Outline:
- Thunderstorms usuall in hot weather, when electricity in the earth is countered by heavily charged clouds.
- The gathering of the storm, a sense of oppression.
- The bursting of the storm, vivid picture.
- After the storm, Nature is again peaceful.
Our town of Gulberya is very hot in summer time, and often sharp thunderstorms break, especially towards the beginning of June. When this happens, it is a terrifying experience to hear the deep, organ-like notes of the thunder, and see the sharp flashes of lightning cleaving the air.
One afternoon in May, we were playing cricket, in spite of the fact that the day was very hot. About four o’clock, the heat was so great that we left the field and sat down under the branches of a pipal tree which grows near our College. The air had grown very still and oppressive so that it was difficult to breathe, and there seemed to be a dead silence everywhere. Even the noisy cuckoo had ceased to call, and seemed to be waiting for something. Then someone pointed to a little gray-colored cloud which had appeared in the western sky.[the_ad id=”17141″]
Gradually it approached and increased in size. The blazing light of the sun had lesned, and as the clouds rapidly spread over the face of the heavens, the orb of the sun was dim as if seen through smoked glass. Suddenly the dead calm was broken by a few light puffs of wind, and a little dust-spiral of pillarlike shape moved quickly across the surface of the burnt earth carrying dry leaves and scraps of paper with it. The clouds, grew darker and the sun disappeared altogether. A low moaning sound fell upon the ear. Then all at once one brilliant flash of lightning seemed to emerge from the centre of the cloud, making us all start back in apprehension. Close upon it there was a long, rolling peal of thunder as if the whole of sky had been ripped open by some tremendous atom bomb. We started to run for the shelter of the College building, knowning that it is dangerous to shelter under a tree during a thunderstorm. As we ran, a few big drops of rain splashed into our faces; before we had reached the friendly building, the rain was falling as if the heavens had determined to send another great flood to the earth.
Peal followed peal, flash succeeded flash for fifteen minutes. Then the rain lessened, a bit of blue sky was seen again, and in a few moments the noise and the terror was departed. Out came the sun again, the birds started to call once more and we breathed the pure air and admired the bow which adorned the sky.