Anandpur is a small town located on the banks of the Baitarani River. The river flows near the city and floods each year during the rainy season. People suffered a lot during that time. A few anxious stories of that time are worth mentioning in the Anandpur chronicles.
During one of those years, a flood on the Baitarani River hit the town of Anandpur. The floodwater entered the town at night. The houses on the area’s lower slope got flooded. The water rose to waist height, and people fled overnight for shelter. A few houses were on the upper slope. The people there tried to escape, but couldn’t because of the limited time.
After the floodwaters arrived at midnight, people took shelter in my grandparents’ house. A small commotion ensued as panic-stricken people gathered. Amid the large crowd and extended family, Grandpa found a familiar face that was missing. It was my gita aunty. She had been missing from home since midnight. Nobody had noticed. The family members searched for her frantically and called for help.
When the search was going on, sad news came that two girls had drowned in the flood and gone missing. The search party was anxious. Grandparents were sobbing. The search became crazy. Amidst this, another news came that a girl’s body had been retrieved somewhere in the town. Fearing the worst outcome, the family ran to the place to recognize the body. To everyone’s relief, my aunt was not the deceased person. The girl was about my aunt’s age.
At noon, when everyone had given up hope after a thorough search, Gita Aunty arrived at the home. At first, she was welcomed by the sobbing parents; afterward, a stern warning and shout followed. She was helping a friend whose house had been swept away by the flood. She was busy gathering the family’s prized belongings during the flood emergency. It was a noble act, but it came at a difficult time.
The whole family was in shock over the development. Everyone sighed in relief after hearing what happened. Few praised her for her heroics, humanity, and friendship. Most were furious, as it was an act of total recklessness. It was a topic of discussion among family, friends, and relatives for quite some time. It was one of the craziest experiences I have shared in the Anandpur Chronicle series.
The Witty Stride 