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Memoirs
Summer
by Arya Bhushan
 Talking of summer, I am reminded of the various summers I have spent
from my early days. We were in India. It used to be blazing hot. The day
temperatures, sometimes, would go as high as 120 degrees in the shade.
Everyone, then, would want to go into a protective spot to escape from
the scorching heat of the Sun. There was no air conditioning, nor any
other cooling arrangements.
The rich people went away to the hill resorts which were much cooler.
The not so rich also made some arrangements suiting their means. They
would have screens made of Khus (a dry aromatic grass which when
made wet would cool the air with the evaporation of water and also give
out a sweet fragrance). The offices were also provided with these
screens so that the establishment could work comfortably. Of course
these screens had to be continuously kept wet with water for which labor
had to be employed. The labor was cheap then, there being many poor
people wanting employment.
The Government of India and the State Governments in the British days
were not satisfied even with these arrangements as the Englishmen, used
to cooler climates, could not bear this unbearable heat. They would,
thus, shift all their offices to the cooler climates. The summer
headquarters of the Government of India were at Shimla, while the state
Governments chose their own spots within their state. There would be
mass movements at the advent of summer, from plains to the hills and a
reverse exodus at the end of the season.
The poor had really a hard time. They would have no relief of any kind.
Even the nights were so hot that one could hardly get any sleep. The
temperature, during the night, often, would not go below 98 degrees.
Generally people would sleep under the starry sky and keep on gazing at
the stars, studying different constellations. One was so close to nature
and often thought of the Creator who brought all this marvel into being.
Another method of keeping cool during summer was to build houses with
thick walls and high ceilings to provide a cushion of air between the
roof and those living under it. Again from the ceilings, fans in the
shape of wooden beams, with wide cloth drapes attached to them, were
suspended. These fans were pulled to and fro by means of ropes. The
drapes created movement in the air helping the perspiration to dry. and
make you feel cool. Again these contraptions were only for the rich. The
ropes were pulled by labor from outside the rooms, where it was much
hotter.
There was a big section of population which had to satisfy itself,
evaporating their perspiration and cooling themselves by means of hand
fans. Hand fans were sold in the market in large quantities with the
beginning of each summer. It was and, is still a big industry in India.
Another big industry in India, during summer, is that of earthen
pitchers which keep the water cool for the poor. Normally water gets so
hot that it does not quench the thirst. To cool this water, it is kept
in earthen pitchers. These pitchers being porous, remain wet on the
outside. The moisture, coming in contact with dry air evaporates,
cooling the vessel in the process. The water of the pitcher continues to
seep through the porous walls and the whole cycle continues. The
arrangement can be said to be a poor man's refrigerator. Even these days
you can find these earthenware, being sold in large quantities on the
roadside.
During our school days, we used to look forward to the summer. We would
have vacations for a couple of months as study during that heat was
almost impossible. During these vacations, we would refresh ourselves by
visiting friends and relations. Those who had left their homes for study
in distant schools, would go back home to be with their parents. There
was much greater bond between the children and parents then. The
interesting part of it was that when at school, they yearned for going
home, and after having spent sometime there, they would get bored and
again look forward to go back to school to meet their old friends. This
shows how important change is for human beings.
Mothers of young children were afraid that they may suffer a heatstroke
by remaining in the Sun for long. They would try to keep indoors. On
account of the heat, they would also feel tired, and would want to have
an afternoon siesta. They would, therefore, after finishing their
chores, take the children with them in their bed for a nap. But, often,
it was seen that after the mother was fast asleep, the children would
sneak out and continue playing outside. This is what acclimatized them
and made them hardy. In fact, the human will to live is so strong that
each one adjusts to the circumstances in which one is brought up. It is
only the parents who are often over-anxious, and make their children
soft and shaky in the process.
All that was very fascinating indeed and there never was a dull moment.
How could summer be too much then, when every time you were looking
forward to it, even though living them was hard. The excitement was in
the feeling of living it and there was a sense of achievement and
victory in having lived it.
April 15,
2007
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