Nostalgia 3 - DAM 287

Date: 28 July 2005
Time: 2.35 p.m.
Location: Classroom, Victory Group Tuitions

Pankaj Sir was teaching us Geometry. We students were not very happy with that day's class. The whole of Mumbai has been shutdown following intermittent rains for the past few days. However, our classes didn't wish to give us another holiday. So, most of the students had a very unpleasant look on their face. They just wanted to spend the next 2 hours somehow and return home. I was looking at the rain through the window adjacent to my seat. I thought to myself, 'What is it about rain that makes it so beautiful?' I then slipped into thoughts but at the same time kept looking at Pankaj Sir nodding my head at regular intervals. That was enough to make him think that I was listening.
I was thinking about the last few days. My flashback began from the morning of 26th July 2005. The time was 6 a.m., I was on my bed and it was raining very heavily outside. I had to get ready for my school but I just didn't want to leave my bed. The sound of the raindrops too was prompting me to just lie down. However, I dragged myself out of bed and got ready within 45 minutes. By then the rain had stopped. I stepped out of my building. The atmosphere looked enchanting. It was still a little dark. The streets looked empty except for a newspaper boy on a bicycle and a few stray dogs here and there. I was enjoying the walk and hence slowed down the pace of my normally quick walk. When I reached my destination, I saw that the main gate was still closed and many students were standing outside. I went in through the smaller gate and found some of my classmates reading something on the notice board. It was exactly what I wished to see - a holiday notice. Now the return walk was even more pleasant. Don't know why but everything around me seemed to be so happy. I returned home and decided to spend the day watching T.V. or with my friends. I didn't venture out of home as it was raining heavily again.
Later that day, I was browsing through T.V. channels when I stopped at the channel - Headlines Today. It was reporting about the heavy rainfall wreaking havoc in Mumbai and its suburbs. The rain showed no signs of stopping. I was then sure that I would be witnessing floods for the first time in my life. Our tuitions also declared a holiday for two days. I heard that our Kalyan railway station was fully flooded and went there with my friends Bhushan and Nadeem. Many people had gathered there to witness their beloved railway station in that condition. The railway tracks had turned into brown rivers. The three of us walked through the flood waters alongwith the hundreds of other people gathered there. We returned home and had some hot tea from my mother. We friends gathered at our terrace in the evening but couldn't have a game due to rain. We were worried about our fathers as they were not in a situation to return back home that day. The railway tracks were clogged and the train services were suspended. So they had to spend the night at their offices.
They could return only next day (27th July) afternoon when the water receded a bit. The rain had stopped at some places but the sky had not yet cleared completely. Our schools had declared a holiday for atleast the next ten days. It was like a small vacation for us. We then had to face scarcity of water as the muncipality had stopped water supply temporarily fearing epidemics. We helped eachother collecting rainwater in buckets and water from borewell. Those two days (26, 27 July) were spent in such activities. No studies, no homework, etc. We were very happy.
However, next day i.e. 28th July 2005, we were dissapointed to hear that our Victory Group tuitions was not closed that day. We were even more dissapointed when we heard that most other tutorials had given their students a holiday that day too. This was the reason for the not so pleasant look on the face of the students that day. I was still daydreaming when I saw a piece of chalk from Pankaj Sir's hands flying towards our bench. Initially, I thought it was for me but it wasn't. It was aimed at Himanshu who was sleeping beside me. The only reason I was spared the chalk was that my eyes were open. The chalk was bang on target and brought Himanshu out of a deep sleep. There were light laughters and giggles among the students. That chalk throw from Pankaj Sir was enough to wake up the whole class. The class continued.
Pankaj Sir was still going on with his theorems when we saw two people running downstairs outside our classroom. Those two people came back again and asked Pankaj Sir to come out for a moment. We saw them whispering something into Pankaj Sir's ears. We couldn't hear what they said but Pankaj Sir looked shocked after that. He came running into our classroom and asked us to pack our bags quickly. He didn't say anything else. He just asked us to go home at once. Soon, Nair Sir came and asked us to leave for our homes quickly. Now it was official but we were still puzzled about the reason for this sudden holiday. We packed our bags and came out of the classes. We could still hear Nair Sir saying "Go straight to your homes. Don't wait anywhere." Most of the girls left straightaway. Anyway 'boys will be boys.' Most of the boys stayed their wondering what happened while some got themselves busy eating vadapavs and other snacks from the shop below our tuitions. Soon, Nair Sir came running with a stick to drive us away. Seeing him, we all left quickly.
When I reached some distance I saw a large group of people running towards me. Shops were being shut down. I now realised that something was really wrong. I thought some civil war or something has broken out. I also joined those running people. It was more or less like a mini marathon race. While running I asked a person beside me, "What's happening?" He had absolutely no idea, he said, "Kya maloom" (I don't know). We then exchanged smiles. When I was near my building I saw the parents of a girl of our tuitions. They waved at me and I went near them. They asked me, "Did you see our daughter?" I replied, "Yes, she will be coming soon I think. The class has been dispersed but I have no idea why." Her father : Don't you know. The Badlapur dam has burst. Our city maybe flooded any moment.
I : Oh! So thats the reason.
By then their daughter arrived.
I : There comes your daughter. I think I must continue with my running. Bye!
I was preparing for my sprint, when I heard a loud shout from behind, "Woh dekh, paani aa raha hai" (Look, water is coming). I didn't turnaround and just kept running. After getting to a distance, I turned around to be relieved that it was just a rumour. However, I now knew that the dam had burst and realised that it was enough to cause damage to our area. I reached my building. I saw that everyone were rushing upwards to the terrace. People from the adjacent slums were also being shifted to the terrace of the tall buildings in our locality. When I found no one at my home, I guessed they too might have gone to the terrace. I went downstairs to see if my friends residing there are aware about all these. I saw that all the rooms were locked except one. It was as expected Joel's house. He was peeping out of his door and wondering what was wrong with all these people rushing upstairs. He saw me and asked what happened. I told him that the dam had burst and we must rush to a higher place to save ourselves. He was shocked and came with me at once.
When we reached the terrace we could see almost the whole population of the city from there. The streets and slums were completely deserted. The whole city was on the top. Most of them had their cameras ready to capture this rare event. Everyone was looking towards the east, the direction in which the dam is located. Seconds became minutes. Everyone stood in anticipation of an impending disaster.
Between all these we engaged in a small game of cricket. More than an hour passed and still no water. The wait continued. People were calculating the distance of the dam from our city and the approximate time it may take for the water to reach there. None of those calculations could justify the delay.
Then we saw a small jeep crawling through the street announcing 'Dam kahi phutlela nahi' (the dam has not burst). It was announced that the whole dam burst thing was fake. It was just a rumour which got the whole city on their heels. People were confused how to react to this announcement. They were not sure whether to be happy that it was just a rumour or dejected for being cheated like this. We children did feel a bit dissapointed and cursed the person who might have spread the rumour.The whole experience was fun for most of us who didn't lose anything in that. However, the victims of such rumours are mostly the poor people who reside in slums. They have to run leaving everything behind to save themselves. Robbers and thieves take advantage of this panicky nature of man.