Punjabi poet Dhani Ram Chatrik’s lines “pakki kheti dekh ke, garb kare kisan, vaao chakkharh choliyan ghar aawe taan jaan” mean that a farmer feels proud seeing his ripe crop in the fields but the real joy comes only when it reaches safely, without being destroyed by strong winds or rains. This is the state of mind of farmers as heavy rains and speedy winds lashed the region.Though the farmers maintain that despite increase in the moisture content, not much losses have been caused to the standing crop, they are hoping for clear skies in the next few days.Raghbir Singh Benipal, a farmer leader, said dry weather was required for the harvest of the matured paddy crop. “We hope that the rains do not continue as speedy winds will flatten the crop and it will be too cumbersome to cut the same. Due to the moisture content, the grain colour will also be affected,” said Benipal.Another farmer Jarnail Singh from Alamgir village said that the variety 1121 of Basmati rice is affected as the crop is heavy and flattened easily as compared to variety 126 , the harvest of which has already started.“The harvesting through combines will now be late by another 10-12 days till the weather gets clear. Up to 15 per cent of the total rice cultivation, farmers sow 1121 basmati variety of rice, which is up to 60 per cent damaged,” said Jarnail Singh. Meanwhile, many farmers went to fields to offer prayers to God for stopping rains.Manpreet Ayali of Waris Punjab de said that he had visited Dakha and adjoining areas, and though there were losses, but not to a major extent as of now. “But farmers are praying that the rains stop as it could prove to be harmful,” he said.