Summer

Summer is on the threshold, like a newly wed bride waiting to nudge that tumbler of rice.

Summer is...
When soft breezes caress you every evening
When mothers try in vain to contain the restlessness of little kids
When gulli dandas and cricket rule little by-lanes and streets
When swimwear emerges shyly from the closets
When little boys and girls overcome their fear of water
When bottles and jars make their annual appearance on kitchen counters
When many a knot is tied and new bonds are forged
When a chilled lemonade on a sweltering noon seems like manna from heaven
When tender coconuts and watermelons jostle for space in noisy markets
When jhoolas swing to and fro under shady trees
When youngsters keep aside their books with ill-concealed glee