Summer is
waiting, crouching in the shadows to leap upon us with an orange roar of
colour, heat and sweat. In the drama of the four seasons, summer is the
brightest. The Kashmir valley celebrates the Tulip festival in April at Siraj
Bagh, clasped in embrace of the scenic Zabrawan range, in Srinagar. Nearly 60
varieties of beautiful Tulips worship the sun in over 5 hectares of land.
Imagine
a living carpet caressed by the cool summer breeze, woven by the great
Architect of the Universe Himself! It is a changing kaleidoscope of red,
yellow, variegated pink, white, orange, light blue and magenta. The Kashmiris
celebrate this event by displaying their handicrafts and cultural programs.
Authentic Kashmiri cuisine is part of the festival. After last week’s events, I
wonder whether blood is good for the Tulips to grow? Vibrant life and the
tragic death of beautiful young people lie so closely woven together, here.
Summer
too is like that, let us decide to enjoy the joy and vibrancy of the season and
push the discomfort to the back of our minds. Welcome and celebrate the summer.
Plant the colourful, short lived summer flowers. Float them in water, in
artistic mud, wide mouthed, pots.
Celebrate
summer in the evening breezes in flower strewn gardens and lazy beaches.
Celebrate with raw mango juice and lime sherbet. This is the season for a
luxury bath – set apart time for your tryst with cool water sprays in the pool
and in the bath. Emperor Akbar had to get his ice from the Himalayan glaciers
on elephant back. We just need to keep the fridge well stocked. Wear a cool
attitude and retreat to cool air conditioned spaces at noon, instead of testing
your tolerance with outdoor tasks.
Create a
water spot for people who walk past your house. Fill the bird baths and set out
water for the squirrels. Happy summer holidays!
