SUMMER HOLIDAYS

From Sampath’s Desk:

SUMMER HOLIDAYS

 

True to the saying, ‘Variety is the spice and charm of life’, we have different climate seasons. Every continent or country experiences unique climatic conditions with virulence and longevity of each season varying from one another. In tropical countries located on and close to the Equator, summer would not only be more severe but also be longer in duration. As for India, in summer, especially during the dog days that mainly fall during May, the hot conditions would be harsh and hostile with the mercury hovering well above 40º C throwing up a slew of heat related discomforts.

 

However, it would be interesting to note that God has designed the nature such that succour is an in-built element of comfort even in adversity. Again, as some philosophers insist that God would always give a problem with an intrinsic mechanism for relief, we have a lot of thirst quenchers in summer. For example, in the parched summer when the scorching sun inflicts sweltering heat and related discomforts, we do have rescuers in the form of certain Nature’s bounties like breeze, watermelons, cucumber, palm-fruits, tender-coconuts, etc., that are water-rich and thirst-quenchers. Nature’s bounties are always a source of joy and comfort.

 

When India was under the British rule, the summer season was chosen for vacation for schools, colleges and courts of law since the English people who were in key positions then, unable to bear the hot conditions they were not used to in their native places, would go holidaying in cool places like hill resorts such as Ooty, Darjeeling, Nainital, Dalhousi, Moussarie, etc. In fact, Shimla was the Summer Capital of the British India.

 

Come summer holidays, children would roll up their sleeves for a fun-filled season. While children would look out for ways to have a field day, parents would be keen and hard pressed to keep them indoors and try to engage them busy otherwise specifically on studies for the next academic year. For children, summer is always a season to enjoy notwithstanding the heat everywhere outside. When I was a schoolboy, I remember to have never minded the hot summer days, and braving the heat and sweat it produced, we children would be at play all the time. For, other seasons especially rains would only confine us to our homes.

                                                                                

However the middle-aged and elderly would always mutter and murmur thus, “What is this summer holding us to ransom? Last year the summer wasn’t this bad; this year it is too hot and profusely sweating; it was somewhat subdued and benign last year, I suppose?” Actually, the summer would by and large be what it normally used to be almost every year! It is only the psyche of the individual that makes him/her feel a difference!

 

Chennai (earlier Madras) had a lot of avenues and shelter giving places in those days which served as venue and safe haven for our play times. We, the boys, used to play in the Government estate nearby today's 'Kalaivanar Arangam' (then Baalar Arangam, means 'Children's theatre) and also in the Island Grounds a little away. We also would have a walk or run on the wet seashore of the Marina Beach even during noon/mid-day times remaining intrepid. Even braving the heat we would enjoy the sea-waves fondling and caressing the sandy stretches and our legs too as we walked along, ran and/or played there. Splashing the water on one another was a naughty and amusing pastime for us. Beach-bath was of course a rare entertainment, if not a daily routine albeit the salinity of the seawater. When we had some money, a rare visit to swimming pool to beat the scorching Sun could not be ruled out. We would deeply dig the dry sandy stretches of the beach to find water to drink, hygiene and health being the casualty. I used to wonder how come the underground water in the sandy stretch is quite drinkable while the water of the sea meters away was too salty!  

 

Today Chennai is a big cluster of concrete jungles with massive felling of trees, thanks to increasing urbanization, industrialization and infrastructure building. One could hardly see trees on the sides of the roads and streets that used to flank the pathways and thoroughfares those days. Avenues remain mere names bereft of its purport. There is a never-before-felt need to grow many trees in our urban centres. Come on; let us make our cities and towns more comfortable to live in with a vast green cover.

 

 

R.SAMPATH

 17/6/2016