The heat is on

But it’s for us to search for the pleasures of summer, to make the season a joy rather than a pain

 

May is usually the cruellest month in Delhi, as the mercury soars past the 40 degree Celsius mark, and a dry heat makes life seem unlivable. But thanks to an unprecedented heat wave (climate change, anyone?) we experienced peak Delhi summer in April itself this year. As I write this, I don’t know what fresh horrors May and June will bring – will we finally breach the 50 degree mark? – but I thought this was a good time to suggest some remedies to get through this scorcher of a summer.

 

Well, the first thing that suggests itself is to get away from the heat of the plains and head to the mountains. Thankfully, there are quite a few destinations in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh that are within driving distance of the capital. If you are willing to travel further then Kashmir is a good option as well, as are the hills in the north-east of India. But, for my money, the best hillside resort experience is to be had in the south, where the mountain towns are better preserved, the food is delicious, and the crowds not quite so overwhelming.

 

But if your work or your children’s school doesn’t allow you to plan your great escape just yet, don’t worry. There are plenty of ways to survive the heat in the city before you can finally get away for your summer vacation.

 

The one thing that can get you through the summer is a nice pool, that you can dip into for a refreshing swim. If you are a member of a club or have friends who are, then you are probably sorted. But if that option is not available to you, there are plenty of public pools across the city that you can sign up for at minimal cost. If you are feeling flush, or are in the mood to treat yourself, you can always check into a five-star hotel for a stayaction, and spend all of it in the pool, taking the occasional break to have a cooling drink on the poolside loungers.

 

Ah, drink reminds me. This is the best season to indulge your sherbet habit. During my growing up years, summers meant long icy drinks of Rooh Afza or Khus, the beautiful rose and emerald tones of the sherbets cooling the eyes as well as the throat. Now that I am diabetic, I can no longer indulge in those ultra-sugary drinks. But I make up with cooling draughts of watermelon juice with loads of crushed ice and a sprinkling of kala namak to give it an edge. 

 

The one thing that makes summer bearable is its fruitful bounty. There is the mango, of course, that comes in hundreds of varieties – my own favourite is the hamam, which I usually eat standing over the sink because, what can I say, it’s a messy business. But if I had to choose between mangoes and litchis, there would be no contest at all; litchis would win hands down. There is something so luscious and sensuous about peeling a litchi and popping its quivering flesh in your mouth, and feeling its juices exploding on your tongue. No mango comes anywhere close. 

 

If the spring comes with its plethora of flowers to make life a riot of colours, summer depends on the trees to make an aesthetic statement. The first stirrings come with the flowering red of the tesu, which blooms around Holi, heralding the heat that is around the corner. Next, the gulmohur gets in on the act, its flaming crimson mirroring the fiery rays of the summer sun. And then, in a final climactic act, comes the highlight of my summer: the flowering laburnum, its yellow blossoms shimmering in the sunlight, and transforming the landscape where it stands. It is so stunning a sight that I long for it all year; even though I know that it will bring an unbearable heat with it.

 

The point is that every season brings some joys with it. Yes, even the summer, with its scorching temperatures and dry loo that saps us of all our energy. The trick is to look past the discomforts and delve for the pleasures – and then revel in them for as long as we can.