Outline : This year severe cold—cold wave swept over the whole of North India—we were very fond of morning/evening walks—Month of February, My friend and I went for the evening walk by river-side—chilly winds blowing—we were fully dressed in our overalls. At about 60' clock the sun went down—sudden darkness fell upon the whole landscape.
Here in India both winter and summer are extreme. The winter is piercingly cold, while the summer is awfully hot. In winter, fire, heaters and the heat convectors are in much demand. The quilt, the blanket and heavy woollen clothes are preferred from November to March, the season is excessively chilly. The days get shorter and the nights grow longer. They are generally foggy and unending. The mornings and evenings are unbearable and unpleasant.
A winter evening is very cold. It is extremely biting and chilly. The teeth clatter and the body quivers (shakes violently). The cold winds sweep the earth. The temperature is mostly below zero degree. The water gets frozen. hen touched its bite is scorpion-like.
This year the winter season was really horrible. The whole of North India was in the grip of cold wave. The people preferred to remain indoors. The roads were almost silent and deserted. The sun was not visible anywhere. Nothing was clear. Everything was blurred (dim). In such a bad weather, it was not possible to move out. People liked fire and quilt. They wanted to be warm and cosy. The business of the town was at its minimum.
But this misty season has a charm of its own. Some of us who are greatly fond of morning and evening walks could not confine ourselves behind the four walls of the house. We threw off the warmth of the air-conditioned room, put on coat and overcoat, stockings and gloves and made for the river-side. It is said : A walk by the river-side is exhilarating, It is rejuvenating (restoring youth). It is highly beneficial. We wanted to make the best of this coldest evening of the season. My friend Mohan accompanied me, we passed through the streets. Then we were on the roads which were lonely. The severe cold of the season could not dampen our youthful sprits. We marched on.
We were soon in the open. In front of us lay, Yamuna, silent and still, covered by heavy fog. Smoke mist made everything’ s unclear. Even a hand could not see another hand, I could not see Mohan clearly though he was a few yards ahead of me. Such a heavy and strong layer of the mist was simply astonishing. We could hear speaking and talking but our figures were invisible. The whole thing appeared romantic as if we were two ghosts walking side by side without seeing each other.
The poor visibility made the movement of the vehicles quite difficult on the adjoining road. Even the bank of the river Yamuna which had been quite familiar, now appeared new and strange. We mode a stroll. Only a few people, tightly wrapped in their woollen shawls, were other companions. We faced the chilly winds which were blowing with full force. They were increasing the severity of the evening. Here we had the real taste of coldness.
Our fully dressed bodies in our overalls began shivering. Only for a few minutes, the sun god peeped behind the clouds, but its light was very feeble and pale. Now, it descended in the water of Yamuna as if a dim glow of disc was going down. The scene was simply charming. We looked to our watches. It was hardly six. But a pale of gloom and darkness was falling quickly.
Lo ! the sudden darkness made the path and bypath difficult. It looked as if a complete blackout were there for days together. We would never be able to see the light of the sun. We fumbled for our next step to fall on a solid ground. Mohan and I walked hand in hand lest we should fall. Then we badly needed some torch or light which was not where to be found. The whole landscape was sealed in. This severest cold day of February will remain permanent and memorable as it was the coldest day of the season.
