As rains in Mumbai got close to their performance on 26/7, people were reminded of the devastation and various experiences they had. Everyone has a story to tell, some incident to share, some touching moments and numerous memories.
I remember my post (not really mine) on 26/7.
So here, I am sharing my adventure of 26/7 and its aftermath (more for the interesting read and for archival purposes).
The day started normally as any other regular college day for me. I sure must have been late. It started raining heavily in the afternoon and soon we were relieved from our lectures and we all were so happy. Then followed lots of adventure…
- Most of them just collecting on the ground floor lobby and observing the rains. - Some making plans to stay overnight. I m sure they did not mean it but just thought of it as something adventurous.
- I, Manav and Pd ventured out after lot of hesitation. Many people on the road, traffic around, natural wave pools, I m sure u can imagine.
- I remember walking towards Saki naka in a little more than waist height water. Though it was fine for me, it was a little tougher for others. We also devised a simple way of making our way thru… it was moon walking thru the water. A funny incident I remember was tat a man was struggling moving in the opposite direction pushing something with two hands, which we could not see. I innocently asked him, “Neeche kya hai, Bike yah cycle?” LoL
- I remember we did climb up some metal structure to sit on it for sometime. Later I found out it was a fence and a big enough gutter alongside which we happened to jump over.
- Rescuing some DBITians (1 boy and 4-5 galz) from the BEST bus which we found was strangled on the way with water flowing with a very strongly and even making the bus drift.
- Going back to where the bus was to get others (who did not come with us the first time), as we realized the flow of water was very strong and was increasing.
- By then most of the students and Profs had come back to college.
- Me and Manav going back outside to get something to eat for others from the back-gate of our college. Having garma-garam tea at a stall and buying a few vada-pavs. Finding the same gate locked on return and no one around. Finally, climbing that 15ft. high gate to get in college.
- Spending overnight in college and doing all sorts of things… playing, singing, trying to call home, trying to sleep on chairs but finally settling for removing the curtains (courtesy me) and using them.
- Our journey back home. Walking some of it. Getting lift for the rest. We were first offered lift by a Sardar who had been giving lift to people all night.
- Walking the distance from western express highway to home actually made me realize the extent of destruction. Number of buffalos I saw hanged to death was moving… OMG this can go on.
- Our locality was in ruins. The floods had deposited a silt of 3-5 inches, which had covered the completely concrete jungle. I never expected something like this to happen near my building and locality.
- Getting our lives back to normal.
- I remember me and a couple of others in the underground tank of our building trying to empty it of dirty water so tat we wud have clean water coming in the next morning. We would fill buckets and send outside. It was pitch dark inside but we were having FuN… singing and swimming too 😉 . Others had gathered on the outside and were encouraging us. There was an uncle who turned out to be a complete showman shouting some hilarious slogans. One of them was… ” Bastiwaloon andar gaye nawjawanoon ke liye bajao taaaali…,” tat too so loud tat all the flats facing the tank would easily hear.
- Surveying the damage around…!
- Cleaning the underground tank with Bisleri water… LoL
- Playing the guitar… actually just strumming the guitar randomly. Got it from one of the ground floor flats as their place was in complete disarray.
- Taking a bath (almost) in the open as our building had ordered a tanker for everyone to enjoy after cleaning the silt accumulated!
- Nothing to do for a couple of days. No idiot box and no Internet. Quite an experience.
- Some false alarms and rumors sent shockwaves around and on one day, I could see hundreds of people running on the road in from of out building… LoL
- Finally, Hats off!to the Spirit of Mumbaikars.
