Barrister Babu Reexplore

A fictionalized real tale of 26th January

Please note: Not a BB Reexplore, but do read it.😊

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26th January 2008,
Surat

She just came back from her school after celebrating Republic Day. She was looking excited for her birthday which was just in 3 days.

Munching the chocolate that she received from school after the flag hoisting ceremony, she saw an album peeking through the folded clothes inside the wardrobe.

While going through the memories of her previous Birthdays, a 7 year old Ammy asked her mom "Amma, where are the photos of my 1st birthday?" As she noticed in the photo album that the pictures were beginning from her 2nd Birthday.

Her mom sat beside her and said "Ammu, we didn't celebrate your 1st Birthday." To which Ammy puffed up her cheeks and uttered grumpily "You don't love me, do you? Otherwise you wouldn't have missed your daughter's birthday.

Ammy being the single and pampered child couldn't digest the fact that her first birthday wasn't celebrated. Her mom lovingly took her on lap and showed her an old newspaper dated 27th January 2001.

She confusingly looked at the headline. But poor 7 year old was unable to understand anything.

By the time her Dad came there and explained "Ammu, do you even know that you've survived a calamity? Look at this newspaper."

He showed the column where the news about the Gujarat Earthquake that took place on 26th January 2001 in Bujh.

The quake destroyed around 40% of homes, eight schools, two hospitals and 4 km of road in Bhuj, and partly destroyed the city's historic Swaminarayan Temple and forts, Prah Mehal and Aina Mahal.

The INTACH inspected more than 250 heritage buildings in Kutch and Saurashtra and found that about 40% of them are either collapsed or seriously damaged. Only 10% were undamaged. A public hospitals collapsed in Bhuj, killing about 150 patients inside.

To which she she nodded quickly and said "Yes Pappa, the K..kut..Kuch Bujh earthquake right? Look at these places. They had suffers so much and just imagining about that feels so scarey. But how is it related to my birthday? And what do you mean by we survived? It wasn't here right?"

He left a sigh and uttered "Ammu, even we experienced the vibration of the same. Not much as the Bujh experienced, but it had an impact here as well. Around 46 deaths and more than 150 injured were found."

Ammy was taken aback listening to this  "Here!? In Surat!?" To which he nodded and said "Back then you were just a toddler who was about to turn 1 in three days."

Her mom continued "I was in kitchen preparing food when I noticed the earthen pot vibrating and gradually the surrounding. Look, we stay here in 7th floor, and we had to escape out of the building descending the stairs. Everyone who already reached the ground floor were shouting at us to descend quickly. "

She pulled her nose and said with a chuckle "But then we had a precious burden with us. We had to be careful."

Ammy pouted her lips frowning but then smiled.

"We were lucky enough that nothing much happened to us and our houses. We were safe. But what about them, who lost everything? The quake left hundreds of thousands homeless and destroyed and damaged more than a million buildings.

At that moment we felt much privileged as we were safe.

As she started to realize whatever happened she said "Now I understood, why wasn't my birthday celebrated. So that we could pray for the well being for all those who survived and mourn those who couldn't. And specially thank almighty for saving your little Ammu, right?"

Her parents just smiled as they couldn't tell her their further sufferings. Their motive was just to inform her the reason behind not celebrating her first birthday. Now that she understood that, they didn't say anything further.

Her dad picked her up in his arms and said "So my brave survivor, aren't you excited for your 8th Birthday?"

She giggled and said "ofcourse I am! What will you gift me?"

"It's a surprise. You will come to know on that day. " He whispered to which she frowned but then said "Theek hai. Kar legi Ammu intezaar. Now shall we go down? You know I'll performing today on a patriotic song."

With that the three of them went down to celebrate Republic day in their society.

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Hey guys!
Although the story of 2008 is fictional but the incidence of 2001 about my birthday is real.

Let us take a moment to silently remember them who lost their lives. Please join me in for a moment of reflection.

And...
Happy Republic Day!
🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳