On Nov 6, year 1999, it was unusually cold that evening. Raju, a 5Th standard student, was playing with his friends outside his school in an empty place; they were waiting for their school bus. His school's last bell will ring by 4PM everyday and the bus will arrive around 4:30PM so in the mean time kids play different games, today was no different, but all the kids appeared very happy today, the sole reason being, it's "Diwali holidays from tomorrow". Though it was a small time before bus takes them home, Raju enjoyed playing in those few minutes with his bus mates, as he know he'll not meet these people till school reopens after 8 days.
Raju was playing cricket using his writing pad (as bat) and a plastic ball that his friend Karan brought with him hidden in his school bag. There was a heavy wind blowing continuously which was disturbing the game as the ball was flying away along the wind. Raju was batting, Karan was bowling from not more than ten yards away while rest all guys were standing close to the batsman to catch the ball. There was a full toss from the bowler and Raju hit towards long on, suddenly he felt something hit him on head, he looked around and then to the object on ground that hit him, it was a small stone sized white colored object. He picked it in his hand, Ouch, he dropped it immediately as it was so cold, and he realized it's an ice cube. "Who is the idiot hitting me with an ice cube here?" He looked around was bewildered to see that such ice stones were falling everywhere. :shock:
People started shrieking and running, some in panic other in excitement, because this town has never seen such thing happening before. This ice fall appeared so much fun for Raju's friends as they started hitting ice cubes on each other, but Raju was looking worried with things going on. In a few moments ice stones were falling in plenty and it was hurting to stand in open and face them so all guys started running haywire. He quickly ran to his school bag, thrown his pad into it and wanted to run but he observed that no more he was getting hit by ice cubes, it was because he was standing under a large neem tree where he kept his bag. He thought this tree can give him good shelter, as he assumed ice won't fall beyond few minutes, at least not in his town which remains so hot throughout the year. Some more kids and few parents who came to take their children home stood under that tree along with him.
It felt like ages for him standing there and getting constant beatings of nature, the high wind blown away all the leaves of the tree and ice was falling directly on people standing under it. Kids were crying in pain, parents were trying to protect their children by covering them up against the falling ice, one of the parents couldn't restrain this anymore, and he took his kid in his arms and ran towards a small book shop not bothering about the ice stones but making sure his kid is safe in his hands. Raju saw him reach the shop safe and smile victoriously as his kid was unhurt, beside this guy was standing Raju's friend Karan in that shop. With a ray of hope, Raju called out loud, "KARAN.. KARAN.. HELP", but to no avail as the noise of rain and wind was so deafening. "May God help me" he thought to himself, put his bag on his head just like the street hawkers hold the basket and started running shouting RUUNNNNN.. behind him all the kids and parents too ran towards the book shop. Karan saw them coming and made space for them, shop owner was kind enough to give them dry towels to dry themselves, gave them a long bench to sit on and take a sigh of relief.
Rain stopped completely in another half an hour but sky was full of dark clouds. It felt like some dark evil has fallen over the town, destruction everywhere, lot of fallen trees, broken electric poles; Raju was out of his trauma, he was trying to relax his mind, only then he remembered his sister. She awaits school bus on the North end's gate of school; he prayed to God for her, first time in life he wished if there was a cell phone with every one of his family and friends. He was about to start walking to North gate to his sister that he saw school bus coming, he boarded the bus quickly and searched for her, she was sitting there in the middle with her cute smile, he said a great Thanks to Him.
"How are you my little bro? You seem to have had fun in rain and ice" she said.
"Ya great fun actually, what about you, everyone in bus appears like they are coming from different planet, looking so calm and composed as if nothing happened, where were you all this time?"
"We were standing under a tree near North gate when it started raining, fire men standing outside that Fire Station in front of North gate saw us and took all of us soon into Fire Station where we took shelter till it was safe to come out, and immediately after rain stopped bus was ready near gate, that's all. But you appear so tired, where were you?" she asked
"I was also standing under a.. aahhh.. in a shop, that Sai book shop just opposite school gate", he didn't want to share the whole tale now. Bus took almost double time than usual to cross all the traffic and reach their home; their worried parents were so excited to see their kids. Raju was surprised to see piles of ice in every corner of terrace and porch of his home. There was no power supply that night, his Diwali -the festival of light, began with a dark night. That day he learnt that nobody can stop nature.
Note: This story is inspired from true events happened in my life, but real inspiration came from few articles I read in recent times which say some alarming facts like "By 2025, about 25% of Indian cities will face absolute scarcity of water" and "Hindustan is becoming Burfistan soon??" etc. Save nature is what everyone say so I don't want to re-iterate it but just want to remind the famous quote "We don't inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children"
