I wrote this article when I was both awed and concerned by the nature’s beautiful yet puzzling gesture.
As I write this article on the evening of 22nd November, 2010, Rajkot has turned into a virtual hill-station. Several inches of rain has poured down onto the streets of Rajkot in the last few days and the winter has already set its foot in. The weather is cold and every now and then it drizzles, occasionally it pours. It seems like monsoon and winter have got fused with each other. The mist and cold of the winter combined with rainwater have left Rajkot wet and cool for most fraction of the time during this overlap.
It sounds delightful at one time and unsettling at the other. This unpredicted rain in the early stages of winter has given the Rajkotians an all new feel and experience. The winter has brought with it the pleasure of getting and staying warm after feeling the chill while the untimely monsoon has got the rain-lovers jumping with joy. But a question keeps troubling me – Do we have to pay for it?
I personally can’t pick between whether to enjoy this double season or to get worried. As this fusion offers the pleasures of two most beloved seasons, it also raises some concerns. The rain in November in this part of the world means a serious climate change and it has not rained just once, it has rained more than a few times in this month. This unexpected rain has caused massive loss to farmers. The standing crops including those of peanut and cotton worth several hundred crore rupees have suffered. This combo of seasons has caused double inconvenience to homeless persons. Many people, several animals and birds have lost their lives in this unexpected blend of conditions. Some regions of Saurashtra have also witnessed a very rare event of snowfall.
We are not unaware of the grave climate changes around the world. It is high time to open our eyes and consider these signals sincerely. The nature cares for us, nurtures us, awes us, inspires us, gifts us serenity by its charm…and we do not return the favor. But nature has drawn some lines. And if we cross them, the nature will lose its temper and the results will not be pretty.