LIfe is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the MOMENTS that take our breath away�"�"-anonToday our life has become fragile as we are facing natural calamities in the form of droughts, floods, tsunamis, quakes, etc. There is fear of death lurking in our minds. We have become paranoid due to this fear. I would like to share a personal experience where death was looming on our heads but clear thinking and positivity helped us to tide over the calamity.
My husband was transferred to Gangtok, the capital city of Sikkim for a 2 year stint. We accompanied him. Gangtok an apt name as it means ‘The town on a the hilltop’ is a tourist’s delight. One is mesmerised by it’s pristine beauty, magnificent mountains , rich culture and the flora and fauna untouched by man and nature. We settled down enjoying every moment of our stay. The salubrious climate added to our delight.
But as it is rightly said ‘All good things do not last forever’ so was the case. 18 th September 2011 is etched on my mind. Being a Sunday I had finished my household chores early so I decided to relax. A cup of hot tea, potato wafers and my favourite t.v. show. A good way to 
relax on a Sunday evening. It was 6.18 p.m I.S.T, as I sat sipping the hot brew, suddenly I heard a dragging, then a moaning-groaning sound, the tea cup slipped from my hands to the floor, it teeter& tottered and then was smashed into smithereens. The wall clock too did a jig. Was I imagining things ? My family’s shout from the other room made me alert, it dawned on me that we had been struck by an earthquake. Going down from our second floor apartment was difficult, so as soon as the quake calmed down we rushed out on the street. Hilly regions have serpentine roads and it was difficult to stand as people thronged the streets from all sides. There was a complete mayhem. People running helter skelter trying to locate their family members. An alert was given to the people, not to go home but stay in the open as aftershocks were expected. Power supply was disrupted, water connections broken, mobile towers broken, no communication was possible, only thing we came to know was, a 6.5 magnitude had hit Sikkim and neighbouring places. People had lost their lives and property,roads had been washed off and bridges had collapsed. We spent a cold, hungry, thirsty night. We experienced innumerable aftershocks but of a milder nature. Throughout the night a drizzle added to our woes. The night spent fraught with worry. Morning saw people fleeing the place. My family too wanted to do the same, though I was shaken yet some inner 
strength gave me a pragmatic approach to things. I boosted the morale of the family and we decided to stay back and complete the remaining tenure. There was a pall of gloom all around ,as buildings had tilted, some had collapsed, while some had developed cracks and fissures from ceiling to floor. There was rubble all around. There were rescue teams trying to salvage people buried in the debris, Wails and cries shattered the peace as people moaned the death of their loved ones.. The once beautiful place looked shoddy. But the calamity made me stronger and we completed our tenure, my children too passed out of school with flying colours.
relax on a Sunday evening. It was 6.18 p.m I.S.T, as I sat sipping the hot brew, suddenly I heard a dragging, then a moaning-groaning sound, the tea cup slipped from my hands to the floor, it teeter& tottered and then was smashed into smithereens. The wall clock too did a jig. Was I imagining things ? My family’s shout from the other room made me alert, it dawned on me that we had been struck by an earthquake. Going down from our second floor apartment was difficult, so as soon as the quake calmed down we rushed out on the street. Hilly regions have serpentine roads and it was difficult to stand as people thronged the streets from all sides. There was a complete mayhem. People running helter skelter trying to locate their family members. An alert was given to the people, not to go home but stay in the open as aftershocks were expected. Power supply was disrupted, water connections broken, mobile towers broken, no communication was possible, only thing we came to know was, a 6.5 magnitude had hit Sikkim and neighbouring places. People had lost their lives and property,roads had been washed off and bridges had collapsed. We spent a cold, hungry, thirsty night. We experienced innumerable aftershocks but of a milder nature. Throughout the night a drizzle added to our woes. The night spent fraught with worry. Morning saw people fleeing the place. My family too wanted to do the same, though I was shaken yet some inner strength gave me a pragmatic approach to things. I boosted the morale of the family and we decided to stay back and complete the remaining tenure. There was a pall of gloom all around ,as buildings had tilted, some had collapsed, while some had developed cracks and fissures from ceiling to floor. There was rubble all around. There were rescue teams trying to salvage people buried in the debris, Wails and cries shattered the peace as people moaned the death of their loved ones.. The once beautiful place looked shoddy. But the calamity made me stronger and we completed our tenure, my children too passed out of school with flying colours.Ardent faith in the Almighty, fervent prayers and equanimity help us to face all the vicissitudes in life. It was a blessing that we remained unscathed though the jaws of death would have finished us.
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