Shaken..

On the night of Decmeber 23th, 2006 at around 4am there was an earthquake (3.5 on Richter's Scale) in Jaipur. I was fast asleep and this tremor woke me up. I think there were two of them. One that woke me up, and another that I actually felt. I had never had such an experience before. While the earth shook.. the first thought that came to me was that of my geography class.. I remembered something about some plates rubbing each other.. The tremor was short, and everything was silent after it. It was the natural silence of the night, but somehow it became noticeable. Then the phones of the intercom started ringing(my grandmother got really scared and woke up my parents and my mom's hospital staff who were unaware of the earthquake). I think those rings comforted me abit. I don't know whether I was scared or not. I was just reluctant to move my 2kg quilt and get out of my comfortable warm bed. I decided I'll do something if I experience another tremor. So I waited.

It was during this waiting time, I thought, about the earthquake in Bhuj, that too was early in the morning. There have been various other earthquakes around the world, but thats the one I remember. I remembered the kids who were in a small lane in a Republic day rally and buildings collapsed on them. I thought of those who died while they were in their warm comfortable beds. Then I imagined(thats one disadvantage of having somewhat good imagination.. u start imagining..).. i imagined what i will do if there is another tremor and a more severe one.. i couldn't decide what i shud do.. stand at the corner in my room.. or run outside n risk taking the steps.. i imagined that i wud stand outside on road n watch my house collapse.. i imagined that if we couldn't make it out.. we wud make it to the newspapers.. the family who was preparing for a party on 24th.. i tried to keep my thoughts positive.. but couldn't.. I became sad.. told God that i didn't want to die.. I wanted to live n not end my life so tragically n suddenly.. told Him that it won't be fair.. Then i don't know why and how.. maybe i was tired of waiting n maybe too sleepy.. I told God that it was ok if he killed me then, told Him that I ve had a wonderful life, and thats what is important. I told Him to take the decision fast.. n then i think i dozed off..

When i woke up in the morning.... the first thing i did was to thank God for letting me live another day... Consciously i do that quite a few times, it was first time i did it sub-consciously.. There was no mention of the earthquake in the newspapers.. I think 4am was a li'l late for printing it.. When i checked online i got to know that there were no casualties, but loads of scared people.. I was glad that I didn't make it to the newspaper.. We had thrown a party in the evening.. I don't really like gatherings.. But i was really glad meeting all my relatives... I was glad meeting anyone and everyone.

Its not that my life has changed dramatically after that.. I m the same person with same ambitions.. I just wanted to put down the strangest night of my life so far... The night when i was shaken both literally and emotionally.