A Trip To Uttrakhand

These are journal entries of a diary found along the Ghats of Ganga, post the tragedy of 2013. 

• May 31, 2013

We were all set to leave but due to the delay, it turned to 10th June. 

• 10th June 2013

Trip seemed exciting, I was with my mom, dad and sister. 

• 12th june, 2013

We reached and walked into a hotel. We took rest for a while and left to explore the hills. 

Till 15th of June, we spent our days on the ghats of Ganga. 

Travelling around in Haridwar to Rishikesh,

The bridges, the holy temples, the ancient cities. 

• 16th June, 2013

In afternoon, mom and dad were tired and took a nap

But I and my sister wanted to go out

We closed the door and walked out

Came on the ghats, staring at the beautiful waters. 

It turned evening soon

Around 6:30 -7:00

Me and my sister started feeling tremors: an earthquake kinda feeling. 

Suddenly the river waters were turning dirty, I could see the trees falling, the houses breaking. 

I held her hand tight

But the river load, the natural forces separated her from me… the river took her along. 

I could see everything breaking down piece by piece. 

Amidst of those large floods..every tear went unnoticed. 

My eyes closed, I didn't know whether I was alive or not. 

• 17th June, 2013

I woke up to find myself covered in some mud and stilt. 

I was feeling numb

And the weather was still bad

Heavy rains and the dark, I was with a few unknown people. 

Shivering over what was happening, I wondered, where are my parents, my sister!? What happened to them? 

• 18th June, 2013

Morning the weather cleared almost

It was still drizzling

Few lives were saved, most encountered dead. 

Hotel places turned to ruins. I saw dead bodies hanging all around

• 19th June 2013

Helicopters came for rescue. 

They took me along, 

But I felt my soul stuck there. 

Missing posters started coming on loop

I could never find my family again

• 21st June, 2013

News reporters came along documenting our tears, faking sympathy. 

News of this tragedy spread over. 

It made me lose everything,

Unfortunately, some stories don't have a happy ending.