11 days and more than thousand
feared dead since the Uttarakhand disaster occurred and still rescue operations
are at run. One cannot even begin to explain the trauma and suffering the
people there have gone through. Showing its fury, nature struck to suddenly
stamp out hundreds in the name of maintaining balance. There’s no fighting the nature’s wrath.
As the attitude of a
person during glee and glum day tells a lot about his character; similarly a
country’s character is quite aptly observed during calamities and certainly my
opinion this time is towards the positive side. The way the pilgrims have been
helped and comforted by various-not-less-than-God-like Indian army personal
directly and by relief funds’ accumulators indirectly has been too overwhelming
to describe, especially when the early monsoon has been a constant opposition
to the rescue operations. It has foiled many such efforts and the short windows
it has provided in its absence weren’t of much help either.
It makes me think how it’s
kind of ironic that people believe that God is taking care of them and is
watching over them; but here people are at unease, to say the least, due to a
ritual that is supposed to keep God contented. Then I heard about a village
close to Kedarnath that is determined to help victims by offering them food and
shelter till their reserves end. Such vicarious compassion shown by villagers
is truly shows the high spirited and giving nature that Indians have been
historically known for. Then there is heroic Indian army best illustrating this
quality. They have been on a constant alert to ensure the relief operations do
not lax. Around 19000 pilgrims have already been evacuated and Uttarakhand
government has promised to complete the evacuation within 72 hours.
Believe it or not, I believe, Uttarakhand
calamity had brought Indians a little closer; the stories sharing the grief and
pain of losing or being separated by the loved ones, the apathy by some poor
souls, the helplessness mixed with fear....thanks to media for acquainting us
with the condition about the stranded pilgrims and Indian Army for their
hospitality shown to the rescued in their camps after saving them from the
stranded lands, thanks to all the individuals who contributed to relief funds(especially
CRPF and BSF jawans for cutting in from their salary)....this disaster has
taught us a genuine lesson about humanity......hope we all keep that flame of
humanity burning!!!
And let’s pray for
those stuck in inaccessible areas that Indian Army reaches them soon!
Jai Hind!!!
