MONSOON

The monsoon has arrived in Gujarat, like some long awaited visit from a distant relative - looked for,  hoped for, waited for and then on arrival chaos with unexpected hiccups, as the deluge drowns everything.  Streets transformed into dams, children splash and swim in the deepest parts, grinning and cavorting and cars aquaplane through roads, sending up bow waves of water.  Whole streets become impassable as they turn into lakes.  Auto-rickshaws erect canvas flaps to the side of their vehicles, creating cosy interiors.  Everyone grins, there's a sense of camaraderie - "the monsoon has arrived",  prefixes every conversation.  Dry, arid Gujarat, the last State in India to receive rain, is awash with water - cleaning, scouring and renewing and the joy is palpable.