Monsoon Drive
The south west monsoons have been relentless this year. Mumbai city has received it’s full quota of rain for the entire year in just the single month of July. Flash floods ravaged Mumbai and its suburbs with streets laying submerged. In some areas, the incessant rains causing water levels to swell to an astounding 6 feet, inundating homes and vehicles. The city came to a grinding halt on several occasions with all modes of transportation locked down due to the continous, heavy downpours.
But when have a few drops of rain deterred Raziya Chashmawala from going about her charitable work. WMO North India Chapter Ladies Wing and the Youth Wing joined hands to distribute raincoats to underprivileged children residing in the suburbs of Mumbai.
The children, mostly slum dwellers came out in full force, despite the inclement weather and nobody returned home, empty handed. Each one received their rain gear, many put them on and happily posed for pictures, grinning from ear to ear.
The evening came to an end with Mrs. Raziya Chashmawala encouraging the children to weather the storms in their lives and complete their education with utmost sincerity to become self reliant individuals who would take on the mantle of supporting their families and ensure a life of dignity.
As the eloquent Tagore, famously quoted, “Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.” Here’s hoping that WMO will assist the children to pursue their education so that they too can add another evocative colour to their life which until now seems mostly grim and grey, like the unending monsoons of maximum city.
