Tuesday, August 02, 2005

monsoon: remembering in the rain

I am not sure how to begin this post. This past week Maharshatra has seen more than her fair share of floods, power outages, food shortages, rain showers, drowning, and overwhelming loss, and this past day I have learned of the loss of a dear friend from childhood, a young woman whose friendliness and kindness, generosity and caring truly touched me and all who met her. I am holding back tears as I write this, though the rains outside contninue to stream.

Water has entered seemingly everywhere, covering the train tracks entirely as I was waiting to take a train back home last Tuesday, disguising motorcycles parked near the station in Thane so that only the handlebars poked out of the water, turning the roadways into rivers, coming up into apartments, causing refrigerators to float...

I had felt lucky then that I was merely waiting at the station, relatively dry, able to stretch my feet and get a warm drink, or a batata wada. Commuters were stuck in much more uncomfortable places, on busses in quickly rising waters on the highways, on trains halted in between stations. I also feel lucky to be stranded now in a warm home with ( newly made ) friends, learning how to cook indian food and borrowing kurtas and duppatas to wear. Once again everyone here has really been looking out for me. The loss and pain here though is deep, and the rains do not appear to be stopping.

The waters entered the Thane synagogue on Tuesday but had dried up by Friday night, leaving marks on the wall where it had risen. Another synagogue in the region lost Torah scrolls and other holy books which were damaged by flooding waters which reached nearly up to the womens section above the main sanctuary.

Shabbat here in Thane was wonderful- Staying on with family and seeing their traditions reminded me of home, and I am so glad to be here and not alone at this time. At the end of services in the Thane synagogue everyone turnes to one another and says Shabbat Shalom, touching hands and bringing fingers up to the lips. Its a beautiful gesture, reaching out to friends and stangers alike, and I have seen it echoed somewhat in the streets here at this time of tragedy, though the lack of responsivenss on the part of government is really shocking and sad.

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