Winters in Summers

When the rest of the country is sulking with the killing heat, I am in the part of the country where survival of a South Indian would be difficult without heaters and sweaters. Even though I belong to Jammu, I would rather call myself a South Indian since I have spent all my life in this part of the country (Courtesy my Dads’ Profession and now my Job).
If you are a South Indian and reading this, chances are you will not understand because you have never seen a winter.

If you are a North Indian, you probably know what winter is all about but don’t know how it impacts a South Indian…so read on. The Western & Eastern Indians can just sit and watch.
As I was saying, having stayed most of my life in Hyderabad, Pune and Mumbai, winter isn’t easy.
Back in Mumbai nobody would speak of the weather. People calling you wouldn’t ask: “So, how is the weather?” for they would know the answer. The only reason why winter wear sells in Mumbai is because of the very low A/C temperature in Movie halls, Offices and Shopping Malls. Office is the only place where I get to show off my lovely Blazers. It is not to say that Mumbai doesn’t have four seasons – It has hot season, more hot season, most hot season and then the most hot and humid season.
Here in Wellington (Yes there is a place called Wellington in India too, near Ooty), we have the summer (which is as cold as winters in Pune), winter, autumn and spring. Spring is the season from May onwards till August when the working class springs from one company to the other after a not-so-good appraisal.
Anyway, a week back when I decided to come home to Wellington, I could have never imagined in the wildest of my dreams that I would need to pack my warm clothes in April. Soon when I landed here, I realized that it was winter.
I can cope with winters, especially when there are heaters in every corner of your house and doors are shut so tight that no clod wave can dare touch you. But the main issue is taking bath. How could one take bath when the outside temperature was as low as 11 degree Celsius? Back in Mumbai, I used to take bath twice (morning & evening) but here, it is becoming a challenge.
I even tried putting on the heater 24X7 but hot water baths aren’t good either because after wiping ourselves dry, we would freeze in the cold.
After two failed attempts, I stopped taking bath. I don’t stink yet because it has only been a week. If it gets colder and I can’t think of any alternatives to bathing…I plan to stock up Rexona’s Winter Cool before its price goes up. In case you didn’t know, demand for deodorants goes up in winter (and one thought sweating was less in winters!).
Apart from the freezing cold, this place is heaven. Its like a fairy land (only the fairies are missing) with greenery spread like a carpet feasting your eyes, clouds so low that they sweep into your house, land so colorful as if its been gardened for years. I am attaching a picture below as a support evidence.