Imagine 8 months without precipitation. The weather is always warm, the sun is always out, and you can expect no rain. It's no wonder the wedding season begins after the monsoon rains go. Most of these 1000+ guest weddings are held outdoors due to their size. Just think - you don't need to worry about whether or not the weather will be good in these dry months. Rooftop parties and outdoor eating is basically guaranteed for this time as well. But then, just as others have the change of season, we finally experience the change from dry and unrelenting sun to cooler rains.
Mumbai doesn't have it that bad, heat-wise. Delhi, Kolkata and many other cities have been laboring with 43+ degree heat for the past month of May. (That's 43 Celsius = 114 Fahrenheit!!) We have maintained a fairly consistent high of 35 C = 95 F. In fact, we have had daily highs between 85 F and 95F for the whole time we have been here.
So, the rains come as a welcome relief.
Water, in general, is an interesting aspect of life here. Not just the monsoons.
We, in our high-rise, have never had a shortage of water. Trucks filled with water bring extra water to our apartment building. Have you seen them around your town? Water trucks?
Our driver and household help, however, receive water only during set times of the day. They need to store the water in 400+ liter containers to use for the rest of the day. Our driver can only get water from the water taps from 5:30 - 6 am in the morning and again from 6:30 - 7 at night. So, their home tank is filled during that time twice a day for their family water needs - bathing, washing dishes, water for cooking, cleaning vegetables, washing hands, drinking. Our cook can fill up her tank from 9pm until 1am at night. And, she has water delivered for her drinking needs because she doesn't really trust the water that she receives during that time for drinking.
What we take for granted...
You can find an interesting photo-story about the water pipes in Mumbai - some from the British days - at the following link:
http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-life-along-mumbais-waterpipes?image=18
The rain has stopped for the morning, the clouds are moving out to sea, and the heat has dried up most of the evidence of the rain I was just enjoying. Perhaps the roof-top parties can continue without concern for another few week or so.
