Jade Pool

June is the longest month in my calendar although it has only 30 days assigned to it. But what excruciating 30 days! The swirling desert wind engulfs Delhi with a vengeance. In the 19th century it was a practice to hibernate into the taykhanas or now better known as basements during this period. The houses of the rich and the famous will boast of these taykhanas and in the temperature difference in these basements would be a sharp eight to ten degrees. In winters too they served as haven from extreme weather conditions. In the days of mutiny a large number of people survived hidden from the post mutiny massacre of the British soldiers. Quite like the way British suffered their fate in the first World War hidden in the bunkers or Underground stations.

Today the basements are mostly turned into office tenements and the air conditioning is the only way to stay cool. The desert coolers become useless once the rain bearing easterleys start blowing in with igniting hopes of rain for the parched Delhites.

The stillness of the morning calm is the only wondrous time of the day when breathing does not seem like an effort and one can cheerfully look around and enjoy the chirping of the birds and though there is no accompanying breeze but the calm stillness around you makes you take a pause and contemplate.

My bedroom overlooks a small water body quite like the pensive in the Harry Potter saga. The green pool is inviting for the birds for a morning bath and for me to stare endlessly into its depth and feel serenity coming over me. I have often felt drawn to it like a moth to the fire. The dark moss green depths draws me to a distant land of jade coloured leaves and flowers, landscapes shrouded in mystery and wonder and I exhale...