The burning memories
The morning started with a bad news as the maid at our place came in rushing, as if considering herself a news reporter from "Aaj Tak" or "Zee News" to be the first one to bring the breaking news to the audience. She anounced that a huge fire had destroyed almost 40 hutsin a nearby locality. This came to me as a news to which I reacted in my mind "Big deal happens every other day" and left it where it was.
As I got out of my building on my way to office, I observed a large croud gathered right in front of our building. Curious as to what was the "major attraction", I parked my bike alongside the road and crossed over. The sight that lay in front of me made me go week in my knees. At that moment it occured to me "It certainly is a big deal, as it doesn't happen every other day with these people". It was a case of a fire that had ripped through 40 huts prepared by the construction workers working in an alongside building, making them homeless within few hours. As I glanced over and tried to analyse the damage, the things that I saw pierced my soul.
I saw a mother of 3 small kids making something to eat on a pile of wooden logs. The only thing missing was the roof or the entire house which surrounded her one night back when she was cooking. I saw a father trying to gather the stuff that was remaining and pile it up in a bundle. I could see the pain on his face coupled with the sorrow of loosing his house. I could see kids running around here and there barefoot enjoying / lamenting the situation. I could see the entire land charred black and I could see with my eyes the remains of their huts. Not able to see more I hurriedly left for my office. As I was driving to my office, that picture was continuously making rounds in my head. As I felt the strong heat waves accross my face and as I felt my hands burn under the summer sun, as I waited at the signals, it struck me, what are these people gonna do now?
As soon as I entered my office a cool whiff of air greeted me in the air cooled workhalls. Immediately I was on my computer dealing with my tasks and this incident just left my mind. I had completely forgotten it through out the day. As I left for my home in the evening it was a pleasant atmosphere. As I neared my house, the incident just popped out in my head and immediately made me look at the site. The scene I saw sent cold chills down my spine and I was totally dumbfounded.
I saw around 10 - 12 chullas burning as ladies made some food for their children and husbands who must have come from the construction work tired and stressed out. However, the thought that made me shiver was, what were these ladies and children doing the whole day? I had no answer except, living in the open. I wondered how the ladies would have adjusted to such a situation where they don't even have a roof to cover their head. Cover them from the heat, from the dust, from the rains and from several other things for which we need a 1/2/3 BHK house.
I live in a 3BHK house now and I wonder whats so special with me that I get 5 rooms to live in and whats so not special with these people who don't even have a roof on their head. My brother often used to say "You have adjust a lot in life. There will be times when the best is not happening with you; adjust, there will be times when this money you see today won't be with you; adjust. God is with you and will give you the strength to live through it". That day I realised what could be one of the biggest adjustments one would have to make!! God gave them the strength to survie through this. God gave them food, clothing and every possible thing as people from my building and nearby row hosues poured in with whatever could be possible from their end.
I have seen many ups and downs in life and know that its a part and parcel of life. But sometimes I fail to understand this and curse the situation at hand. What I fail to understand is we are in much better condition as compared to those families of the construction workers. We are lucky to have the good wishes of god and we should acknowledge this by keeping in mind that there is nothing greater than the power of the almighty and praying to the almighty.
As I got out of my building on my way to office, I observed a large croud gathered right in front of our building. Curious as to what was the "major attraction", I parked my bike alongside the road and crossed over. The sight that lay in front of me made me go week in my knees. At that moment it occured to me "It certainly is a big deal, as it doesn't happen every other day with these people". It was a case of a fire that had ripped through 40 huts prepared by the construction workers working in an alongside building, making them homeless within few hours. As I glanced over and tried to analyse the damage, the things that I saw pierced my soul.
I saw a mother of 3 small kids making something to eat on a pile of wooden logs. The only thing missing was the roof or the entire house which surrounded her one night back when she was cooking. I saw a father trying to gather the stuff that was remaining and pile it up in a bundle. I could see the pain on his face coupled with the sorrow of loosing his house. I could see kids running around here and there barefoot enjoying / lamenting the situation. I could see the entire land charred black and I could see with my eyes the remains of their huts. Not able to see more I hurriedly left for my office. As I was driving to my office, that picture was continuously making rounds in my head. As I felt the strong heat waves accross my face and as I felt my hands burn under the summer sun, as I waited at the signals, it struck me, what are these people gonna do now?
As soon as I entered my office a cool whiff of air greeted me in the air cooled workhalls. Immediately I was on my computer dealing with my tasks and this incident just left my mind. I had completely forgotten it through out the day. As I left for my home in the evening it was a pleasant atmosphere. As I neared my house, the incident just popped out in my head and immediately made me look at the site. The scene I saw sent cold chills down my spine and I was totally dumbfounded.
I saw around 10 - 12 chullas burning as ladies made some food for their children and husbands who must have come from the construction work tired and stressed out. However, the thought that made me shiver was, what were these ladies and children doing the whole day? I had no answer except, living in the open. I wondered how the ladies would have adjusted to such a situation where they don't even have a roof to cover their head. Cover them from the heat, from the dust, from the rains and from several other things for which we need a 1/2/3 BHK house.
I live in a 3BHK house now and I wonder whats so special with me that I get 5 rooms to live in and whats so not special with these people who don't even have a roof on their head. My brother often used to say "You have adjust a lot in life. There will be times when the best is not happening with you; adjust, there will be times when this money you see today won't be with you; adjust. God is with you and will give you the strength to live through it". That day I realised what could be one of the biggest adjustments one would have to make!! God gave them the strength to survie through this. God gave them food, clothing and every possible thing as people from my building and nearby row hosues poured in with whatever could be possible from their end.
I have seen many ups and downs in life and know that its a part and parcel of life. But sometimes I fail to understand this and curse the situation at hand. What I fail to understand is we are in much better condition as compared to those families of the construction workers. We are lucky to have the good wishes of god and we should acknowledge this by keeping in mind that there is nothing greater than the power of the almighty and praying to the almighty.
Comments
And it is instances as these, that make us realise how lucky we are.
But our part shouldn't end at this, We should definitely do something to help and do our share!
Great post...Makes you think.....long & hard!
Gr8 post... Keep writing
horrifying sight...sad we are not able to make much difference....
Mike