The Accident-I

As I sit here in front of my computer and I do not want to do anything, I decided to write about the 'turning moment' of my life.

28thJanuary 2004:

A bus fell into the ditch [200 feet] and 16 people died there and then, on the spot. I was one of them who survived. But that survival was very painful. I used to boast that my body does not have any mark of stitches or whatsoever and there I was lying among the dead with rain falling on my face and I was smiling, counting the marks on my hands. I [was] an intelligent [academically] fellow. I wanted to become an Aeronautics Engineer. I worked real hard to acheive my goal and I [knew] it was there, just few weeks away from me, right in front of me.

I was about to go for the Navy SSB and I was damn sure about it that I would return as a Navy Officer for sure. My mother asked me to come on 24th itself and I postponed the program to 28th. I wanted to stay in Hamirpur for some more time as I [knew] I would never return to this place again.

For me, my life at Hamirpur and for more than 18 years, I have lived here only. That day made me believe that the way Indian movies are picturized, they are actually very realistic, or at least for me they look real unless it is Fardeen Khan/Zayed Khan/Harman Baweja starer.

Here goes the story:

I left from the academy and decided to leave at 9 AM. But, I decided not to and as I was sure that was my last day in the hostel, so I decided to 'बांटो' some 'ज्ञान' in the hostel. Eventually the ज्ञान बांटो session ran for two hours and I decided to leave. I reached at the bus stand and boarded the first bus but as I was/am fond of the first seats, next to the driver, I got down from that bus and started searching for another bus. Soon, the ill fated bus came and I happily sat on the first seat next to the driver, which gave me immense happiness because I could talk to the driver and learn new गालियाँ from him. :)

The bus started and by the time I could finish my book, the bus more than half of the distance.

The driver was smoking बीडी and I asked him not to smoke because the road was dangerous but the drivers are drivers and they never listen to kids. He was driving with single hand and that made the situation even thrilling/dangerous. I slept, for the first time in my life on that route, considering that I had made more than 100 journeys on that route, and by the time I opened my eyes, the bus was flying in the air, I could not sense anything, as I was just feeling the numbness in my feet, stomach and head. I looked at the driver and he was nowhere to be seen, as he jumped out of the bus. I closed my eyes, smiled and then there was rain, blood and cries.

I opened my eyes because I felt a very bright light penetrating my vision and when I opened my eyes, my forehead was covered with sweat and palms too were sweaty. Probably, this is how यमराज decides to beat the shit out of human body.

I opened my eyes and felt rain on my face. I saw myself lying among the dead bodies, flies on my face and my body covered with blood and painful marks.


Part-II in progress.