-Nurungukal….

         On the eighth of August 2018 it was pouring down ever since morning in cats and dogs. I thought the furry of south west monsoon is in its peak this season. By noon it gathered intensity and made me apprehensive of an impending threat. Still a wish full thinking made me to rule out a danger. By evening the rain became scattered and by night fall I ensured that the water which was stagnating in my courtyard has lowered , almost drained out. There was no warning about any untoward happenings from any corner and we after finishing our usual T.V programme called it a day and went to sleep.

        I was jerked out of sleep by the incessant ringing of my mobile. It was my neighbour. There was a heavy sound of water gushing from the roof and I knew that the rain has intensified. It was an alarm call to tell me that water is raising all around and it has entered the lower portion of his house. The tone and frenzy in his voice pulled me out of bed. When I came out to see what is happening , water has already reached our front door step and it was flooding all around. I rushed back to wake up my wife who was in deep slumber. Some of my  property documents which I had left on the table last  night were collected and deposited them on the top of an almira. After collecting my mobile and money purse, grabbed my wife and was virtually ran out of the house after locking the front door. Some of the neighbourhood youngsters had already gathered in front of the house and were ready to help us escape from the situation. They even volunteered to carry us through the water, which by that time had risen knee high. In the melee we even forgot to take out our car which eventually was drowned and damaged. But the youngsters managed to to take our cows to a safer place, and rescued them.

           I remember that in our childhood we had enjoyed playing in the rising flood water which very often reached to embrace the last steps of our gate in every season. Those days it was a fun for us to enjoy the frothy muddy water flowing to find its level in the distant sea at great speed. Lot of youngsters used to play boats made out of banana stalks and some even ventured to try big cauldrons.

          My wife was having problems to negotiate through the gushing water to reach the house of my brother-in-law which was fortunately on an elevated hillock. Even today I shudder to think of the episode which we had to encounter in our life  that day and often wonder now, was it the same house which we had to leave seeking a shelter else where.  I remember my mother narrating a similar incident in her childhood, when many of our distant relatives had to take refuge in our Tharavad house in Ponnani for days. I presume it might have happened in 1924 when a similar situation occurred throughout in Kerala. 

         My house from which I had to escape was built two feet higher than the water level of the flood which devoured many parts of Wayanad in 1961. This time the level was four feet above that. Till next day morning the rain continued, although the intensity was reduced gradually.  

         Next dayby evening I ventured to visit my abandoned House, by then the water slowly started receding. The unprecedented rain has engulfed the whole area .Many discouraged me from the attempt. Still I was curious about my house and the safety of the things inside. As I waded through the murky water I felt the enormity of the damage caused with in a matter of few hours.

        All the youngsters in the locality were ready to extend a helping hand to any one. Almost all the houses were inundated and many were marooned. A unit of the fire force was plying hither tither to collect the isolated souls. Old, sick, handicapped, and even a pregnant lady was rescued by them. Later I heard that the lady delivered immediately after reaching the hospital. The land slide and a huge rock which descended from the nearby hill demolished four houses in a row. Two small children were extricated from the debris miraculously and another family escaped sure death seconds before the earth covered their house. If the huge piece of rock which rolled down along with the soil had not fell flat on the road, it would have been a greater calamity.

        It was with great anxiety I opened my front door as I was sure the damage was certain inside. The water level was about my hip level.Nothing was in its place. It was total chaos. Fridge was floating, even the double coat was lying tilted in a corner. T.V., Computer, book shelf, nothing was left. Water has entered every almira. It was difficult to walk as the sticky silt has settled all over.I could not stand any more and left the house carrying an image which will never fade away. I stood there for a while or two, slowly walked back,trying to chalk out a retrieval plan and consoling that our loss would be much less significant when compared to what has happened to those who are lesfortunate………..and many a miles to go before I sleep.....