Adventures of Raghu - the gift of water!

“Mother!!!” shouted Raghu from the bathroom in the midst of his morning bath. “Yes dear! What is it?” replied his mother from downstairs. “The water in the tap has stopped and I’m in the middle of my bath mother! Can you please get me a spare bucket of water?” His mother frowned – “This water shortage is giving us such a hard time. It’s the peak of summer and there isn’t even enough water to take a bath in” said Raghu’s mother to herself as she gave Raghu a bucket of water that she had filled and kept the previous day.

“Here you go. Use it preciously Raghu, we’ve run out of water.”

The sun was scorching outside, summer was on it’s way out but the rains that everyone was eagerly looking forward to had just not arrived yet. Water scarcity had taken over the town and everyone was using each drop of water rather conservatively.

It was a Sunday and after spending the morning playing his favorite computer games, Raghu was sitting to study in his room after lunch. All of a sudden his eyes moved towards his window as he saw darkness setting in. He went near his window to see grey clouds covering the sky. “Oh my god!!” cried out Raghu happily, “I think it’s finally going to rain!!!!”

As Raghu opened his window and took his hand out to feel whether the drizzle had started, the first drop of rain hit Raghu’s rain parched skin.

Raghu smiled, it was here, the long awaited drought was finally over!!! Raghu quickly phoned Meera – “Meera come over, its going to rain real hard, let’s play outside on my terrace!!!”

A few drops slowly took on momentum, as within a few minutes it was heavily pouring. Initially the coolness of the rain could not be felt as each object emitted the fire it carried from the past summer. Slowly it however cooled down and everywhere one looked you could see kids, adults, animals enjoying the long- awaited monsoon showers. Even the plants and trees seemed to be laughing as the rain washed off their dusty, tired leaves. As Meera came over, she and Raghu went onto the terrace to dance in the rain and splash water in the puddles.

“Just put your head up and feel the droplets on your face Meera, it’s so much fun” shouted Raghu. It was a big celebration.

Just as they were playing, Raghu and Meera noticed Raghu’s mother had brought out a few big buckets and put them out on the terrace to fill with water. “This will serve us for at least two days. We can use it for bathing, washing and toiletries” said Raghu's mother. “Mother that’s a great idea!!!” shouted Raghu.

“Hey Raghu, let’s find out how to get a big water tanker to put outside your house to collect the water that leaks out of the drainage.

 We can collect and store the rain water there and you can use it for so many different purposes around the house. I’ve read it’s called rain water harvesting.” Raghu laughed. “Meera, you can find something interesting to make out of everything! I think it’s a great idea though!”Both the kids decided they would work on this project once the rain stopped so that they could store rain water to use for day to day activities for the rest of the rainy season.

For now they were however just enjoying the smell of wet earth, the rain falling on their bodies and the beginning of the beautiful, thunderous monsoon season!

Adventures of Raghu - the joys of water!!!

“Raghu, Meera and Dev, all of you come out here into the driveway and lawn to help me with some washing!” shouted Raghu’s mother from the lawn outside Raghu's window. It was 4:30 in the afternoon and the three kids were lazing around in Raghu’s room, busy on the computer and playstation. Raghu and Meera ran outside with Dev trotting along behind them slowly. “I don’t know why aunt Megha always has to call us to do chores around the house when we’re busy playing” complained Dev to himself grumpily.

The picture that lay outside was different from what they had expected though.

There were 3 buckets of water with a little bit of soap water in them, sponges, some cleaning brushes, water guns which were laying around from Holi  and the water pipe was placed on the side. “What are we supposed to do?” asked Raghu from his mother. “I want you all to clean the cars, driveway, water the lawn and clean the windows of the house. I know you guys will love this because it’s all water work, but be careful not to waste water” said his mother as she walked into the house. "This is gonna be fun!" called out Meera as she went to pick up a bucket of soap water and sponge.

The three of them were immediately down to work. They all loved getting wet in water in the summer and just needed a reason. Raghu’s mother knew that and had found just the right way to get these kids outside, do some work and have fun!

Sponge in hands, Raghu got to work cleaning up his bike and scrubbing the two cars in the driveway with the soap water.

Meera began scrubbing the window panes outside the house, while Dev began watering the plants in the lawn with the water pipe. Every now and then Dev would sprinkle a little water on himself and laugh in the sheer joy of it!

Everyone was thoroughly busy and didn’t know how time flew by. “Hey Dev, I need the pipe now to wash off the soap from the cars!” called out Raghu.

“Coming!” said Dev as he turned the pipe towards the driveway, straight onto the car where Raghu was standing. Raghu was completely drenched and charging towards Dev. “I’m gonna get you guy!”  “Okay guys, Let’s first finish the work then we’ll play” called out Meera responsibly. Both boys laughing came back to the driveway and started cleaning the soap off the cars and bike with the water pipe, playing with the water as they did so!

“Now the window panes!” said Meera as she took the pipe and cleaned the soap off the window panes outside the house. As she was finishing, she didn’t notice, both Raghu and Dev steal up behind her with water guns in hands.

Shouting, running in the lawn, playing, screaming, laughing, all three of them took turns to get each other wet with the remaining soap water in the buckets and the water pipe.

A little later Raghu’s mother came outside with popsicles in bowls for the three kids.

“Okay kids you deserve this after all the work you’ve gotten done!” she said as she handed each of them a rainbow colored popsicle. “This was so much fun aunt Megha!” cried out Dev as he hugged his aunt. They all laughed and enjoyed their popsicles. What better way to spend a hot summer evening!