Monsoon romances: 'A different kind of love'

It was July 2008, and it was pouring cats and dogs in Bangalore. I was pregnant with our first child. Everyday we travelled from home to office on the bike, which would take somewhere between 45 minutes to an hour. On this particular day, we started back home from the office at 6 pm and within 5 minutes it started to rain -- first it was only a drizzle and then slowly it started to come down really hard. We stopped and waited for the rain to let up, but it only got harder and harder. Almost 45 minutes passed by the time it stopped and I was tired of standing; my husband saw me struggling and we decided to carry on in the mild drizzle. When we reached the bike, he gave me his helmet and his jacket and insisted that I wear it so that at least I will have some protection against the rain. It was the maximum he could offer me at that time and he gave me all that he had to protect me...

We started again and it started to rain in another 10 minutes, this time much heavier and the rain was hitting hard against his face, along with the wind. He couldn't even keep his face turned up and ride, so I suggested that we stop or for him to take back the helmet. He refused to take it and so we stopped and took shelter in the car park of a complex, totally drenched and cold. We were holding each other's hands and enjoying the rain.

When we started again, I hugged him tight and I could feel him shivering from the cold. To forget the chill, we started singing some old songs and laughing aloud telling each other jokes. After about a 2 hour ride and taking all the possible diversions because of road blockages (thanks to fallen trees) and driving through totally dark, unknown streets we reached home.

Now we have a car and we travel in it. On a raining day I think of that night when my husband gave me all that he had at that moment to protect me from the rain and cold and the pains he took driving carefully through dark streets not to give me the slightest of jerks. It still remains fresh in my memory...the monsoons taught me how lucky I was.

-- A Fortunate Wife

It was raining heavily at the park where I walk. All of us ran for shelter under a tree. There was a scrawny dog, no fat on her body except for her udders reaching the ground. She was whining and shivering. And near her sat the tiniest pup, also whining and shivering .The bitch was white and so was the pup, except it had a black patch near its eye. I tried to placate them but they both seemed so sad and hungry.

When the heavy downpour stopped, the mother ran out, leaving her pup probably scrounging for food. I left the park and the pup followed me.

There was a chai vendor outside. I was cold, so I asked for two cups of tea, which they serve in those plastic disposable cups. One I cooled and gave to the pup and one I had.

God knows what impulse I had, but I picked up the pup and brought him home with me. We call him Daku. The black patch near his eyes gives him a rakish look. And he has been my best friend since then.

I know it is not a conventional love story, but I did find Daku in the monsoons. He loves me, looks after me and looks up to me.

-- Anu Chopra, Ahmedabad

For a long time, we were colleagues and good friends in Mumbai, but she shifted to Bangalore because of her new job.

I was left heartbroken. I loved her since the day I knew her but never had the guts to tell her. Even though she was no longer in Mumbai, we were very much in touch through phone calls.

With every passing day, my love for her continued growing. I finally had no option but to tell her. We had met many times in Bangalore, but I had never gotten a chance to express my feelings.

It was July last year. Since there were no pending holidays, it was not possible for me to go to Bangalore. So I asked her if we could meet just for a day in Goa on a weekend.

We met in Goa in the rains -- the place looked so beautiful. After relaxing for some time at Calangute Beach, I hired a bike and drove her to Chapora Fort (it's the one featured in the movie Dil Chahta Hai).

Sitting on the ruined boundary of the fort, we talked for hours. It was raining and the view of the Arabian Sea from this height was just awesome. But I was lost in the beauty of the most beautiful girl on earth. She was very happy.

I could wait no longer to propose and told her that I wanted to marry her. She was a bit surprised, but she knew I meant it.

There was no further exchange of words, but deep inside our hearts we knew we were made for each other. She hugged me. The Rain god continued showering his blessings on us.

We now plan to get married sometime soon.

-- Rohan*, 25, Mumbai

*Name changed to protect privacy.

Share your monsoon memories with us -- we want to hear all about your romantic rainy liasons and experiences. Write in to us at getahead@rediff.co.in (subject line: 'Monsoon Romance') with your monsoon memories. Include your name, age and hometown (those who prefer to keep their identities private may do so) and tell us your love story -- the most interesting ones will be published right here on rediff.com.