Rain in Riyadh!

There was a rain to refresh the dusty soil of Riyadh yesterday! The clouds started gathering by afternoon and I had closed the windows in fear of sand storm. Then by late afternoon I heard the little chatter at my windowpanes. The water was splashing out in its full glory.

The Bitter gourd vein at my window sill

The potted plants at my windowsill that I had forgotten to water in the morning lifted their head in merry. The bitter gourd veins extended their slender hands out into the air. I always wondered about them. They always used to grow back out of the sun. Here they were soaking each of their leaves in little droplets.

I woke Shreya from her afternoon nap and took her out. All along the four corridors surrounding the middle courtyard of our apartment I saw familiar faces. Mothers like me are enjoying with their little ones. Be it from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Saudi Arabia; here the threads of rain evoke the same feeling.

The rain in a desert certainly has a beauty of its own. The rain becomes so refreshing when it comes unexpected.

The Riyadh rain is so different from the rain I’ve seen at Kerala, Pondicherry and Bangalore. Here the rain comes silently. One has to wait for it and keep the eye open for it to see its silver line dropping down. The rain neither makes the music as the Kerala monsoon nor does it celebrate its arrival with violent thunder or lightening as the Pondicherry rain. 

Unlike the uncertain and overwhelming Bangalore rain, Riyadh rain is so silent, may be attributing its character to the traditional native women. It doesn’t even bang against the windowpane to announce its arrival. The sky will be dark for a long time. Newcomers like me might close the doors and windows thinking that the dark sky is an announcement for the oncoming sandstorm. I had missed the Riyadh rain like this for so many times. 

Once you see the Riyadh rain it’s a treat for anyone who loves the rain. Before we notice the silver lines, the refreshing smell of rain on the dry sand will evoke us. The silver threads will drop for minutes clearing the sky into a bright array of dazzling colours. The sunshine will clear the water, leaving a refreshing feel into the minds of those who watched the nature’s performance.

The doves on our windows will dry their feathers and fly to their next destinations. The sunny day will come back as if there was no dark sky or silver line drops. Then again I would keep watch for the next rain that may come and go in silence.