The Other Side
Guelph, Ontario
Here’s an email message from a friend visiting India and he details his time of testing, a life and death encounter with nature, who can be sometimes harsh.
“June 16th, 2013 at 7 PM we were in our hotel visiting and ready to start a 14km Kedarnath Yatra (pilgrimage) when we head a roaring sound. A broken ice glacier sent a 40 foot length of water gushing down into the Mandakhini River. The force of the water split the dirt/stone mountain, wiping away 50 – 60 houses in one hour. We saw the collapse of a four storey building. All the building in Gauri Kund, started to shake, including our hotel. It became unsafe to stay in the hotel.
We abandoned the hotel around 2:30 AM on June 17th in rain and darkness, heading into the mountain top to a safe place. We were trapped in this cut off area for five nights and six days without food and with limited water. We walked so much in the mountains and the jungle until we reached the Tibet border but could not escape. We saw so many dead bodies all over. It was a really sad and frightening time. And finally my wife, Surinder, was rescued by a military chopper. I was rescued by the army with rope and chain tied to my chest. Army soldiers saved my life. We came back to Canada safely on June 25th.
Laj Prasher”
I read this message to our mini bus youth group just to bring all of us to the reality platform. Some of the youth are catching on to the walking program as we enjoy a trek on the Bruce Trail at Rattlesnake Point. Canoeing on the Speed River in the city of Guelph was also seen as an enjoyable experience. All were having fun, yet I felt compelled to bring a moment of sobriety to the situation. A reminder as to the other side of nature.
13 KM
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