Who doesn’t love the rain? I know I do. But, I don’t exactly remember when I realized I was so much fascinated by rain and everything that it has to offer. The sudden splatter can light up my mood, and the earthy scent after rainfalls spurs a fresh and pleasant aroma. Downfalls are always fresh and beautiful. For me, the monsoon is the most awaited time of the year. My heart dances to the rhythm of the falling rain.

Slurping warm soup and sipping coffee with freshly cooked vegetable fritters is a must during rainy days. The sound of rain is very soothing. It’s a lullaby for grownups. I wonder how many people have experienced the heavenly sprinkles while hiking in lush green forests. 

As cliché as it may sound, rain is the epitome of romance.  It’s no surprise that people fall in love when it rains. We’ve seen it in movies. Even birds sing and dance when it is drizzling. Light rain in sunny days makes our heart happy and brings about a smirk on faces citing the clearing of dust. It’s even more wonderful when it rains because rain at least shuns the swirling of dust for a while.

Unfortunately, it has it’s drawback as well. Prolonged rainfalls have caused many parts of the country to be waterlogged. Houses and buildings submerge in the water from the sky. People, especially those living on the ground floor, have to experience hardship because of water invasion. In fact, it causes utmost chaos. 

Transportation stops because of flash floods. Even more, the floods and landslides claim many lives and paralyze the aid delivery. Recently, Bhaktapur experience a share of their hardship. I ponder, did engineers fail in planning and designing of the structures, or is it because of the capitalist mindset of the residents, and the authority that allowed residential construction in an agricultural land prone the rise in water level? 

I’ve always loved the rainfall but also despised it when it created chaos. It is best if we planned ways to make the most of the rainfall while sidelining the possible mishaps. 

Rai is a Civil Engineering student in Khwopa Engineering College, Bhaktapur.