I like the smell of the grass after it rains

Rain Rain Come Again

Little Johnny wants to play

May be little johnny likes rain and loves to play in it,Nirveda doesn’t.I don’t like rain as such,but there are certain things..the cool breeze,the rainbow,the smell of the grass after it rains and other similar things that i almost love to experience.The smell of the grass after it rains is my favorite.so,i’ve just been wondering the science that  goes behind it..here’s what i found out

It is actually caused by bacteria! Actinomycetes, a type of filamentous bacteria, grow in soil when conditions are damp and warm. When the soil dries out, the bacteria produces spores in the soil. The wetness and force of rainfall kick these tiny spores up into the air where the moisture after a rain acts as an aerosol (just like an aerosol air freshener). The moist air easily carries the spores to us so we breathe them in. These spores have a distinctive, earthy smell we often associate with rainfall. The bacteria is extremely common and can be found in areas all over the world, which accounts for the universality of this sweet “after-the-rain” smell. Since the bacteria thrives in moist soil but releases the spores once the soil dries out, the smell is most acute after a rain that follows a dry spell, although you’ll notice it to some degree after most rainstorms.

There is another explanation to this stuff…..read on

After-the-rain smell comes from volatile oils that plants and trees release. The oil then collects on surfaces such as rocks. The rain reacts with the oil on the rocks and carries it as a gas through the air. This scent is like the bacteria spores in that most people consider it a pleasant, fresh smell. It has even been bottled and sold for its aromatic qualities!

ok,now that’s some nature science for today…whatever may the theory behind the happenings…the most aromatic smell which no man made scent can replace is the after-the -rain smell.No wonder it is so widely referred  to by poets…especially the romantic ones!

The grass was soft, carpet-like almost. It was also mildly wet, but not unpleasantly so. The smell of grass in the morning Was intoxicating to me, As if it smelled of bright and sunny days, Of painted blue skies and bare strokes of white clouds. It smelled like sunshine and riverbanks. I love mornings like this, When I could just lie on the grass And let my worries stay in the classrooms, Absorbed in this morning solace That comes only once a fortnight. I hate the rain that came to spoil the sunshine. The trickling of menacing raindrops on the roofs, Like nails being shaken and stirred in a metal jar, Was always greeted with the unaccepting sigh Of a soul expecting the rest of the day To be miserable and unsatisfying. But this day, at that moment in time, The sunshine greeted me With its glowing radiance. The grass had slightly dried After what was maybe three hours of idle thoughts, And no longer did it smell fresh. Instead it mildly smelled much Like burnt leaves and branches. The heat from the sunshine had intensified, And my skin longed for moisture. I didn’t realise I had spent too much time in the sun until I heard someone calling my name, And said something about if I wanted to go to lunch. I picked myself up, And left the grass field with a slightly remorseful aftertaste. Jay M. Johar