Indian summer - Squalid to sublime
Indian summer - Squalid to sublime Why would I describe Indian summer's character ranging from squalid to sublime? You have to be a born Indian to appreciate why I am saying this. Misery and squalor of intense heat on one hand and sublime pleasure of cold shower, chilled beer, and luscious mangos. An Indian summer is at once several things together. It is hot, dusty, sweltering days and cool evenings, simultaneously smelly and aromatic, laden with a promise of mangoes, sarbats, sugar cane juice, chilled Beer, Gin and tonic, Kulfis, Ice Golas, the excitement of school closing, cricket on the beach, cricket on the streets, overcrowded parks and train stations. India assumes another shade of life in summer, more vibrant, alive, and earthy. Memories of my summers are fragrant like a bunch of Rajnigandha I buy from a florist at St Andrew's, like colorful Gulmohur flowers below our balcony in the compound of ancient st Anne’s church. My early childhood summers were all spent...