IT IS SURPRISING!!!

 

The recent flood disaster in Uttarakhand has shook the whole nation not only because of its severity but also the wide spectrum of people affected. There would be very few lucky districts in the country who have not lost their inhabitants  in these floods. There are numerous families even clans   who have been totally shaken by the unnatural deaths and injuries caused by floods and landslides. The lucky survivors would also carry the scars of this man made tragedy. As it is called devbhumi  a large number of religious gurus have their ashrams at river banks right from Haridwar, Rishikesh ,Uttarkashi etc.etc. Fortunately we did not hear the news of any of these ashrams having been affected by floods and landslides. At the same time we also did not hear any news of these ashrams with all the modern facilities at their disposal helping the flood affected locals or the outsiders. When thousands were stranded there I was hoping against hope of hearing the news that these ashrams were providing food and shelter to the affected or lending a helping hand to those hapless relatives searching their loved ones. Tragedy is not yet over  All the missing persons are not yet traced. The locals are struggling for their bread and butter. The sick are not getting proper medical  help. Locals are telling the reporters that only some NGOs had reached them  How much can the outsider help? The local ashrams could tie up with the outside agencies . But that does not seem to be happening. All this reminds me of B.R. Ambedkar’s observation made in his famous essay Annihilation of Castes. In this essay Ambedkar observes that because of caste biases Hindus are not  tuned to do the kind of social service the Christians are said to be doing. One did not hear of these ashrams doing any help to victims of Uttarkashi earthquake a few years back. I only wish I am proved wrong and I hear of at least some ashrams doing yeoman’s service to the needy