Random Memoirs of S.V.R.Surat

The news of two 1st year boys of Servant Quarter drowned  in the flood water spread like a wild fire in whole Servant Quarter . It was devastating feeling & I forgot of all the miseries of last 48 hours ,if at all it was there . My body started to shiver & I didn't know how to react . Just to say ,I was getting goose-bumps after goose-bumps is not enough but I was in  real stupor . Late Dhan Prakash Gupta & one other 1st year boy  perhaps from Kanpur U.P had been drowned in flood water ,only Mr Satya Ranjan Sharma who was with them had miraculous escape from the jaws of sure death . As I don't know ,where the dead bodies of two 1st year boys were kept for observation . One dead body was of Late Dhan Prakash Gupta & other was of a 1st year boy from U.P ,whose name I don't remember. I was simply dazed  , numb & moving in the crowd of folks only propelled by automation  to see the dead bodies.

Mysore Cafe by the side of Chowpatty on the bank of river Tapti

                              Late Dhan Prakash Gupta was of medium height but bordering a bit of bulkiness . I had never interacted with him personally but I had seen him among the group of four or five boys. He was very voluble & had typical U.Pian accent with lot of gesticulation having domineering personality . This facade brought him easily,  the leadership mantle ,  able to guide the group of boys ,he had formed . Mr Satya Ranjan Sharma , the lone survivor of the dreaded misadventure is my Facebook friend . During College days he was very affable , having gentle demeanour & gracious . Just every body liked him to be his younger brother in Servant Quarter .

                            We saw the bloated body of Late Dhan Prakash Gupta & of another boy . The most queer thing about the bloated body of Late Dhan Prakash Gupta was his gumboot in his legs .I forgot ,how that particular day passed . The bodies had gone to mortuary & ritual of postmortem was performed on drowned bodies. That very particular day I forgot my miseries of last 48 hours & turned into a zombie in the crowd of folks. I returned to my room in Servant Quarter having no heart to remain in cremation . Bulk of U.P. folks were there for cremation .

                         I returned to my room , only thinking of Late Dhan Prakash Gupta who was chirpy fellow , had the propensity to talk &  desired other should listen to him , contrary to Mr Satya Ranjan Sharma who was gracious & patient listener. That very unfortunate day all three friends first took a stroll in the park Chowpatty , viewing river Tapti which was in real spate

River Tapti in spate

     
The incessant rain of last three days had waterlogged the road from Servant Quarter to Piplod ,so, Late Dhan Prakash Gupta thought it better to wear gumboot for avoidance of puddle of water & waterlogged ground. After strolling in Chowpatty , friends sat in Mysore Cafe where they came to know of stoppage of transport buses ferrying the passengers on the road .Perhaps Transport Department had prior information of the confluence of river Narmada & river Tapti  which made the Surat flood imminent . Unfortunate friends had no option left except to trek to Servant Quarter on foot .  
 
Ankle deep water had submerged the park Chowpatty & the road was in the process of submerging . The river Tapti  had spilled from its bank & was in the process of submerging every thing which came in its way .The company of three fellows moved very fast on the road , but gushing of flood water was more faster & the water level was increasing with rapid speed as if water is poured

Gumboot

in  a bowl to fill it up .During trekking on the road gumboot of Late Dhan Prakash Gupta was submerged & the draft caused by air & water was such , the foot became the foot of lead . He was unable to walk freely & Mr Satya Ranjan Sharma & other 1st year boy were in utter confusion of mind not knowing what to do when  spectre of drowning in flood water was staring very grotesquely on their face ! Only the house of Navin Bhai & Mohan Bhai , the canteenwala was in the sight & it turned into beckon  of hope where one was to get succour & shelter. In this moment of utter confusion , the gumboot wore by Late Dhan Prakash Gupta had developed so much draft & was stuck on the skin ,unable to be removed became great impediment in movement . In twilight that too in gushing turbulent flood water , all three came in the residential compound of Navin Bhai exhausting every drop of energy from their body . The water level had gone above the nose . Late Dhan Prakash Gupta & another ill fated boy started floating like drowned persons , only Mr Satya Ranjan Sharma was able to climb over the tree in the residential compound of Navin Bhai . It was not clear ,whether Mr Satya Ranjan Sharma was able to tie himself with the rope thrown by Navin Bhai or by his personnel belt to the branch of the tree but in the pitch darkness of night, Mr Satya Ranjan Sharma remained on the tree with two of his dead pals floating round the trunk of tree  in water . Horrendous experience !

                                    Nonetheless , to narrate this saga of Surat flood of 1968 is very painful . Now 49 years have elapsed of this story & Mr Satya Ranjan Sharma is hale & hearty & my Facebook friend .

                                   Here I must say , in the prime of youth persons meet fatal accidents & became turn casualty . Wrong & indiscreet  decision taken on the spur of moment during rush of blood leaves behind a foot print of only tragedy for near & dear . I was in Ranchi during my official posting & always  news splashed in newspaper came about group of boys of  B.I.T. Mesra, a  reputed Institution & other institution  drowned themselves in Dasham fall or Hundru fall during enjoying themselves. The wailing faces of their parents were heart rendering , so never indulge in indiscretion as life is a beautiful gift of God  & never fritter it .

Dasham Fall, Ranchi

Hundru Fall, Ranchi

     






 

 P.S.- Prof Mudaliar of S.V.R. Surat  of Geology Department ,during our era installed a concrete sitting bench on the road going from Hostel no 1,2 &3 in the name of Late Dhan Prakash Gupta & other 1st year boy .