I am sure everyone is happy that it rained over the weekend. Though delayed by almost a month compared to the standard schedule, monsoon started everywhere else a week before and finally it is good that Hyderabad is catching up as well. Hope this is not a false alarm like it happened a few weeks ago. But anyways, as I declared today in facebook, I flipped the mattress this morning. So, summer is officially over. Cheers!

Here are some scientific facts you need to consider to believe that I personally am the reason for the rain over the weekend:

I had to attend a wedding on Friday evening. A school friend got married somewhere deep inside the old city. This would be my first attendance for Islam wedding so was curious to see how it’s done and especially how it is different, if any. I had to be there by 7pm. I started at 7 from home and caught up with a three other friends on the way and reached Charminar by 8pm.

I didn’t have my camera with me. Normally I would, but this being my first Islam wedding I was not sure of the laws-of-the-land. I preferred not to carry my cam compared to any trouble or inconvenience or even embarrassment there. But then, how can I stand in front of Charminar and NOT take a picture? For a moment, I was a tourist in my own city! What an awesome monument in Hyderabad! Last time I stood there was when I gave BCA semester exams. One of the colleges in that area was my examination center and I therefore had a glance of the Charminar few times that week. And before that: when I was in seventh standard when we came to Hyderabad on a class trip.

I survived the moment by my inability to take a picture anyway and reached the venue. It was 8.30pm. We entered the function hall and were the first four to be present there. Surprising! We sat in a nearby café for Irani Chai and called our groom friend to find out the status. He said he would be there in an hour. I wasn’t very impressed but what if that’s how the weddings are? We were chatting and catching up on all old memories for an hour and called him around 9.30pm. We were told the wedding party would arrive in 30 mins. Meanwhile, another friend joined us. I wanted to leave but they convinced me to stay for 30 more mins and decide if the wedding didn’t start by then. 10pm when we called, the status hasn’t changed much. Expected wait time was 20-25 mins to START the wedding. I promised another friend to see him by 10-10.30 and so I left without even saying hi to the groom. It was bad of me but they were already three hours behind the schedule! Being night could be a little problem but more than that it was somewhere deep inside the old city. And it was Friday! I wouldn’t even know how to get out of there if I have no company!

I had to make my own dinner arrangement then. I checked my wallet and was low on cash. Target one: ATM. After much roaming the streets in the old city, found one and withdrew some cash. Target two: Chicken Biryani. It was lucky of me to see a ‘Kababish’ center (popular food chain in Hyderabad). We had food there multiple times so kind of trusted vendor. I picked up a biryani and then the grilled chicken was tempting outside. Got a bird and started off. From there, it’s an hour to my friend’s place easily- through Rajendra nagar, zoo park, mehdipatnam, kondapur, miyapur and what not. All the while my friend and I were updating each other on the status of ATM and food. And we figured out- as we have a grilled bird and a chicken biryani, how about some beer? Target three: beer. After a few stops (damn beer shortage in the city) I could find some at premium price. After 45 minutes of city sub-urban area tour, reached the friend’s place at 11.30pm.

Oh, by the way, the reason for rain? I was on bike all the while. I normally hate to stop multiple times on the way anywhere except for clicking some pictures. This night, I stopped for a dozen times and I had to! I didn’t want to wade through the old city traffic with car, so I decided to hop on Activa. That was it! Adding to all the trouble (fun in a way of course) I was going through that night, what else can make it worse? (or more fun?). It’s the rain!! And therefore, it started. Why else would it rain on that very night while millions of population has been waiting for more than a month now! And am sure if I had stepped out in my car, it wouldn’t have rained. So, you’re welcome in advance for all the thank you messages. And I apologize for the delay in getting the monsoon. I will gear up next year and make sure to get it in time!