God Agni’s Revenge

God Agni’s Revenge

5 June 2017 Off By Naginder Sehmi

God Agni’s revenge, 4 June 2017
It looks that Agni is preoccupied with world’s climate problems. It’s understandable when he, rather she, had to handle difficult persons like Mr Trump. Naturally she did not notice me, a retired hydrologist. Not long ago, I was engaged in a campaign of elevating drought in some parts of the world, of course with the help of the hidden hand of  the rain-god Indra.
In January my daughter from San José called, “ You’re a hydrologist, do something. It has not rained for six years in California. People are suffering.”
No sooner had I set my foot down a week later, the rain god appeared in full splendor for three weeks. California’s thirst was fully quenched . But god Indra became over enthusiastic. He caused floods, innudations and triggered landslides blocking the road at the most scenic points stopping me driving along the picturesque Pacific coast route. He made me go inland and spend the night in the well known university town of San Luis of Obisipo. The inland highway took me to Monterey where I turned back to the south. Besides watching the wonderful beauty of marvelous sites I landed in the house of the famous writer Henry Miller (author of Tropic of Cancer) still in its original form.  I noticed that Californians were pleased with Indra.

Then I got myself invited to a wedding of a distant Canadian relative. I landed in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 13 May. Monsoon rains were hesitant to arrive. May be I was slow to show up. Or was it to allow me enjoy the wedding celebrations in the tropical blue sky for a few days.  Nevertheless, I noticed the furious sea beating against the shore. I thoroughly enjoyed the marriage of Jassi, a Canadian/Kenyan Sikh to Caroline, a Canadian Sri Lankan Tamil, both finishing their medical studies. On the fifth day, I joined twenty five mostly ex-Kenyan Sikhs a guided coach-tour northwards to Anuradhapur. I sensed the rain-god Indra catching up with me. Two days after l parted Colombo, pre-monsoon rains struck the city and the surounding country with considerable violence causing floods and much demage to life and property.

Like you I started to suspect that I was the cause of all that good and bad.
My landing in Bengaluru (Bangalore) was scary. A powerful gust made the plane swing and jump before straightening coolly. Was that a foreboding. No sooner I got in my cousin Harmandir’s little car it started to rain cats and dogs. Traffic came to standstill. Trees uprooted , electric lines cut, roads blocked, and much damage to property. It took us more than two hours instead of twenty minutes to reach home. The unexpected can happen in tropical regions. I enjoyed the salubrious clime of Bengaluru with a trip to the hill station of Medikeri in the Coorg tribal region.
In the meantime, Agni god was furiously preparing to undo the makings of the hydrologist. He was waiting to inflict a special torture. I knew 37°C waiting me. From the plane window approaching Chandigarh I was happy to see white clouds flowing with my plane. I felt reassured somewhat – the rain-god Indra was accompanying me. I recounted my story to my host.
“We do not expect any rain yet. Monsoon is far away” he said.
Miracle. Next morning we received a very refreshing rain and the temperature dropped to a tolerable level. Proudly I presumed I had hydrologist’s luck with God Indra supporting me. That rain shower was only to hoodwink me.

Learning under 50°C in Tajpur village, Punjab

I reached my destination, Tajpur, the little village if my origin. 50°C hit me. What luck my room AC is working. But it is struggling to keep the room less warm. I dare not go out lest Agni god himself might grab me and melt me to nothing. Then I saw school children of different ages sitting on a bare chapai and two teachers on chairs in the shade of the house entrance. They seemed unconcerned by the torid heat. For them doing their homework or preparing for the next day’s lesson seemed their objective.

For three long days I endured Goddess Agni’s revenge before I  realized my error and rushed home!