FLOOD 2013 in North India

Flood 2013 in North India

Heavy rains and the flooding in North India permanently switched off the lives of hundreds of people.      Rough weather is constant companion of the people of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarkhand and Delhi.  Safety for them is mere illusion during rainy season.  Nobody knows when one will be evacuated from one’s life without further existence. Monsoon rains in the third week of June 2013 wreaked havoc in the state of Uttarkhand. It is a regular survivor of nature’s multitude calamities. 

Rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Sarada, Khagra, Rapti are mercilessly out flowing. Roads are invisible.  Flash floods, cloudbursts and land slips claimed lives of hundreds of people in Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarkhand. Nearly 80 thousand people are missing. 60 villages are completely washed out. Thousands of pilgrims and tourists are stranded in pilgrim centres without food, clothing, shelter, electricity and safe drinking water. They cannot communicate to their people as there is no communication system. Several buildings including hotels swept away in the swirling waters of rivers. Toll will be much more than the official calculation as several are missing and rescue operations have yet to reach the required fast rhythm.

I cancelled the Chardham (visiting the temples in 4 places – Gangotri, Yamunothri, Kedarnath and Badri Nath) pilgrim trip to Himalayas in this year because I was not healthy enough to walk the 14 kilometre stretch in the Himalayan Mountain to reach the famous temple of Kedarnath. My professor friend in Uttarkhand  Dr. Latha Gairola was all set to take me to these pilgrim centers in this year. I was longing to go.  But I cancelled my trip in the last minute. But today, I was so shocked to read the news of unexpected and gross calamities that wiped off thousands of lives of people, animals and the nature itself.

 Lanslides left thousands stranded in Kedaranath and Badrinath, the most famous Hindu temples. The temple of Kedarinath stands 3584 up above the sea level, in Himalayas.  River Mandakini has squeezed Kedarinath so severely that the idol of Shiva alone remains undestroyed.

 The pilgrims live in Dharmasalas in Kedarinath. They provide cost free accommodation to all.  All the 90 Dharmasalas have completely wiped off.  Nearly hundred poojaris who conduct religious rituals, 20 security personnel, and other employees of Kedarinath temple were swept away with in no time. Bad weather obstructs helicopters to rescue the stranded ones. Damtha, a place 70 kilometres away from Yamunothri itself has nearly 25000 people, not knowing what to do. The fury of rivers swapped so many lives.

I stood still, praying for all of them.

The India govt. has declared the situation as national disaster. Quick actions are executed. All are waiting to get instructions for participation in the rebuilding process.