Under the open skies

Getting drenched in the showers is a liberating experience.

“I always like walking in the rain, so no one can see me crying!” is a famous quote from an unforgettable Charlie Chaplin, an actor-par-excellence from the silent movie era.

Getting drenched in torrential rain is a comforting way to unwind. Modern-day rain showerheads mimic the rain within the warm precincts of one’s own abode. But even the most luxurious spaces are no match for a walk in the open with rain lashing down,
as I found out.

Once, I visited a rich uncle in his palatial house. The bathroom was spacious, complete with a shiny marble floor, ambient lighting, a waterfall, designer faucets, and channel music—in short, it was the very lap of luxury. I was self-conscious and hesitant to even walk around!

As kids, we enjoyed the unabashed indulgence of jumping into ponds and lakes for a swim. Driven by a frugal existence, we conserved our clothing from getting wet by leaving it on the banks. One day a friend jumped into the water in the nude, only to be left there muted as a few good men walked away with
his clothes!

Bathing in the sun is good in moderate quantities since it helps replenish vitamin D. It is common even now to find boys in Indian villages skinny-dipping during summer days in the local lakes and canals with gay abandon. Western societies have rebranded and given a new meaning to nude beaches that people find ‘highly liberating.’ The children in our village are indeed liberated souls!

Almost two decades ago, a business visit to Kerala was a first-of-its-kind experience for me. My colleague from the US and I stayed at a resort in Kumarakom. The rustic environment, coupled with what was then Asia’s longest swimming pool, made this a memorable stay. The bathing experience in the cottage was a highlight.

The bathroom was built as a 3-wall enclosure; the door from the room opened into a space that had the wash basin with a mirror and the commode under a roof, while it completely opened into a garden that housed a private shower area. It offered tall compounds for privacy and blue skies that merged with the green canopy of tall trees for witness. Out in the open, my first bath was a quick one to complete the morning chore. The second one offered a liberated feeling, but not before I had thoroughly practised the grab of the towel at arm’s length, for obvious reasons.

I looked forward to the subsequent ones, where I allowed my body in its entirety to experience the water flow and the cool breeze unhindered. All in the open under the azure sky, where I was one with nature and in total peace! My soul felt that much more liberated as more water flowed under the soles of my feet. A transcendental experience under the open skies!