Gujarat Beneath The Boulders - 2001

By A. Sanjeev Kumar

In the embrace of Gujarat's golden sun,

Where mangoes kissed fields of emerald green,

Laughter adorned the morning mist, spun

A vibrant tapestry, a blissful scene.

Ten-year-old Maya, her eyes a-glow,

With friends, in chase, they joyfully play,

Building castles, their spirits aglow,

In love's warm embrace, they find their way.

But fate, in its cruel and unseen design,

Lurked in the shadows, ready to assail,

With joy as their armor, they had no sign,

Of the impending tragedy, dark and pale.

The innocence of childhood, pure and bright,

A fleeting moment, in the dance of time,

Their laughter echoing, in the morning light,

As if the world were theirs, an endless climb.

A rumble, sharp and sudden, rent the air,

The ground convulsed in agonizing pain,

Homes crumbled, torn, by nature's fierce dare,

As if the earth itself had gone insane.

Screams pierced the air, a deafening tide,

Dust choked the joy, turned air to despair,

Where children once vied, now fear did reside,

Transforming innocence to a nightmare.

Fissures opened like wounds upon the land,

Devouring dreams, swallowing hope whole,

A merciless force, nature's ruthless hand,

Leaving behind a landscape bleak and droll.

The sun, once warm, now seemed to hide,

Behind a veil of darkness, thick and deep,

As if ashamed of the havoc, it did preside,

While hearts shattered, unable to sleep.

Descending like a shroud, dust thick and slow,

Maya trapped beneath the weight of despair,

Crushed by boulders, her dreams laid low,

A broken gate to a world so unfair.

Her friends lie silent, faces drained of life,

Their laughter silenced, a haunting sight,

Her cries muffled, a desperate strife,

"Help me! Please, Help me!" she pleads in the night.

In the suffocating darkness, she's alone,

With only echoes of her pleas for aid,

Her spirit wanes, her heart a heavy stone,

In the tomb of rubble, where hope's light fades.

A father's heart, shattered and torn,

As he searches for his precious child,

Through debris and ruin, all forlorn,

His love unyielding, yet fate beguiled.

Ravi woke to chaos, a world torn asunder,

His wife, Anjali, lost beneath the debris,

With hope as his guide, he searched in wonder,

For Maya, his daughter, his heart's decree.

Through wreckage he clawed, his heart filled with dread,

Each breath a prayer, each moment a test,

A father's love, a beacon to be led,

In darkness, he sought her, his soul unrest.

The agony of uncertainty, a relentless foe,

As time stretched thin, and despair took hold,

But Ravi pressed on, his love the only glow,

In the cavern of darkness, where fear controlled.

His hands bruised, his spirit weary,

Yet fueled by love, he persevered,

Through the wreckage dark and dreary,

For his daughter, whom he revered.

Rescue teams sifted through rubble and pain,

Their weary eyes searching for signs of life,

Ravi's voice, hoarse, cracked with strain,

"Papa, I'm here!" - a whisper amidst strife.

Loss weighed heavy, a burden to bear,

As Maya's friends lay still in repose,

The chill of despair, a constant flare,

Yet hope flickered on, refusing to close.

In the labyrinth of destruction, they toiled,

Each moment fraught with uncertainty,

But the flicker of hope in Ravi's eyes, unspoiled,

Guided them on, through the tragedy.

Their tools clanged against the stones,

Their hearts heavy with the weight of grief,

Yet through the darkness, a glimmer shone,

As they searched for signs of relief.

Boulders shifted, a precarious dance,

Ravi, with hands raw, refused to relent,

His love, a fire, in desperation's trance,

Each blow struck with fervor, each moment spent.

"Papa, I hear you!" Maya's voice cried,

A lifeline in the darkness, a beacon's flare,

Her father's resolve, never to be denied,

To reach her, to save her, to show she is heard.

With every ounce of strength, he fought,

Against the suffocating weight of despair,

His love for Maya, a flame unfought,

A beacon of hope in the darkness there.

The hours stretched like eternity,

As they labored against the merciless stone,

But in Ravi's heart burned a fervent plea,

To bring his daughter back home.

As the sun dipped low, casting shadows long,

A final heave, a desperate plea,

The earth relented, with a mournful song,

And sunlight streamed in, setting her free.

Ravi pulled her close, his heart aching wild,

Into his arms, where safety's found,

Seven days entombed, his precious child,

In love's embrace, grace profound.

“Papa! Papa!” The voice still echoed

Almost unconscious, Ravi totally worn-out 

Hands multiplied to help him bestowed

Finally as miraged, Maya was pulled out.

In the aftermath of tragedy's cruel blow,

Their bond, unbroken, a testament to love,

For in the darkest depths, where despair did grow,

It was love that triumphed, like wings of a dove.

But amidst the joy, a sorrow remained,

For those who were lost, never to return,

Their memory etched, forever ingrained,

In the hearts of those who mourn.

And so they stood, amidst the rubble and debris,

Their souls weary, but their spirits strong,

For love had conquered, in the face of tragedy,

And hope had prevailed, where darkness once thronged.

By A. Sanjeev Kumar