True Story

“AN YOUNG BOY FROM MUMBAI”
TRUE STORY OF HEMANT’S LIFE
“JAI MATA DI “
I and my husband desired to visit vaishno Devi at Katra , Jammu during the posting of my husband in Jammu & Kashmir . It was the month of 31st December 2005 , cold , heavily snow-capped all around over the high altitude of hills of MATA VAISHNO DEVI . We started our journey towards Katra. When we reached Katra, police did not allow us to go ahead due to heavy rainfall. We waited there after that when rain came down ,we started again our journey from Katra to the Holy Shrine –Mata Vaishno Devi Cave , hardly , When had we reached Baan Ganga, heavy shower of snow fall started with simultaneous drizzling . We could see very few people there. All shops were shut since there was storm , snow fall and it was complete dark all around , on the way. No one was there on the track to move. We planned to take rest near “Ardh Kunwari”, a place quite calm on high altitude with safe shed to stay for some time , so we kept walking to reach the place since we , together, were quite tired due to the alarming & chaotic climate all around . After almost 45 minutes of walk on the way, finally ,we reached the place which was just 1 Km behind “ Ardh Kunwari”.
We were tired so we decided to take rest. We decided to sit near by a Nescafe in search of “hot coffee “or “tea “ but ,unfortunately ,it was also closed. Though ,we planned to sit there, as I was making place to sit, one boy fell down on the feet of my husband uttered once “save me” and became unconscious. We forgot about rest, how tired we were. We started rubbing his hand and feet. He was about 18 years’ old, totally wet, bare feet and alone. Now our target was to save his life as he was the victim of hypothermia because of cold. My husband asked me about arranging articles/ items /good from nearby in order lit fire to warm up ourselves and our belongings but it was raining as well as showering snow altogether, since , it was dark all around, shops were closed, so, it was quite difficult for me and my husband to arrange thing for fire under the shed where we were stopped to take rest. I remember, I felt scared all of a sudden since it started heavy storm blowing with heavy rain, thundering all around which stopped our job more difficult to gather things for fire. However, we , together , kept doing exploration and finally , we arranged to lit fire which was quite miraculous in that storing situation where Nature was showing Her presence in the dark hours of that night.
I remember, we together ,were sharing the best solo moments of life and suddenly what we saw that a boy came down without any consciousness since he was completely wet and fell down the Bench beside us and got unconscious . We realized that something is wrong with the boy . We were literally breathing calm to see the boy on the bench . We decided to see the boy and started talking to boy but we found no response from him so , we checked , his breathing , pulse movement which was quite numb without any response from vital organs of the boy. I , remember , the place , surrounding thundering all around with dark blanket all around , no service , no human being anywhere . My husband , started , CRP with heavy rubbing over body which helped the boy warm up to breathe comfortably , waking him up. We offered him dry clothes , rain coat which he put on by changing all his wet clothes. My husband changed his clothes and put our clothes like warmer- inner, socks, hi-neck, trouser and jersey etc. The fire , we had lit , helped further more , the boy to warm up himself . After one hour of struggle the boy woke up and became conscious. It was a big achievement for us as the boy was talking to us. It was a miracle for us, we did our best and result was in front of us. We thanked Mata Vaishno Devi.

Meanwhile , the climate around us improved a bit , few people gathered around watching what we had done to save the life of the Boy . The boy stood up , touched our feet seeking blessing and thanking us for saving his life . Later on , he explained us in detailed that he had come with a group of 8 Boys from Mumbai to visit the place. But , unfortunately , other boys , did not climb the “Bhairo Ghati “ since it was snow-capped all around and only he, move to “ Bhairo Ghat” and so he found himself alone , separated from the group and suffered , the “Hypothermia” .
The boy was the only son of a merchant of Mumbai. He came with his group of friends. He wanted to visit BHAIRAV GHATI but police men did not permit him to go so he came back and mean while his group went down, he was searching his group but he could not find mean while his clothes were wet and he became unconscious. We asked his name, his name was HEMANT KUMAR. He belonged to very rich family. He took our address . my husband helped him to go to “BAAN GANGA” . When we reached to GUFFA for darshan , it was heavy snowfall we were stopped there for two days. It was a scene of dream. We spent three days in snow fall. There was five feet solid ice both the sides of the track. There was some causality also. One person wanted to sit on the solid ice thinking that seating chair but slipped and fell into 100 feet down, not traceable. Coming back after Darshan there was ice avalanche it attacked on us and self, one old lady pilgrim and one child was affected by that avalanche. I was totally off and afraid and thinking that this is my last moments but again my hubby helped all of us to come out from that danger. While moving down we saw sheds were broken and guards were removing ice –slide from both the side and making pathway for pilgrims.
That time mobile was not affordable for a common man. STD booth was there with costly call. We tried to contact our parents but we could not make call as lines were dead. Somehow we completed our journey successfully and reached back to HARIDWAR. After one day I received a call on my land line telephone, surprised to hear it was the voice of HEMANT’S father and mother. They were curiously making us call with million time thank. They invited us to visit their home as well as SHIRADI. After one week we got one parcel from Mumbai at my address, when I opened it I was surprised to see all clothes which we had put to him he returned it after dry clean. In routine they used to call us. One day , two years late , we received a call and it was the last call from the family of the Hemant , the boy whom we saved .
His parents , Mother & Father , were crying while talking to us when we asked what happened than she replied,” VAHA TO AAP NE BACHA LIYA , PAR YAHA KOI AAP JAISA NAHI MILA USKO (HEMANT) BACHANE KE LIYE” We again asked don’t cry and explain to us what happened then his father said, “HEMANT MET WITH A ROAD ACCIDENT AND HE WAS LYING ON THE ROAD FOR THIRTY MINUTES , LASTLY DIED ON THE SPOT” .
It was very shocking news for us we could not sleep whole night for next so many days to come . How can , human beings , be so inhuman / cruel / heartless , who did not help Hemant on the spot of accident . Now we could do nothing except prayer for Him and strength for his family.
Help others if you get opportunity to help.
“If you help others, God will always help you, “
“THIS WAS A TRUE , INSPIRING STORY , TRULY PART OF OUR LIFE WITH HEMANT , A BOY FROM MUMBAI “ WHO LEFT US ALL TO THE ABODE OF GOD
Er Mamta Rani