Gonu is not over at sunset on wednesday

Gonu means a bag made of palm leaves in the language of the Maldives.

It has been hanging over the residents of Muscat since Tuesday morning. The predictions of the exact time of impact made by variuos officials and news channels have proved to be unreliable. Since Tuesday evening the helpless residents have shut themselves in their homes waiting for the thundering boom of the cyclone to pass. Breathless waiting for the unpredictable catastrophe is more tense than actually facing it and taking possible shelter. Every one wants this to be over and wish to carry on with their mundane daily chores. Fortunately electricity and water supply are not yet affected. Will the destructively severe typhoon that started its whirling threat 2 days ago descend on the city tonight and catch us all when we are carelessly relaxed after such a long wait.

As a child I used to carry a bag made of palm leaves from the fish market in my village in Kerala. I never knew it was be called Gonu.

Through my window now I can see the cloudy dark sky in the evening fading light over muscat. I used the palm leaf bag to carry fish in the evenings like this, rainy and cold. I used to be happy then but now I am waiting restless and anxious with the Gonu. Friends are sending me sms warnings of the impending danger. Let me wait as the wet evening moves into the dark night of thundering Gonu.