There was a time when the citizens of Karachi used to hunger for a few droplets of rain, a little booming thunder, sky overcast, and some thundering winds. Needless to say, yours truly was also one of them. But times have changed. The sky darkening is not really a bright aspect anymore. In fact, the darkening of the sky mirrors my mood, for it’s been long since I have truly enjoyed the rain. When a little droplet of rain falls from the sky, it doesn’t really result in a whoop of excitement from me, when heavy rain pelts down, there is an ever-increasing worry. Alas! The memories of childhood, when I would run to the roof to sing and dance in the rain, to pray to God that the rain doesn’t stop for anytime soon.. well.. these have just become a thing of the past.
I write this on July 06, 2010. My weather channel forecast predicts heavy rain for tomorrow, an 80% chance. I had to cancel my plans for a day out with my friends tomorrow, because of this dreaded rain. Well, no one really understands why I use the word ‘dreaded’. Some would, but the majority would not.
It’s quite cruel, but perhaps this IS life, that I used to read in the newspaper about the destruction caused by rain to people who live in slum areas or who have no roof over their heads, or who do not have drainage facilities. I also never really understood why the maids never come when it’s raining very hard. Well, now it’s quite real to me. All of it.
The inadequate drainage system of Karachi (a beautiful city, I love it here!), is the reason for the major worries caused by the rain in Pakistan. Quite ironically, the city of Karachi is also called the City of Lights, but a little droplet of rain results in intensive load-shedding.
But why go about what we read in the newspaper? Why watch how many people have been made homeless by the extensive rain? Let us not rely on statistics, but on personal experience.
August 17, 2006. The first time life was basically turned upside down for a good two months. There was heavy rain, thunder boomed, and something quite unexpected happened. Due to the low lying area in which my house is built, and the gutters which backfired, dark, murky water actually came inside the house! We were forced to flee on the roof, because it was quite unbearable to EVEN sit in the house, due to the smelly water. WELL, the water in the streets was at least 5 feet high, and in the house, well, it was a good 2 feet. And all of the time, there was only one thing on my mind…What will happen to our stuff? When the next day, the rain halted, and some rays of sunlight came, we ventured downstairs to see literally everything destroyed. Books, furniture, electrical appliances. It wasn’t that the rain was too heavy. It was only because there is no adequate drainage system; the gutters are not cleaned regularly by the municipal government. And well, no one actually bothered to cover the losses that were incurred by majority of the houses in the area in which I live in.
The most frustrating thing is that there is no solution to this problem. At our end, we can clean our house gutters, but what about the MAIN gutters who have not been cleaned for AGES? And what about the fact that on the left hand side of our area, there is an army residential area, who seem to think that OUR area is the appropriate drainage system for THEIR rain water? Oh. They just open up all the pipes, so that the gutters that are already groaning under our society’s rain water, also have to taken in the water of other society? And during meetings with them, they were quite uncooperative. And THEN my friends ask why I am so opposed to the army! Well, they might get to enjoy the rain, but I am forced to put away my belongings in a safe place, and I am forced to clean the house every time it rains and the water comes inside the house.
The problem lies unsolved even after four years. At our end, we have built walls around the gutters so that the water doesn’t come. But we never know whether it will work. And every time, the clouds gather on the sky, oh, no! I don’t think of something nice. I don’t think of pakoras! I don’t think of running out in the rain, and laughing my heart out. For laughing out aloud will be like laughing at myself! There is hardly ANYTHING romantic about running around in the smelly water, gathering the possessions and fleeing to friends or relatives house for a few days so that we don’t have to abide in OUR smelly house, which by the way, we have to clean after the rain finally stops.
There is, however, no point ranting on and on, no one really listens. Everyone is self absorbed in their worlds, and let’s just forget about the government. Only thing is, rain is NOT a bright prospect. Rain is NOT romantic. And I pray every monsoon season that it doesn’t rain!
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