First play, then scolding

The moment monsoon arrives, Prachi Ria (15) steps into a different world. It is time for some fun, food, dance and songs like Tip tip barsa paani and Dekho barish ho rahi hai. Come monsoon, and Prachi gets into her filmy groove. “The pitter-patter of raindrops and the smell of the soil fascinate me,” says the Class XI student of St Joseph’s Convent School.

Prachi had a filmy beginning to the season when the clouds first appeared in the city last year.

“That night, my cousin and I were sleeping when the sound of raindrops woke us up. Since there was no music system, we relied on God’s gift and sang our hearts out. We looked at each other and tiptoed out of the room and went straight to the roof. We played kabaddi and yes, we got drenched to the fullest,” Prachi smiles.

The fun went on for almost one hour.

“After a while, when the fun was over, we came back, dried ourselves and went off to sleep as if nothing happened. The trouble started when my mother woke up around two hours later and found out that the back door (which we forgot to close) was left open. First, an open door, second a wet floor and then, to make matters worse, both my cousin and I started sneezing…”

“God! The scolding we got! I shall always remember monsoon for my mother’s scolding.”

Prachi, the barsa paani must have washed away all the scolding, isn’t it?

Pakoras on bullock cart

Aavishkar Ghosh has seen 15 monsoons so far. But one experience stands out in his memory.

“It had been raining heavily for the past two days in 2010 and most of the streets in the city were waterlogged. Most of my friends and I were unsure if the school would be open. Still, we got ready and headed for the pick-up spot and waited for the van. Even the driver of the van did not know if the school was open. We had barely gone half way when it started raining cats and dogs,” he said.

Aavishkar was in trouble, but the look of the downpour amazed him.

“The sound of raindrops striking the roof of the van was mesmerising…”

The school, however, was closed. But the efforts did not go in vain, for what was going to happen would be an experience of a lifetime.

“On our way back home, the vehicle broke down in the middle of the road. As it is, we were almost drenched and now we had to get down. As we tried to push the van to the roadside, not a single cell in our bodies was left dry. At this time, we saw a roadside stall making jalebis and pakoras. We failed to resist and bought some. At this time a bullock cart came to our rescue. The cart puller offered us a lift in exchange for a humble amount. The rain continued and while we were enjoying the bullock cart ride, we munched on the pakoras,” the Class XI student of DAV BSEB said.

And, he sums up.

“It was unforgettable.”

Shower blast for Dhoom 2

Monsoon reminds Harsh of one special day. The day dates back to 2009 when Harsh, as a student of Don Bosco Academy, decided to bunk school and watch Dhoom 2, which had re-released in Patna, instead.

“Even though we had a long summer vacation, it was still very hot and it was not easy to walk down to school. A few days after school had started, my friend Akash and me decided to give classes a miss and go for a movie instead. I was really afraid of the consequences of being caught bunking school and was not ready for the idea,” he said.

The reminder of a boring physics class did the trick. The plan was on.

“According to our plan, we headed for the cinema, instead of our school. It was about 7am and the first show was at 8.30am. So, we decided to go to a restaurant first. And the wind started blowing faster. In the first minute or two, we thought there wouldn’t be a problem. In five minutes the weather changed drastically and it started raining. We got completely drenched,” he said.

But what about the movie?

“We did what we had longed to do for such a long time! We later watched the film too.”

The next day, of course, Harsh, who is now in Class XI at St Michael’s High School, fell ill and could not attend school.

Trip and shower

Ashmita Sinha remembers monsoon for a special reason. It was during this season a few years ago that she spent a moment that she would “cherish for the rest of her life”. “It was during a trip to Rajgir,” the 14-year-old said.

That year, just before the monsoon had started, the Class X student of Notre Dame Academy, planned a visit to Rajgir.

“My friend Maya came up with the idea of the trip. So, we started with our families. We were brimming with excitement when the bus started the journey. Each time the bus stopped, we got down. It was a very bright sunny day to start with, so there wasn’t a problem.

“Everything seemed calm. The air was still and dark clouds started gathering. The lightning flashes became clearer. It was obvious that it was going to rain…

“And then it came pouring down. My God! It seemed that the clouds had burst. Ghode jaisi chaal… the tea stall couldn’t have played a better song. My friend Neha suggested we get drenched in the rain. We would never get such an opportunity. Quietly, we went into the rain and got drenched. Oh! It was such great fun. Obviously, this afternoon made the entire Rajgir trip,” she said.

“The day will never fade from my memory,” she added.

Last question:

Why is Lionel Messi (in picture left) not playing in Euro 2012?

Correct answer:

He plays for Argentina, a South American nation, not included in the Euro championship

Readers who gave the correct answer are:

Ambar Kumar,

Class XII, Delhi Public School, Bokaro

Ranjeet Kumar,

Class XII, RD&DJ

College under Tilka

Manjhi University,

Bhagalpur

Nitesh Kumar Das, Class XII, Kendriya sVidyalaya, Jamalpur, Munger

Sudhanshu Shekhar Class IX, DAV Samastipur

Suyash Karn Class IX-C DAV, Samastipur

This week’s question: Who is this former tennis player (in picture left)?

Clue: She holds the record of being the world no. 1 for the most consecutive weeks in women's tennis

Readers can send their answers to ttbihar@abp.in

Remember to mention your name, address, class, school and email id. Please send only one answer.