Srinagar Flood: Part-III

It is how flood victims divided themselves into various categories at Gupkar Road’s helipad, as they exist in our reservation system, and how I was trying to look at our lives as how it must have been like before the eyes of the Almighty...

I, along with my neighbors headed towards the rescue camp by sitting into an Army-bus. Some ladies were still sitting outside here and there in timeless wait. They were awaiting for their beloved husbands separated by rescuers as they were preferring ladies and children to come out first. That Army-bus brought us to a higher area on Gupkar Road, where in a temple or school a relief camp was set up. As I decided not to go in relief camp while all my neighbors went to the camp. Now I wanted to reach to Srinagar airport anyhow, so I could go further to Delhi. There were arrangements to send people to Jammu, Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, and Bangalore. Secretariat’s helipad was being used to send people outside, which situates at Gupkar Road. This road was the only dry-patch that time in that area, as it situates on a hillock overlooking most of Srinagar. Several top officials including the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's (former now) residence is also on the Gupkar Road. This elite Gupkar Road was thrown open to the public after around 10 years. 

But as I reached upward towards helipad, it was like almost loosening of all hopes. Around 8,000 people, in around 15 km long queue, were already there waiting to enter into the complex. There were two gates to enter, one was for VIP’s only and other was for common public. But till I reached there the timings for common people were closed. Situation was likely to be in that queue for some more days but I didn’t wanted to go back to relief camp. I had made up my mind to wait there, without knowing that how I was going to spend that night there on road that’s too all alone. Gratefully I found some other colleagues and alumnus of my school there. None of us had ever thought that someday we would spend a night on road like this. We were without food and without any arrangement for that chilly night. Soon we, like many other people gathered some tree sprigs from around, as it was a backwoods area too. Thereby, arranged the bonfire and could spent that night at open, dark and parky road. It was just that night, I could spoke at home (Delhi) through somebody’s mobile and could inform them that I was safe and okay. 

People were quarrelling to come ahead in queue. In night the gates of complex were opened for ladies and children to sit inside. But hoard like people entered inside and occupied the nearby place of helipad. Few were still sitting silently outside the gate, as they were confident of forthcoming morning scene. They were saying that outsider’s queue only will work in morning and people those went inside would be extruded. But in morning foreigners, and ladies and children were called up to come first. In consequence, more scuffle had arisen. It was a tough situation for Army-men to handle. That concourse weren’t including human-beings and victims now. They were Foreigners, then they were Tourists, Localites, Outsiders, Kashmiris, Non-Kashmiris, Employees and so on. So many categories were there, as they are in reservation system. But here these categories were identified by people themselves, wasn’t recognized by Government. Army-men were asking to send Foreigners first and then to ladies and children. Because foreigners were our guest, and it was our humble duty towards them, and for ladies there were no toilet facilities. But some localites were arguing over this calling it a biasness towards them. Few started laying down on the helipad. 

Crowd at Helipad, and I too a part of it
(A Clipping of a Newspaper of Rajasthan)

Many among other mobs, were trying to push others to come ahead and to go first. Men were even pushing women. Few pregnant women too were there, Army-people made them stand separate. But modest citizen of this country were not sparing even them. Even some elderly ladies were shoving those women. Some were fainting, men were shouting, women were crying, kids were nagging. It was becoming severe and none was ready to grok the situation. None was ready to either collaborate or to compromise. Everyone was desiring to go first, without realizing the need of cooperation. Helicopters were coming towards helipad but due to scarcity of landing space, they were unable to land there. Anyhow after spending a lot of efforts, Army-men could able to control the crowd. Eventually, they could made a helicopter to land. I would say myself extremely lucky that I was in first 20 people, who were chosen to go in first term. Perhaps due to bally-ragging I was pushed in-front, but causing the same I couldn’t flew in that term. But I managed to ascend towards helicopter in fourth term at last. 

Sitting onto pew in that Army-helicopter, there were exuberating emotions. Ladies and children were blubbering inside. And, I am with lack of words to describe the moment, when helicopter boarded from helipad. Instant on that minute, while gazing outside through the window, I was feeling something hyperphysical. Now, we were flying refusing for dying. Soon, in while we had reached to Air Force Station Airport. From there we were brought to Civil Airport of Srinagar by an Army-bus. There were separate queues for distinct destinations i.e. Jammu, Delhi, Chandigarh etc. on Srinagar Airport. My waiting ended finally in late evening when Delhi passengers were called up. Around 250 passengers of that Delhi flight were a motley cluster of foreigners, tourists, employees, laborers and others. Laborers were seemingly pleased with their first air travel experience. While flying from Srinagar, looking down through window I was trying to view the earth as how it must have been like before the eyes of the Almighty. We might are not less than the toys afore him and our lives too. How tiny our houses and our flood marooned lives were, as we were elevating from the earth. That night on 10th September, 2014 by an Air India flight (provided by Government to Flood victims) I could came to Delhi, to my home, to my family.

Srinagar Flood: Part-II

It is how the sky and water had made the horizon, how I along with others could came out of house and how a ruined city gave birth to two different breeds of one species called human-beings...

Calamity Painted Abstraction
(A bird eye view of water from third floor) 

Everywhere it was muddy water around our houses (which were not drowned completely). Water cropped them to resemble houseboats and Dal Lake too was coalesced into that squalid water. But the night of 7th September 2014 in those static houseboats was more awful than other days. We were fifteen people on third floor and each of us was assuredness of the other. Few from our neighborhood had been left already in 6th September night. Some were questioning if they had information then why they didn’t tell to others? And some were saying that there was an announcement through a nearby mosque in previous night about ensuing calamity but reality was that we were stuck bemused in our houses with no connection to outer world. 

Through My Window

Horizon was now the meeting point of sky and water instead of earth. Since morning of 7th September Army helicopters were hovering all over in the sky to muster the situation. Everyone was looking upon them with some kind of hope. Flying vultures were even resembling us the helicopters. Each time while listening to sound of the helicopter, people used to run through their windows to know at least what was going to happen now. Everyone wished to be taken away from his/her house through those helicopters. People were tying up red clothes onto brooms or long sticks for showing them to helicopters, but none got anything apart of some convincement. We were spending most of the time to major the water level through eyes. As and whenever we assumed it little downer, we used to feel felicitous. Our situation was no less than a group of unfamiliar people living on an alien island. That time only we all got introduction of each other, and the best part of that bad spell was that we all lived together by sharing whatever we had, ate together whatever whosoever had, laughed together and cried together. None was Hindu, none was Muslim. None was Kashmiri Muslim, and none was Kashmiri Pandit. All were human beings, all were victims and all were survivors. 

It was how people were bringing 'Red' into light

Helicopter rescuing people from Hotel

Few were exiting through boats

On 9th September, it was third day while we were living like this but now with shortage of drinking water and food. People who were taking shelter onto a nearby five-storied hotel were anyhow became succeed in calling a helicopter. It was the only building with flat terrace, as buildings are built with elusory roofs in Srinagar because heavy snow fall take place in winters. Some people had constructed the wooden boats, and some were being received by their local relatives. It was inevitable to come out of the houses now, as we couldn’t stay there for long like this. Rescue team from Jammu as assured by my uncle remained a dream only, as they may be couldn’t find any way to reach us. That afternoon we saw an Army-boat coming towards our house. We started calling them. Actually one of our neighbor’s old-aged parents were stuck in their house and he wasn’t in town, so now he was coming back to take his parents with the help of that Army-boat headed by an Army Major and his troop. On our request they had taken us also. We didn’t knew while leaving the home where we will be going but still we were pleased. Major told us in the way that they were bringing us to Army Cantonment, where a relief camp was set up. He also told us that same day while rescuing the flood victims their four team members were attacked viciously by militants. 

A lone neighbor whose son came with Army-boat

While sitting into that boat going towards Cantonment, our vacuumed eyes were confronting a drowned city. A water-prostrate city telling with sighs that how a man spend almost his whole life to set up a house and household goods, which can be washed away within few hours. How someone spend many years to obtain an educational degree, to become an engineer or somewhat like that, can be empty handed with no papers in hand. How someone anxiously earns the money, increases bank balance, feels lordly to have bank ATM’s, which can be useless without ATM machines. How someone having a big bank balance, couldn’t have money to buy eatables. How someone having money to buy eatables could be with no availability of required things. I too was with no cash money in hands while leaving the home, thankfully I was given a sum of 7000 rupees by a strange neighbor who even didn’t knew my name. Water had gulped the past, the present and had left the dubious future. Now there were no lanes, no roads and no particular addresses. We were sailing away above everything. This elevation from earth wasn’t the high rising success instead it was the annihilation of a civilization. 

It was how we came outside through Army-boat

There were numerous Army-boats rescuing the people and going towards Cantonment. But there were a lot of people stuck in their houses complaining about lack of rescue operations. We too were among those people few minutes ago. Mothers having kids in their laps were in more trouble. Some people could made their own arrangements to wave over the water i.e. by tying up the empty drums. But sadly few among them were not helping and rescuing anyone. They were a group of anti-etiquette finding the advantage of catastrophe. They were collecting the Gas-Cylinders which had swayed away from kitchens through the windows. They were going to sell them afterwards. They were stabbing the jewelry shops. They were entering into houses for larceny by demolishing the glass-windows in night. It was the reason many residents didn’t wanted to leave their houses even in that moribund condition. 

Drowned up School Building on third day
(As I could capture it while sailing towards Cantonment)

One could juxtapose the efforts of these contrary breeds of one species Homo-sapiens. One was selflessly serving the injured mankind and the other was filling own empty injections through their dried-up blood. My left eye was wet seeing the Army-men’s sedulity and right eye was sodden looking at sad face of humanity. In drowsiness of these thoughts, soon we entered into Cantonment area which situates at heights as compare to rest of the city. After writing down everyone’s name, the place from where one rescued and one’s destination place, Army-men were sending people to rescue camp. While writing down the names they were offering some dry food items and fruits. Finally some efforts from the Government came afore the eyes.

Rest in the Next (Blogpost)

Srinagar Flood: Part-I

Images, Words and Questions… Didn’t wanted to make alive the inert memories of a murky chapter of 2014, but the images and words still persist in some corner of mind to come out as I couldn’t write and share them at that time...

The year which has gone shouldn't be remembered because of the hurdles it implanted in a waving way, but some happenings are difficult to erase from the memory. One such event still persist in memory which occurred exactly four months before is the Srinagar Flood. Though the city has overcomed largely now, by concealing the scars flood has left on its skin. Still the flashy pictures of ‘Sailab’ (as the word is pronounced more in Kashmir instead of flood) lingers in mental veins. For me it was first ever incident when eyes saw the life on its verge opening up multifarious scenes. Some scenes among them are still the nightmares, some were the signs that humanity exists! And some stood as questions to etiquette.

It was September 2014, I was still new to the place, Srinagar, Kashmir, the paradise! I hadn’t explored it till that time, instead I was juxtaposing it only to my previous posting place Andhra Pradesh (Telangana now). The competitive world of Andhra was replaced to demulcent Kashmir. Andhra too was stagnant and serene in its appearance but inside there was something instigating. Contrastingly Kashmir looked convivial due to bustling tourism, and dreary due to terrorism but above both of its outer faces, I found Kashmir cool! The bone-dry Chinar trees in autumn, the scattered reddish-yellow leaves around them (makes me remember Maple leaves), galloping Sumos and Military vehicles on roads, the big beautiful eyes peeking through their vesture, the unpredictable weather and the Army-men deputed at every road and turn. It’s a mixed picture of ease, fain, and faze but I was experiencing the place grip-free despite of its varied facets.  

Who knew then that there is another fated facet was to confront, which was its ruinous face. It was 4th September, 2014, I went to school like any other day which locates in Shivpora near to Badami Bagh Cantt, Batwara. Just after reaching there, I and everyone around got to know that river Jhelum is flowing above danger mark and Pantha Chowk side has inundated, as it was raining incessantly for last four days. Parents were calling or either coming to school to send/take their kids back to their homes. In few hours we the staff members only were left in the school. We could see the Jhelum’s flow from one of the classroom of first floor of the building. The next day 5th September was Teacher’s Day, which declared holiday by chairman due to weather conditions. Ceaseless heavy raining had made the streets of Indra Nagar (near to Shivpora where I live) not less than flowing river and 6th September was also became a holiday as it wasn’t possible to come out in such weather. Everyone was trying to buy necessary food items, vegetables and medicines etc. to store as it could be difficult to go outside to buy these on daily basis, but none predicted the devastating flood even until 6th September night. That night I slept like every day thinking to get up early in the morning hoping that rain perhaps stop by next morning and I might go for my job.

Indra Nagar (Srinagar) through my window
in the evening of 6th September 2014

Indra Nagar (Srinagar) through my window 
in the morning of 7th September 2014

But at around 01:00 O’clock (7th September), the vociferating voices of my neighbors who lives in ground floored apartments/rooms begun to disrupt my sleep. Soon as I completely came out of sleep, their voices became more precise to me. Now they were flicking through the door of my apartment (as thankfully I lives at third floor) while shouting ‘Pani aa gaya.. Pani aa gaya…’ As I opened up the door I came to know that Jhelum bund (an embankment) had been broken and water was entering in the Srinagar city swiftly. Till that time the water had already been drowned the ground floors and was expected to raise its level. Electricity had been gone already and everyone was in rush to gather their important/necessary belongings i.e. documents, valuables, food items and cloths etc. in any possible way. I had only little battery left in my phone which was at least enough to inform the family members about the current conditions of Srinagar. Thankfully mobile network cooperated for a while and that was the last in that week when somebody from home (Delhi) heard my voice over phone. It was just that my uncle suggested me not to tremble and insured me to send a rescue team from Jammu at my Srinagar address.

Army-Men helping their Colleagues to get down from tower they had climbed upon, when suddenly water level was increased

Water level on 7th September 2014 as Street Lights were about to submerge

Eyes glancing through the windows & Balconies who possessed nothing apart of Hope for Life

The ascending water level inside my building, A door at first floor was visible to an extent whereas ground floor was completely drowned

It was a view from my another sided window, it was a five-storied Hotel building where people living around in one or two-storied houses took shelter

The zoomed pictures of around the Hotel

Nevertheless, I didn’t had any clue of what was happened, what was happening and what was going to happen. While everyone was busy in gathering goods and making phone calls I was now opening up all the windows and looking all around outside astonishingly. Humans were questing to higher places and animals were hopping for shelter either on some tree branches or on floating woods/objects. Rain had been stopped till now but wide sky was seeming wild. It was supposed to swallow the earth, us. It was blue-gray and clean but wasn’t cheerful. Sobbing voices of ‘bachao.. bachao’ were coming from distant horizon, breaking the taciturnity for a while and disappearing suddenly somewhere. Humans and living beings drink water to survive but that day water was drinking us, them and to everything that exist, that filthy, profane water! 

Rest in the Next (Blogpost)