As repeated forecasts of a nor’wester have proved to be wrong, one can only look for passing relief in chilled delights.

There was a time when the lime juice sold in street corners for just a rupee would draw people who desperately needed to quench their thirst.

They could then look for a shade while the sun would beat down on those who have no option but to engage in outdoor work.

Old-timers still recall the thrill of waiting in a long queue for one of the many chilled items on offer for less than ten rupees outside a stall in north Kolkata.

Whether it was lemon or orange, mango or leechi, the satisfaction derived from a prolonged sip would be quite unforgettable.

Having tasted it once, there was no choice but to return to the same place day after day.

The queues got longer and the man serving the drinks from a raised platform had to master the art of quicker service to serve the growing numbers.

Why the stall had to close down was a mystery never solved by those who travelled a long distance to give themselves the respite that they badly needed.

One reason could be that rivals with more resources and exciting options of liquid delight appeared in the locality.

It could also be that the ingredients became costlier to the extent that he could no longer hold the price line. But then costs hardly matter at this time.

Customers drop into a century-old establishment near College Square to grab the exciting variety of juices at pretty hefty prices partly because the place has a visitors’ list that ranges from Satyen Bose to Uttam Kumar.

Warnings about popular drinks hardly matter when it is the best way to beat the heat. The same is true of ice cream parlours offering irresistible flavours – never mind the cost.

The question is what happens to those who cannot afford anything more than the free drinking water served by charitable organisations in street corners.

They are never disappointed. The thrill of splashing themselves with the water gushing from the hydrants on the road is a sight that is part of the city’s identity.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has always been quite liberal with the water that finds people enjoying an open-air splash several times every day.

Back home, the coolest water was at one time stored in earthen pots that gradually disappeared with the arrival of pet bottles.

Drinking water from bottles is perhaps not half as satisfying as the drink from the traditional pots. But then people are obliged to be on the move, replenishing the bottles at frequent intervals.

But there are many who just cannot forget their young days when a variety of juices were prepared at home. Clubs and restaurants serving Bengali food make it a point to include aam pora sherbet.

Do they know of the curd mixtures called ghol that were later turned into more varieties of lassi? Have they heard of the other fruit that were turned into equally refreshing drinks?

Some of them have been forgotten. But the good news is that more concoctions have replaced those which stir a sense of nostalgia.

As more and more ideas crop up, liquid refreshments keep flooding the market as the best way to lift sagging spirits.