The Gods are out in the Clouds; Stay indoors

On a clear summer day, my mother put out the paddy in the sun. It had to be de-moisturized before taking it to the mill to grind them to a meal. All of a sudden, the sky looked gloomy as dark clouds gathered. It was time to bring in the paddy home safe as rain was imminent. And rain it did for the next five days.

The wind was cold, the sky was all the time overcast and everything looked sullen. Even as the rain abated, the clouds were still hovering above and low lying fog swept the ground. The rain then continued; it wouldn’t let up. No wishing or pleas to the gods would change the weather. For the gods were moving in their chariot of clouds. Dark spirits were hovering in those dark clouds looking for prey or to wreak vengeance, I was told. Stay indoors, wise men said. I remember those days as a child when I was warned not to step out or I would fall sick.

It was even more scary when elders said that the ‘Dark Lord’ was out in the clouds. They called it Khepfuchurah; I didn’t know what it actually meant. His signature clouds were unmistakable, they said. The clouds would appear on the top of Mount Khungho, dark as dark cloud could be. And so, I looked to the west and saw those clouds gathering on the mountain top. On certain days, those were the only clouds. Naturally, I used to shudder, knowing all that I was told. Children and the elderly should get indoors; others might have to brave the cold and wrath of the gods because life-sustaining activities could not stop. It was almost certain that the gods would pick their choice and the village would descend into helpless mourning over the death of some people, mostly children and the elderly. Perhaps those people made a mistake of staying out and made themselves vulnerable to the wrath of the gods. Perhaps it was something else.

The picture on the right gives a view of Mount Khungho, which lies east of Mount Esii (also called Mt. Iso or Mt. Tenipu; 2994 metres), the highest mountain in the state of Manipur. This is a view from my backyard in the Mao country.

Photo credit: Author

Do the clouds follow a different pattern today? Have the gods gone into hiding when humans have become ‘wiser’? Obviously, the pattern is still the same. The clouds herald gloomy days ahead; they still appear on top of Mount Khungho mountain. Perhaps the gods have retreated as humans have ‘advanced’. But when I think of the advice of those elderly wise men today, their wisdom within their limited knowledge still rings true. On a cold cloudy day, worse if it is in winter, it is advisable to confine oneself at home warming oneself by the hearth to avoid cold or other common diseases. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable.

Their wisdom was based on observation and unmistakable. Their only fault was to blame it on the gods. Condone their mistake because they did not have the aid of science. However, much as we know today why and how the clouds gather, we have limited control over own body mechanism to react to natural phenomena, much less still to control the phenomena themselves. So then, I must heed the sage advice of my elders, knowing as I do now that it has a basis. In science.