We are Indians. We know what it means.

Yesterday was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. People in colder countries celebrated the onset of summer. For us in India it is the worst day of the year as the long day heats up the earth, roads and buildings, making the heat unbearable. Which makes today the best day of the year because from today the days will get shorter and we can look forward to winter. In a couple of weeks we can expect the monsoon to arrive in Delhi when roads will flood because the municipality has not cleaned the drains. Ever since it was elected with overwhelming majority the Aam Aadmi Party has been engaged in a vicious guerilla war with the central government, without any reason, and has refused to release money to the municipalities which are controlled by the BJP. Sanitary workers went on strike for not being paid and garbage has piled up on streets. It is criminal to play games with taxpayer money, making people suffer, for mean political pleasure. Just punishment for voting for AAP and not seeing that it is a fifth column for the Congress. The roads will develop big potholes which will cause accidents, especially for 2-wheelers, because they cannot be seen under water. There will be huge traffic jams. Delhi police will be conspicuous by their absence, busily guarding the useless politicians who are responsible for the mess. The rains will clear by October when the festival season will start. Navaratra, which means 9 nights, will start on 13 October, Durga Puja starts on 19 October and Diwali is on 11 November. This will be a time of meeting friends and relatives, exchanging gifts and an auspicious time to buy new goods, such as utensils, clothes and cars. Markets will be keenly watching sale of consumer goods because this is when companies make maximum profits. Consumer confidence will be key. A good monsoon will boost rural income, by increasing crops, and will encourage spending in urban areas by suppressing food inflation. It will start getting cold after Diwali when t shirts and shorts will be put away and woollens and shawls will appear. A cold winter with heavy snowfall on the Himalayan mountains is essential to replenish glaciers so that snow melt can keep our rivers flowing in the summer that will follow. Chill winds from the snow will cause enormous suffering for the homeless and may even be lethal. Fog will bring flights to a halt. Smoke from burning wood and leaves by poor people, to stay warm, will get trapped in the fog and cause terrific pollution. Those with respiratory illness, such as asthma, will end up in hospital where they will be fleeced of tens of thousands of rupees. December 21 will be the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, and the cycle will repeat itself. Even with so many problems children will dream of a wonderful future, people will plan holidays and friends will laugh together. As Indians have done for thousands of years.