A Summer Night 

Although Bangladesh enjoys, in general, a moderate climate, neither too hot nor too cold, except during the rainy season when a heavy downpour occurs frequently, yet sometimes a summer night breaks her tradition. Almost every year, such occasions occur a couple of times night experienced last year I yet remember vividly and propose to describe below. 

It was the middle of the Bengali month of Jaistha. There was heat and intense heat and around for a couple of days. The sky was clean and bright and nothing could obstruct for a moment the radiation of heat from above. All nature seemed weary and listless and from no direction was blowing the slightest breeze. Thus passed two days. At last, the day of record heat came on the third day. 

It was a Sunday. Throughout the day the sun shone: as brightly as on the preceding days. We felt intensely thirsty and made unsuccessful efforts to quench it with cold water, ice-cream, and cold sharbat. But nothing was of any avail. By the evening, the sunset but the burning sensation of the atmosphere increased. 

I had an early dinner in anticipation of taking a stroll in the maidan near-by to minimize the oppression of the heat. I hurried through my meal and felt some relies when I stepped out into the open. Many other boarders were already there, sitting in groups on the bare grass with their bare at about 10 p.m, we retired to our respective room to sleep. But the little relief gained outside was instantaneously gone as soon I stepped into the room. 

I tried to sleep but couldn’t not. Suddenly a plan struck my mind. I took my towel and went to the adjoining pond. I poured water on my head and thoroughly sponged my body with the wet towel. Many more of our hostel mates did the same. Some of us then sat on the ghat. There were attempts to relieve the oppression by some fun and music. But all were feeling so weary and listless that even the best joke failed to amuse and the singers stopped half their way for want of strength. 

Thus, minute by minute, the hanging time passed on till it was midnight. Suddenly the heat began to diminish and a welcome, a most welcome breeze began to blow from the north-west direction. With surprise and delight, we looked above and found that the sky had already been overcast with clouds. Gradually the breeze turned into a wind and, in a few minutes, it became comparatively high. After some time, a violent storm arose, followed first by light rain and then by a heavy shower. We had already gone in and shut our doors and windows. We threw ourselves on our beds for the much-delayed sleep. I had fallen fast asleep in a few minutes after my head touched the pillow. And when I woke up the next morning, it was rather cold with my body wrapped in my bedsheet.