Looking at those heavy dark clouds splattering water on the land reminded her something sort of “reverse ocean”. Ahana loves rain, and thinks as if an ocean has turned itself up and pouring the excess water out through a sieve. With a winsome smile, she was endeared by every drop of deluge rainwater falling against her face. 

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Ahana Mukherjee, 24 years old lass, had a different philosophy towards life. She welcomes each day of her life with open arms, which makes her exuberant.

A violin teacher, who enjoys every second while teaching violin to her students. She thinks music lies everywhere, in the murmur of talking, in the foot steps while walking, running vehicles on road, in moving train on tracks, in the mooing of cow, in the cycle bells, even in the whistle of the pressure cooker. And what she loves the most is playing her violin in rain. Because for her, music lies even in the sound of its rain water. She changes her strings according to the musical note created by the pattering rain.

At around 5:30 PM, on her way back to home, it came, the Rain. She couldn’t wait to reach home and playing her instrument of passion.

She needs to cross the road to board her public transport. She was standing under a shade, opposite of the road, waiting for the traffic signal to turn green. As soon as she opened her umbrella and tried to cross the road on green signal, she was pulled a fast one on by the gusty wind and heavy rain droplets. They mischiviously snatched the umbrella from her hand and threw it few steps away.

In her own thought she first smiled, and went back to get her umbrella. While lifting the umbrella, she saw fumbled feet, wearing a pair of sporty shoes, approaching towards her.

It was a woman in her thirties. She was a stout woman, wearing a long salwar kameez, and a sunglass, holding a cane, which guides her when no one is around. Yes! She was a blind lady.

Owing to a soft heart, Ahana gently replied to her anxious face and feelings, “where you want to go, aunty?”

“Oh dear, could you please make me cross the road, I need to get my bus from the opposite stand”, said the lady with uneasiness in her voice.

“Oh Sure, why not!” said Ahana and gripped her hand from one hand and tried to hold the umbrella with another. But, it was such a deluging and loud rain that even an umbrella couldn’t prove its worth. This made them stepping back to afore position.

Fretfully, the blind lady said, “Oh Jesus, it’s raining so hard, I will get drenched. But I need to catch the bus and reach the church before 7. Else the mass will start, and I don’t want to miss it dear because it is Easter today.”

Looking at those wrinkled eyebrows, which was partially covered by the sunglass, Ahana consoled her and said, “Oh don’t worry. This time you hold the umbrella and I will hold you” with a smothered laugh. This saying made both of them to grin in unison.

While she was explaining the strategy for crossing the road by holding the umbrella and all, suddenly she was drawn back in her thoughts. She thought, this blind lady is missing the most beautiful gift of nature happening rite there. The Rain.

“So what if she is blind, she can feel it”, thought the lively Ahana.

Ahana was a gal who loved to sprawl a realm of positivity wherever she is. In the commotion of her deep thoughts, she decided to introduce the lady to the awesomeness of the Rain.

It was a while away and the lady asked, “What happened beta, lets move.”

Laughingly, Ahana replied, “Oh yes!sure. But tell me one thing Aunty, do u like rain?”

“I don’t know, Beta. I have never seen it. I think it must be beautiful, but for me it becomes difficult to reach my destination when it rains.” said the lady with a heavy heart.

“Aunty, I might sound stupid to you but just forget it that you cannot see things, its okay you are blind, not a big deal. Don’t let your ailment come in between this present moment. Enjoy it Aunty. And you know what, sometimes stupidity fetches you peace in heart than being in a logical or rational sense.” Somewhere the words of Ahana spelled a magic in her. She actually forgot that she can’t see, and started enjoying the very moment.

Ahana pulled her hand under the rain, all though she was keeping the umbrella open but even the God has the same plan that day. The umbrella got folded backwards with the gusty wind, but this time they didn’t step back.


“And the umbrella is gone again”, said Ahana, which made a loud laugh under the open sky in unison.

“Let it be aunty, don’t care about it. Just feel the droplet, let it touch your heart.”

Hearing that, the lady looked up and felt the sound of the water droplets pouring against her face. She felt as if Lord Jesus caressed her face and whispering “Live it and Love it, my child” like a feather rolling into her ears. Adrenaline was rushing into her body, she started swaying her face against the rainwater with a childish smile on her face. She could feel the coldness of the drop; indeed she was very much into that moment.

While being in that moment, suddenly the watch caught Ahana’s attention and reminded her that the lady is supposed to reach the church by 7. She said in scurry, “Come aunty, the light has turned green now, lets cross the road.” She then pulled her hand gently and made her cross the road without any shield from rain.

Finally, both of them reached the stop. Ahana in her own thoughts, waiting eagerly to reach home and play the Violin, but then as soon as she looked at the Aunty, she felt really bad as the lady was totally drenched. With a low voice, she uttered, “Aunty I am really sorry, but you are drenched, take my hanky if you need but I just wanted you to have a smile and live the moment. Sorry but it was intended to have fun.” And her voice went in gravity.

The lady didn’t utter a word, she just caressed on her face and said, “you must be the most beautiful creation of god my dear. Be as you are.” Her voice was shivering, not because of cold but coz of heaviness in her heart. She was crying, but it was hard for Ahana to discern the rain water from tears, which were rolling on her cheek.

She just left for her destination with the cane. But Ahana was just awestruck, she did not want her to cry, but with her innocence, she had gifted the most precious gift to a lady who has never seen her face. A smile, a zeal to live every moment without letting any ailment come in between.


6 Responses
  1. Anonymous Says:

    Touching! This story reminds me of a famous quote by Italo Calvino which says " It is not the voice that commands the story; it is the ear".


  2. "sometimes stupidity fetches you peace in heart than being in a logical or rational sense.” would be my catch phrase.

    Wow! Maumita! Ahana Mukherjee seems to be an extension of your inner self. Excellent piece of writing which is as effective as it is moving. Keep it up!


  3. Unknown Says:

    Good job! I see how beautifully you have captured the details..the nature..the charachters..the beauty of the unseen.. fab!


  4. Unknown Says:

    W0W...very nice article Maumi


  5. Thank you all for your time and encouraging words. They mean a lot to me :)


  6. tania Says:

    The short story is surreal and quite moving. But i have few questions rather comments, starting with,
    Why would a 24 years lady refers to a lady in 30s as aunty?
    The Blind lady was in a hurry still she spend almost 15 minutes (as per your storyline), and if i`m not wrong bus do have fixed timing so why would she let a stranger teach her the meaning of rain?
    I did`nt like the point that you stereotyped a blind person as unhappy,
    and we do not cross road, when the light turns green rather when it turns red (Excerpts: She said in scurry, “Come aunty, the light has turned green now, lets cross the road.”).


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