My Balcony
My Balconies
We have three balconies. Four, if you include the small kitchen balcony.I have not yet fallen in love with the balcony that is outside my bedroom. It’s a great place to read. That’s for sure, but the vibe has not yet entered my system. I am sure that once I start to use it, I will grow to love it. Sometimes, you have to use a place to allow its spirit to enter you.
My daughter’s balcony gets the morning sun, but it’s a rare day that she gets to greet the dawn. I did not know of the existence of dawn when I was her age. Let me be more truthful. I did know of dawn. I often greeted it with a scowl when I was on the way to the steel plant where I worked, to report for the first shift. Life was all about late nights and even later mornings. We humans love to smash the diurnal cycle that seeks to regulate our lives. Then, we wonder why we are so tired and cranky.
The balcony we use most often is the big balcony. My son’s door, the living room door and the door of my study all open out onto it.
This balcony does not get the morning sun, which is a blessing during the hot summer months in Delhi. During these months, its vital to rediscover the joys of dawn. I’d say that we should even explore the blue hour right before dawn. We have a fan in the balcony, in case we decide to use it during the summer evenings. We had a huge debate about whether to install the thing or not. When the monsoon winds are allowed to blow, the fan swings like a windmill gone mad.
The monsoon rains — when it does rain — are beautiful. This is a beautiful time to sit outside and watch the rain wash away the dust and pollution. It does not rain as much these days as it used to. The National Capital Region is a rare breed of Heat Islands. We cry, we moan and then ensure that we make the city hotter. It seems some inner demon impels us to do things that make the city increasingly unlivable.
The Gas Chamber
It’s during the period from mid-October until Holi that the balcony comes to life. I’d say that the balcony comes to life about two weeks after Diwali. From two weeks before Diwali, and until two weeks after, Delhi resembles a gas chamber.
I won’t go deep into the reasons that cause this annual event. The authorities blame nature — low wind speeds, cold breeze from the hills, etc., etc. etc. Blah! Blah! Blah. They spout the most noxious garbage, and the crap flows out of their mouth and adds to the annual pollution.
The real reason lies in a combination of human greed, arrogance and stupidity.
The Good Time
The air never becomes good by international standards. But, we all seem to have become resigned to our fate, and have lowered our own expectations. We wait until the air pollution meters read “Unhealth”. Then we simply say, “Oh bugger it. Let’s sit outside and enjoy the watery sun.”
The air at this time of the year is cool, comfortable. There is a beautiful, cool breeze during the early morning time. It’s perfect.
The light turns mellow. The plants in the balcony seem to sing for joy. The angled sunlight casts deep shadows on the ground. Barring the haze, everything is in harmony. Everything is beautifully balanced.
This is where I like to sit and read, do my research and write.
I write the first draft using a fountain pen, and on paper (obviously). Why? Writing on paper helps to organize my thoughts. They flow. I experience a strong connection between my thoughts, pen and paper. As I write, I watch my thoughts form words on the paper. There are times, I admit, when my writing looks like a scrawl. That’s part of life. The more I write, the smoother my hand, and the happier is my mind!
Blessings
Sometimes, I pause and look at the sky and the plants. Then, I watch the shadows change shape. At other times, I sit there and let my mind go blank. It helps to regenerate my brain cells.
We were, like many, locked down during the initial days of the Covid-19 pandemic. We should be locked down now! Anyway, I’d come out early, and listen to the birds sing. Yes, they reclaimed their space during the “Anthropo-Pause” . I must thank Erle C Ellis (https://twitter.com/erleellis) for this word.
But, we have to make money. We have to resume our economic activity, and so the birds have retreated. It’s always a balance that we have to strike, but sometimes it may be good to remember the Anthropo-Pause.
Yes, if you have a beautiful garden, terrace or balcony, use it well. Allow the magic to seep through you, and renew you.
Shut your brain.
Shut the music.
Shut your mouth.
Shut off all your devices.
Let the energy of the world flow through you again.
Let Nature reclaim you.
Listen to Pan play his flute again.
I do have much to be thankful about. I am blessed to have this balcony.
