Rain That Drains Adobes

It is raining outside, with unmatched vigor and intensity. From the window of my office I can see people rejoicing as soothing drops of water drench them from tip to toe. Couples, looking amorously and longingly at their respective partners, are wandering aimlessly in the adjacent Nagia Park. Traffic is a bit slow but not snail paced. Cars are moving, and people sitting inside them are stretching their hands out of the window. Some of these beautiful hands belong to little children. When small drops of water fell on their tiny hands it feels as if pearls are rolling across their palms. While watching them I feel happy, but, at the same time, thought of some less privileged rather poor children who I daily collide with on my way to office and back home diminishes the level of my pleasure.

Rain does bring respite, but not for everyone. For many, it is an unwelcoming natural occurrence that brings nothing but destitution, unemployment and illness. I reside in North Campus of the prestigious Delhi University, and feel proud to let people know Hindu College is my home. Some construction work is going on in full swing nearby Hindu. Mere mention of any construction automatically indicates that the site will be surrounded by heaps of concrete, stock of cement sacks, scattered bricks and, most importantly, workers and poor laborers. Many of them are homeless with no proper roof to cover their heads.

They do not face the fury or destiny alone; their families are with them. Wives of many men go along with them to work whereas others’ stay at home to look after little toddlers. A little negligence and some of these toddlers do not take much time to crawl to the mid of the road. Thank God traffic in North Campus is not as rough and dense as compare to other parts of the city!

A few meters long plastic sheet which they use to erect a tent like structure is their temporary home. After the construction of a site come to an end these people shift their bases to another site of construction. During these various phases of displacement, the plastic sheet of few meters, which comes in varied colors, remain constant in their permanent possessions. The same sheet will be dexterously used to make temporary homes- homes that are often demolished either by strong winds or intense rains.

I know when I will go home in the evening most of the laborers will be struggling with the blue or yellow sheet, trying to erect their adobe with a hope that forthcoming rains and winds would not harm their nest.