Kalbaishakhi, a tropical storm localised in nature that sweeps across Bangladesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, Tripura and West Bengal has a connotation of something ominous. Kal perhaps derived from 'mahakal' which swallows everything gives a sense of a fateful phenomenon. Strangely, though, the Assamese call it Borodoisila and consider the event their goddess of nature, wind and rain, which begins their month Bohag or Baishagu.
In the past, the Chaitra Sangkranti and Pahela Baishakh (first day of the Bangla New Year) were inconceivable without a brief visitation of Kalbaishakhi. Hardly a year began without the Kalbaishakhi lashing some parts or several areas of Bangladesh in the afternoon. But with the climate change, the storm known as nor'wester ---probably because it surges from the north-eastern direction to the south-east--- has become uncertain to announce its presence on the first day of Baishakh and also infrequent in this month. Nor'wester is, however, not quite unknown in the month of Chaitra perhaps because it has its roots in the extreme heat which develops a vacuum of air pockets.
With the global warming, the known world is becoming unfamiliar on many counts. It has not spared the Kalbaishakhi as a phenomenon. The few Kalbaishakhis that swept over the capital have also become erratic. First, those did not blow from the north-west direction, rather they struck from the opposite direction. The wind speed was not very strong on any occasion. On Thursday, the storm had a speed of 74 kilometre per hour. On that day, instead of appearing as a fateful phenomenon the storm actually brought a great relief for the Dhakites. It is because, after a few days of soaring temperature, the accompanying rains cooled the weather to the relief of people and other animals.
In fact, much as fateful Kalbaishakhi might have been, on the other side of its damage and destruction there are renewal and regeneration. It is symbolic that the fallen leaves of the trees are swept away, some trees are uprooted and even crops are damaged by the heady wind but then the rains that come down to drench the parched earth below restore life to multitudes of flora. The heavenly water serves as the Midas touch. There is a whisper going from herbs to shrubs to trees, 'It's time to wake up'. Defying the heat, trees put on fresh green leaves all around.
Even the inhabitants of the green world, the local birds among them in particular, become restive because it is their breeding season. Baishak with all its scorching temperature was never an unloved of months in this part of the world because of the season's most precious gifts ---an array of delicious fruits. Sure enough mango tops the list but pineapple, watermelon, lichi, futi (a pepo or canary melon), green palm and the king of all fruits, jackfruit do not lag far behind in their varying and unique luscious tastes. There are other offerings from Nature like cane fruits, figs and custard apple---all of which seem to be a natural product of heat and the rains Kalbaishakhi brings with it.
The fearful name the storm acquired perhaps from the fact that the pitch black clouds that enveloped the sky from end to end presented an ominous sight much like the one many people may have harboured in mind of the doomsday. Although the storm has gathered intensity of late, it has become more localised and short-lived. There lies its specialty. It is not as devastating as cyclones although it has some similarities with tornados. But tornados arrive out of the blue whereas Kalbaishakhi never comes without prior signals and fearful sights. Thunderstorms are its trumpets. Unfortunately, lightning strikes ---a consequence of climate change ---have been on the rise and claiming more lives than before.
What, however, places Kalbaishakhi on a level of its own is the inherent creative and regenerative life force. It damages, destroys and even takes away lives but in return gives back what is called 'Elan vital' to the dying ones. Beneath the most fearful sight, there lies the seed of germination which is what makes it unique.