An Ancient Memory

Greetings!

It has been raining a lot this year. 

But as the cold winds invaded our hemisphere, the clouds dispersed.

The Sun too, got an opportunity to spread warmth over the day, through these gusts. 

Just like swirls of golden yellow through a pale blue canvas.   

Few days back it was told that there is a cyclone coming up somewhere near the coast, and it may bring in the rains.

I could see in the faces of people, that this was as unwelcome as a wayward draft of cold wind in a warm quilt in this season!

Anyhow, the nature, as is her majestic unassuming and yet unrelenting style - brought in the dark clouds. Those harbingers of monsoon when the time is right and ominous sun-blocking mood-crushing shapeless vagabonds when it is not!

It had been grey, gloomy and dull since morning. The sky seemed pregnant with rain but was bearing it with a cover of fluffy whitish clouds at the edges.

And then, nearer to the evening, as the grey started showing orange-saffron hues, it happened!

But, it wasn’t worthy of the day-long pregnant pause of the Sun. 

It was just a teasing misty spray.

The Sun, who seemed to have almost given up the hope and taking back warmth for the day. The Wind, used to a dry and sometimes prickly demeanor for many many days. 

Both were in for a surprise.

And what a surprise it was!!!

A hearty, heady, all pervading one. 

It was given by the Earth, bereft of touch from the Water... since a long time. 

She had been holding on to the fulfilling, quenching memories from monsoon.

And as she was touched by just a teasing misty spray, she could not hold on to it anymore! 

The Earth shared these memories as the hearty, heady, all pervading fragrance! 

I wonder, with this fragrance, why do our senses, our hearts, just expand limitlessly and yet cannot take in enough of the earthy fragrance?

Is it because it reminds us of the origins of our bodies, sculpted from the Earth, nurtured by the Sun and nourished by the Water? 

The Water that is at once a symbol of closeness and a result of farness between the Sun and the Earth.

I have seen people live in the memories of loved ones through the warm touch and fragrance of their bodies through a piece of cloth that they would have worn.

Does this earthy fragrance remind us of our own pure beginnings as we too, were formed through this magical union?

Perhaps, it does.

Perhaps this fragrance, all pervading, yet ephemeral, triggers an ancient memory that reminds us of our rootedness, our vulnerability and our innocence. 

Or perhaps, it’s just another one of unassuming and unconcerned tricks up the sleeve of the almighty Nature.

Who knows?

Sincerely Mine!

Anand Kulkarni