SHANKAR PATIL HAD ONCE MENTIONED, RAIN IS MY BEST FRIEND! WHEN MY MIND BURNS IN THE PYRE, I FEEL SUFFOCATED, LIFELESS, BUT WHEN IT STARTS RAINING, I FORGET MY RESTLESSNESS, BREATHLESSNESS.` THERE IS DEFINITELY SOME RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIM AND THE RAIN. HE HAS PICTURED THE RAIN IN VARIOUS FORMS THROUGH MANY OF HIS STORIES LIKE AABHAL, VALIV. SOMETIMES, THE RAIN JUST DRIZZLES, SOMETIMES IT COMES WITH THUNDER AND STORMS, SOMETIMES IT RAINS VERY HEAVILY, SOMETIMES IT BRINGS THE HAILSTONES WITH IT, SOMETIMES IT APPEARS LIKE AN OLD MAN WALKING, TAKING TIME BETWEEN EVERY TWO STEPS, SOMETIMES IT APPEARS AS A NAUGHTY CHILD. WHATEVER THE FORM MAY BE IT ALWAYS GIVES IMMENSE PLEASURE. THIS PLEASURE IS BEYOND ANY HAPPINESS. I REMEMBER ONE OF VINOBA BHAVE`S MEETING. IT HAD JUST STARTED DRIZZLING AND HE HAD SAID, "TODAY, I AM VERY MUCH HAPPY. THE TOUCH OF THESE RAINDROPS IS DIVINE, I FEEL THAT THE GOD HIMSELF HAS COME OVER HERE. IT IS LIKE THE THOUSANDS OF RAINDROPS ARE EMBRACING THE EARTH. BHALCHANDRA PHADKE