On a rainy day in Chennai…

The only three seasons prevail in Tamil Nadu are – as they say – hot, hotter, and the hottest. While the entire neighborhood states namely Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra would be in the grip of heavy monsoon rains and flash floods, Tamil Nadu remains obliviously humid and equally hot as ever. And the monsoon rains circumvent the region –as they always did – save for some border regions of Kerala.

So the respite from the scorching heat only comes from a rare low-pressure formation in the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea. Which brings occasional showers, cool breeze, cloudy skies, and thunder storms (which is very very rare by the way).

Thanks to the low-pressure formations – three now, one after the other in a row – in the Bay of Bengal, Chennai is blissfully out of the sun’s reach for the past three weeks. To top the pleasure up, there are occasional rains and cool breezes. Just enough to maintain the chill and not in excessive amounts to waterlog the streets.

The rain-drenched trees that look bathed and fresh, moist air, the concrete jungle that suddenly spot a swabbed look, the squeakily clean roads and the multihued umbrella heads in the pavements are an uncommon sight for a June Chennai.

Rains in Chennai in June? A rarity though. Coming to think of global warming, I wouldn’t give it a damn if Chennai gets a reprieve from the hot and humid sun in its name.