‘mixies’ arrived. Mangoes
would be suckled passionately; at least 5 to 6 in one go; the small desi
variety . Allahabad is blessed with huge tamarind trees which not only provide
shade but sweet and sour fruit which was strewn on the road struck by wind or bird or children throwing stones to pluck
the ripe and raw fruit . On certain occasions we were treated to the famous ‘thandai’(
a beverage made of milk and dry fruits).
Clothes most preferred were half pants
/Tshirts and the universal white lose kurta-pyjamas. The vegetables grew
despite the heat and ‘lauki, tinda parbal’ were available in good
numbers and variety . These were grown
in ‘kachar’( sandy region close
to river). My mother would invariably shop for the vegetables and fruits on her
return from college from the road adjacent to Government Press and behind the
AG Office, where fresh vegetables and fruits of the season were available. At
night, the fruits and vegetables from the ‘kachar’ were carried on
camels’ back to the mandi for sale the early next day. It was a picturesque
sight to see the camels in one line slowly moving toward towards their
destination as the cycles and rickshaw plied alongside. Most camels were
loaded with ‘water melons’ on both sides .
Many years have passed since I left the
historic city but I remember it for many reasons and one is its distinct
summer- the fragrance of the 'heated
earth' is deeply etched in my heart and mind.
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