Mumbai Rains – A blessing turned bane – Why?

With the first rain that hit Mumbai, all people were busy updating their statuses on Facebook and Whats-app – "First rain…yeee...feeling awesome" or "The smell of mud that the rains bring is driving me crazy". Indeed it was great for all to see rain after so long. It didn't take long for these statuses to change to – "Continuous rains...flooded and stuck...I hate getting wet!!!" Yes, it is amazing to see how soon the liking has turned to hatred. We need to analyze what exactly has changed; our minds as we grow up or the city as it is gets filled up?

Childhood during monsoon was a very happy time. Making small paper boats, jumping and splashing water everywhere, waiting to see a rainbow, all these activities ensured enjoyment. Now as we have grown up, and are busy with our lives, little do we have time. We have to reach office in time. Rains are making it difficult to reach on time, travel, and they also spoil our things with a heavy downpour. We have started hating rain so much that we pray that even if it needs to rain, may it only rain during the night while asleep, but never during the day.

Frankly speaking, I am not that sure that it is age that has led us to this change as I don't remember my parents complaining so much as we do now. So, is it the city? Has the city become so dirty that we can't enjoy rains? After what happened on 26th July, 2005 in Mumbai, I am forced to say that this may be true. The main causes of water logging that occurred after the heavy falls was due to the inadequacy of the drainage system. The drainage systems were clogged, were flawed and hence, there was no way for the water to recede which led to the water logging. Now blaming the BMCs entirely would thoroughly be inappropriate. It is for sure their duty to maintain and check for these drainage systems well before the start of monsoons, but it is also our social and public duty to first keep our city clean. No matter how much boards have been put up saying "Clean Mumbai Green Mumbai" not much have been contributed by the public at large. It is very much frustrating and irritating for me to see well educated people littering the city. This is a most common sight if you happen to travel by Local trains here. People constantly throw all the waste and plastic cups, papers, plastic bags, etc. right out of the window onto the tracks. Everywhere one can find people throwing waste bottles and bags out of their car windows onto the streets. This is just not going to help you guys construct a clean and beautiful city. If the public itself won't contribute, there is very little that any BMC or such organization could do to keep your city clean, and thus keep you from such water logging troubles yet again. Keeping ourselves and our surroundings clean is one of the basic things we learn at school as well as home. I don't understand how one forgets this as they grow up. A discipline is always necessary in life for good of yourself as well as that of others. Now let us stop contemplating how rain or the city changed for us, and think how we changed over these years?

How did this change from liking to hating rains take place as we grew up? Main reason would be that during our childhood we hardly had any responsibilities and did have time to enjoy the rains, which is not the case as we grow up. We have jobs, responsibilities, and no time to look at nature and rain. There has been a change in our outlook. We are no longer the innocent children from the past. We have become selfish, totally absorbed in what we have to do to survive in this world. Recently, as everyone knows, rains have flooded the North Indian State of Uttarakhand. We have all witnessed the sight on TV news as to the amount of floods, the destruction it caused and how people are still facing the fury of nature. Life has been disturbed, disrupted and even reached the hands of death. Many have died in this flood, but the main issue I was shocked at was the depth to which we have lost our humanity. I heard this from news that people there have been taking valuables from the dead bodies which were floating along the waters!!! This is really a great low for our people, and this shows us we have changed. We have become way too self-centered and sinister. We don't want to get disturbed with anything that causes us discomfort, even the rains. Naturally I am not referring to the heavy rains which caused floods and took so many lives, I am talking about the rains in Mumbai which this year has not been that strong, and yet people are so discomforted by it, it makes me wonder our attitude towards life and nature. Importance of monsoon could only be understood by a person who has been to a place struck with drought. We only understand the importance of something, when we lose it, and we only understand the need of something, when we don't have it.

So, finally I would like to request to my people to stop this grumpy attitude towards rains and take a step towards enjoying it. I know with the roads becoming dirty and clogged, it's more of discomfort for all, but trust me; we are in a way better place with good rains here. Putting forward a good step to keep the city clean will be of great use for all of us in future. It's only a small step to procure, and please do take it sincerely and stop littering the streets. Keeping a positive attitude towards things always helps us in life. Try to find the good in everything and think of rains as a blessing than a bane.