Winter suddenly gave way to spring. The westerly wind had chilled one to the
bone in the winter months. ‘Pachhua’, ‘Pachhon’, ‘Pachhadiya’. It had dried out
and removed many a troublesome fungus and infection. The fields of wheat and
mustard had huddled together while the dew bathed them before the coming of the
dawn and the westerly dried them out.
With the
arrival of spring, the winds played games of freshness, blowing now from the
north, now from the east, and now from heaven itself. The soft
sunlight caressed. The light showers rejuvenated. Dogs ran around excitedly and
children could not get enough of play. A dozen hues of green tempted birds and
bees and children. Crops in the fields and flowers everywhere sprang upwards.
So did the fodder, and the cows shared the bonhomie, and the flavour of the
milk seemed to change.
Sometimes
the old women broke into song.
The westerly blew steady and soon started to change the texture of the land. The wheat went from green
to brown to golden. The wind gathered heat from the scorching sun and burnt
over the scalding land, baking and sterilizing all in its path. It howled by
day in the trees and sent all living beings scurrying for shade and water. It
moaned in the darkness of the night and gave voice to the efforts of the day
gone by and the toil of the one to come. Again, the sun and the wind joined
forces to wipe out many a scourge of infection and disease to animals and
plants.
The
howling summer wind from the west earned itself a name, the ‘Looh’. The heat
was almost unbearable, but people knew the Looh to be their friend, albeit a
friend that stretched the limits of their endurance.
“Looh, the hot west
wind
A steady west wind is blowing.
It starts somewhere in Eurasia where children screw up their eyes
against its icy sting.
It crosses the desert plateaus of Turkey and Afghanistan, picking up the
scent of sheep and camel and rocky wastelands where men stand tall and women
love fiercely.
Crossing the Hindukush it picks up the relentless energy of those bygone
travellers who brought down caravan loads of exotic mystery, and took back the
yearnings of many a young Heer.
The rich plains from Peshawar on give it fragrance, and the brave hearts
of the people give it warmth.
The tinkling laughter of the belles on the dunes of Thar, the gentle
comeliness of the Jatties of Majha, the doe eyed grace of the Kaurs, princesses, of Doaba and Malwa, the rustic exuberance of
the Jatnees of Puadh, give it h-e-a-t...
The Himalaya, abode of the gods, stand steadfast and the wind pays
obeisance, sweeping dust as it bows at their feet....
The fleeting caress of Ganga; mother, beauty, goddess; makes it moan.
And the farmer threshing his wheat in the Tarai is overwhelmed as the Looh
sings its tale in the poplars....”
It took
almost three months for the wind to
really turn around. Now it blew from the east, the ‘Poorab’, or ‘Poorv’. It
came laden heavily with moisture from the far-off ocean. It carried the promise
of the coming rains, the monsoon. It carried hope to hearts charred by the
heat, it brought life to the parched land. Peacocks danced, as did all other
animals, and plants, and seemingly the stones too. Brown turned to green and the
earth abounded with promise.
The cool,
refreshing wind that set every heart singing, the wind of hope, promise and
life, and faith that the heavens would soon pour, was called the ‘Purvai’, ‘Pura’,
‘Purvaiya’…
A young couple
named their little daughter Purva…Poorva…
Watch and listen to these, and you'll see the 'Purvai effect'.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l8_2-YhQa0
(This one is a late starter and the lyrics come only after about 3.30 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSqwfhYAoxs
“Zeina Glo brings you the radiant
glow of inner peace, good health and attendant beauty.
Zeina Glo helps you strip off layers
of inhibitions, hesitation, and cynicism, allowing your thoughts and emotions
to flow freely.
Zeina Glo helps to douse the flames
of insecurity and guilt, to open the windows of mind and body to the cool fresh
breeze of love.
Zeina Glo encourages you to
spread inner peace, good health, radiance, exuberance, warmth,
joy and the glow from your inner being.
Zeina Glo brings the beauty of your
own thoughts back to you!!”
For, questions,
criticism or advice, please post comments here, or write to zeinaglo@rediffmail.com or zeinaglow@gmail.com
