Though sixteen years have passed by,
I still cannot erase from my memory,
The floods that came in like a Tsunami wave
On 26th July 2005 into Mumbai.
It's a date unforgettable!
Those who have experienced the 2005 floods,
Would comprehend its fierce intensity and
The severe destruction caused by its raging waters.
Until and unless a frightening experience hits you,
You think of it as a distant happening!
On 26th July, the rains came pouring down like never before,
Perhaps, the Gods were angry with the city and its people.
There was no stopping of rains that day.
It poured and poured with vengeance!
By noon, there were pools, puddles and ponds of water.
The drain pipes across the city were all clogged and blocked.
I was at home writing and typing into my computer.
My husband had come home for lunch from his office,
He had an uncanny sense of perception,
He waited for the rains to subside. But it never did. Instead,
The rains intensified and splashed down with heavy thuds
Luckily, our daughter, had reached her Newspaper office,
In the main city that she had joined, just three months ago.
We were happy that she was safe in her surroundings.
As we stayed on the ground floor of the building,
We could see the level of the water rising in our compound.
Suddenly, like a storm rushing in lightning speed,
Huge waves of water came rushing through our windows
And fountains of water rose up from the pipes and drains.
We realised we were standing in deep waters, soaked too.
There was no time to think. We just picked up the keys and ran out.
My husband and I, hastened up the stairs to take refuge in our friend's house above.
An Autobiographical Poem
I still remember some of the incidence narrated by the Taxi driver, how people fell in open manholes and how the water reached upto first floor damaging everything. Nice series.
I still remember the sorrow in your eyes whenever you spoke about this event. You were forced to let go of so many important things especially your books and dance materials. It was a prove of years of hardwork but yoy really inspired me to be strong.
I still remember the sorrow in your eyes whenever you spoke about this event. You were forced to let go years of hardwork like books you wrote and the dance materials. It really inspires me how strongly you have handled yourself by being positive even in one of the most difficult situation
The 2005 floods of Mumbai have left an indelible scar on the lives of many, including me. A bad dream. Congratulations to Geeta on selection as poet of the day. Well done
Brilliant depiction which made me see the scenery of your troubles even while reading your lines.
I am thinking that writing about this terrifying time must have had some healing to the mind and soul--this poem was very immediate and I felt I saw the huge surge of waves chasing you from your apartment up up up to safety, 5 stars and faved, my dear friend
A Real life story in this Poem makes it a Preservable piece of work. Excellent narration Dr. Geeta.
Reading it brought back the heart wrenching memories of the past. The poem is a true masterpiece 🙏👏
I have already taken this poignant work to my favourite! Congrats once again! !
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
This was indeed a horrible experience for those who have seen and lived through, I saw the aftermath when I visited Mumbai on 28th July 2005 and could see the water logging even then.