AN INTERESTING INCIDENT

WHEN I’S CAUGHT IN A DUST STORM.

 I for interesting:

Figurines made from waste and discards embellish the famous Rock Garden in Chandigarh.

 

It happened a long time back in the 1960s. We were living in Chandigarh. I’s a college student then and used to cycle down to college. It was the early days of the establishment of the new city ‘Chandigarh’. It was called the city beautiful, because of its well-planned structure, openness, and overall cleanliness. The credit for its marvelous design went to a renowned French architect Le Corbusier. At present, it is a union territory and capital of two states of Punjab and Haryana

In those days, it was slowly coming into existence and lacked facilities. One had to cover a KM or two to even buy vegetables. There were no vendors passing through the roads with their hand driven carts. Below, an effort with PAINT for once.

It was summer and very hot. Mother needed vegetables for the evening meal. On that particular day every week, a vegetable market used to be held in a different sector in the open ground. I offered to do the job by cycling to the market.Though there were signs of dusty haze in the atmosphere, I’s not dismayed. Armed with a satchel, off I went enthusiastically. I pedaled fast and reached in no time. 

I had hardly parked my cycle when unexpectedly a strong dusty wind overpowered the area.  It’s certainly a dust storm. It attacked gaining its full fury very fast.  My cycle tumbled down. The sand circling around was blinding. I immediately slumped to the ground and sat there with my head in between my legs glued to the ground. It was as if I’d be blown away. Small pebbles were hitting me from all sides. The sandy wind was rustling furiously. I dared not open my eyes. It was like a whirlpool of dirt engulfing me in its fold. A total bombardment of raging muck. It was scary.

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How long I sat facing the ferocity of the storm I don’t remember.  When mercifully the storm started subsiding, I tried to open my dirt-filled eyes. After continuous blinking, it dawned on me that already it was dark and I should rush back home. I accomplished it somehow. Everybody was worried at home. On seeing me safe, their faces lighted up. Inside in the light, my hair and face powdered with earth presented an interesting sight. An evening ended as a damp squib.

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