Guest guest Posted December 31, 2004 Report Share Posted December 31, 2004 Dear friends, We were at Kovalam beach, around 30 Kms from Chennai on 26th Dec 2004 at around 9.00 am for our weekly class for the children of the Fisherfolk there. I had gone with three of my friends in order to show around the village and the work AIM for Seva is doing there. We were enjoying the beach and even contemplating having a dip in the water. Suddenly without any warning or sound or fury the waves started coming up and we thought it was due to high tide since it was a full moon day. But within seconds huge waves came and pushed us down into the water and drenched us. The waves also washed away the boats, nets and catamarans kept in the shore towards us. It took some time for us to realize what was going on and once we felt the seriousness we rushed towards the temple situated right at the shore by holding onto a log of wood which came our way. Then really huge waves of around six to ten meters high started coming into the fishermen's dwelling and their temple compound. We were horrified to see the houses and boats and of the fishermen being washed away by those waves, right in front of our eyes. Children were crying out of fear and elders were worried about the men who had gone into the sea for fishing. We saw destruction and grief and pain all around us - all this in a matter of few minutes. There were two wheelers and cars parked near the shore temple. One of the cars was ours. As we were watching the people running helter skelter, some one came and told us that our car was being washed away. We ran to see what was happening (from inside the temple compound). We were shocked to see our car (Maruti Wagon R) and another ambassador being tossed up and down like toys by those huge waves, which were now up to the height of the electricity poles. Our car was being bashed against a wall again and again by the waves and we thought that, that was the end of the car and turned our attention towards the people around us. We were very much concerend about the waves touching the electricity wires which could result in electrocution. But fortunately the electric supply had been cut off. After about five minutes, which looked like an eternity, the waves subsided and while doing so, it washed away some of the two wheelers and the ambassador car into the sea. In fact the sea had receded more than two hundred meters from the normal coast line exposing many rocks which were not visible before. Due to the grace of the goddess of the shore temple, our car was not washed away into the sea but settled down among stones and rubble, around 50 feet away from where we had parked it. As the waves receded I scaled the compound wall and ran towards my car along with my friend (whose father is working in Port Blair in Andaman). I had no hope that the car would start but to my surprise and God's grace, the car started although the back of the car was damaged and the lights were smashed into pieces. I removed the stones underneath the tyres and was able to move the car around. My wife Srividya was consoling the children and the women of the village who had gathered there, whose relatives had gone into the sea for fishing. Myself and my friend got into the wet car and proceeded towards the main road. But the road was blocked by the broken pieces of boats and catamarans. We had to physically remove them from the road and move on. But while we were doing this we saw the sea silently but ferociously rising again and moving in with more force and taller waves. Srividya and another lady friend of ours were still with the fisherfolk and we started screaming towards them to come and join us into the Car. They were also told by the people to get into the car quickly and leave that place. They ran towards the car and joined us and we left the place as huge waves were again coming in towards us. As we left the place we saw panic stricken people leaving the place with whatever belongings they can carry with them. We gave lift to some 4 or 5 people in our car who were handicapped or too old to walk. We went towards Illalur where we conduct weekly classes. On the way we gave lift to many children to Thiruporur. Throught out the way villagers had gathered on the road and were asking us about the sea waters coming in. We told them thay need not fear and they should not believe the wild rumors which were floating around. Many people were running towards the small hills which are scattered around these villages. We stopped many of them and told them to return to their houses. we started the class in Illalur after cleaning ourself of all the sand, but the class could'nt continue for long as panic stricken villagers were coming in open lorries and tractors. We ended our class and left the place. We also distributed some bread which we had to old people who had left their houses in a hurry without eating anything. We reached Chennai traveling through side roads and interior villages. We got a call in the evening from our acquaitance in Kovalam who said that around 5 - 6 people had died and property worth lakhs of rupees had been destroyed. He also told that the waves which were coming in as we were leaving were much larger than the ones which had come before. The Kannikaparameswari temple right on the beach was recently renovated and we had built a compound wall after significantly raising the temple from the ground level. This really saved us and children. I am planning to go to these places on 27th Dec and have a look at the damage and help people there. Many people are staying in the interiors having abandoned their coastal homes. Immeadiately we have to provide them food and relief. We will have to see what the government agencies are providing and make sure that it reaches the needy. We may also have to help these people once they go back to their homes. with love and prayers, Jaishankar P.S. We have been providing emergency relief since then and also plan to adopt affected villages to provide them long term relief. If you are in India and want to donate money, provisions, and household items please send it to the following address: AIM for Seva, C/o Jaishankar Narayanan, C4, Sudarshan Garden, 106 Velachery Road, Guindy, Chennai - 600032. Ph: 91-44-22300729, 91-9381063787 (Cell) People abroad can donate money online at http://www.aimforseva.org or can send cheques to my address drawn on the name 'AIM for Seva'. Also visit http://www.aimforsevaindia.org/tsunami.html for updates on the work we are doing for those affected by the TSUNAMI DISASTER. Mail - 250MB free storage. Do more. 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Guest guest Posted January 2, 2005 Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 Jaishankarji Thanks for sharing your experience. Happy to learn that not only you are able avoid the disaster but also able to save others. We are happy to learn that you are able to devote your time and effort in helping the victims. May God bless you in your efforts. Everyone please come forword and help the Jaishankarji in anyway you can. It is important to make sure the help reaches the needy as quickly as possible. Jaishankarji seems to be in direct contact with the needy. Jaishankarji, if possible I would love to come and meet you in Chennai when we reach there in the middle of Feb. Thanks for providing your contact numbers. Hari OM! Sadananda --- Jaishankar Narayanan <jaishankar_n wrote: > > P.S. We have been providing emergency relief since then and also plan > to adopt affected villages to provide them long term relief. If you > are > in India and want to donate money, provisions, and household items > please send it to the following address: > > AIM for Seva, > C/o Jaishankar Narayanan, > C4, Sudarshan Garden, > 106 Velachery Road, Guindy, > Chennai - 600032. > Ph: 91-44-22300729, 91-9381063787 (Cell) > > People abroad can donate money online at http://www.aimforseva.org or > can send cheques to my address drawn on the name 'AIM for Seva'. Also > visit http://www.aimforsevaindia.org/tsunami.html for updates on the > work we are doing for those affected by the TSUNAMI DISASTER. > > > > > > > Mail - 250MB free storage. Do more. Manage less. > http://info.mail./mail_250 > ===== What you have is destiny and what you do with what you have is self-effort. Future destiny is post destiny modified by your present action. You are not only the prisoner of your past but master of your future. - Swami Chinmayananda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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