Monsoon Chaos: Two Days of Destruction
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Divit VanjaniMonsoon Chaos: Two Days of Destruction
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Divit VanjaniRains which bring the much-needed relief from the sweltering
heat, can also cause havoc in our lives. Describe how two days
of incessant rains caused unlimited problems for the people in
your town.
If there is one season that all of us Calcuttans love, it is the monsoon. Oh! those
wonderful days when the grey clouds shield us from the scorching rays of the sun. The
heavens open up, and the pitter-patter of raindrops resonates with our internal rhythm,
making us feel truly alive. However, those same rejuvenating monsoons can cause
havoc.
It was the month of August. One fine morning, thunder struck. Opening the window, I
was greeted by purple flashes. All of it seemed like a dream. I pinched myself to realize
that it wasn’t one. The gusty winds left the windchime ringing endlessly.
Just as I was about to leave for school that day, my mother’s phone rang. Disaster
struck! My carpool driver stated that he wouldn’t be able to pick me up. My heart was
racing. I had an important event to attend. So, carrying a spare set of clothes, I rushed
downstairs, only to find those once-familiar streets waterlogged. It was as if the road
had turned into a dirty river, reflecting those clouds in the skies above. Calcutta looked
just like Venice, but gondolas were missing. I caught hold of a ‘rickshaw-wallah’ and
reached school, dripping wet.
The scenes at the school were not as promising. While schools should have been alive
with the laughter of students, exams were postponed owing to sparse attendance. My
friends and I could not play that evening, as it was wet.
The rain subsided in the afternoon. On my way back home, I was passing through the
‘mitti colony.' The condition of those ramshackle houses was in shambles. Being a low-
lying area, water had seeped through the doors. A notorious stench pervaded the area.
The congested and overpopulated area would soon become a breeding ground for
dengue mosquitoes. Relief helpers were of some help, but I felt bad for those residents.
The Bansdroni market, adjacent to my flat, was waterlogged as well. The vendors, with
sad faces, watched the water engulfing their shops and wares. A large stock of fresh
produce, clothing, and essential supplies had all been soaked by water.
As I arrived home, the lights tuned off abruptly. My mom was standing outside my flat
waving a flashlight. The dark clouds had brought darkness to homes. Without power,
our homes became dark caves. The Wi-Fi was off, mobile data signals were weak.
Communication was a challenge.
A few hours later, power was restored. I switched on the television. “Incessant Rains:
14 Dead” stated the headline. A shocking video emerged where two sisters had been
electrocuted. One of them had accidentally touched an electric pole. Her sister tried to
save her, both losing their lives in the process. Saddening visuals of their parents
emerged, who were crying and begging for justice.
The next morning, though the rains had halted, there was worse news. Amidst the
rains, a family of three perished in a bike accident where a bike fell into a pothole. Lives
are lost for nothing at all.
A group of fishermen ignored the warning issued by the meteorological department and
lost their lives in the process.
My grandmother suffered a stroke in the morning. We called an ambulance to rush her
to the hospital. All of a sudden, the rains started pouring down heavily. Traffic jams
began everywhere, on the main roads, the alleys, and flyovers. Honking was of no help.
We couldn’t reach the hospital in time. The rains left my heart with the biggest void
possible.
To conclude, I can say that the monsoon, while being a blissful blessing, reveals the
fragility of humans against nature. On the one hand, we can clear roads and rebuild
structures, but lives once lost will never come back. So, the proverb “always save for
the rainy day” should be a lesson.