Ah! At last! I can hear the pitter-patter of the drops as they fall on my window pane�.. When I open the window, the smell of wet earth fills my nostrils� how I have waited for this! Since the first week of June, we have been preparing ourselves for the monsoon, and every day that passed without rain was a depressing one. Then, we were hit by the water-cut, which only made things worse. All over, people are praying for rain. While some look at scientific methods, others perform havans. Some, like my mother-in-law and her friends, read slokas which are guaranteed to bring rains. Whatever the method, the aim is just one � a normal monsoon � not just for Bombay, but all of India. As the days passed, and July approaches, the hopes dipped, and all over, there was talk of a missed-monsoon and drought! But at last, there is hope!

Since the last two days, it has been raining here (at least in our locality). The Met Department says these are just pre-monsoon thundershowers, but whatever they are, they have raised the hopes of the monsoon coming, if not on time, at least, as they say �Better late than never!�

I remember the days when I used to walk to the bus stop wading through knee deep water, but never late to catch the bus! While some complained about the water and the incessant rain, for most of us it was a pleasure that we got just for 3 months in the year, and made the most of it. Today, neither do I wade through water, nor does Samhith, for is school bus picks him up and drops him right on our doorstep!

Yesterday, it poured so heavily that I waited downstairs for him with an umbrella for him, and thought of carrying my camera along to while away the time� Here are some glimpses from my neighbourhood in the rain��

Here is the sky just before it began pouring.... I was fascinated by the beautiful shade of blue.....