Name of the Writer –
Harsh Mander
SUMMARY
Prashant was a young boy of just nineteen years of age, hailing from the coastal village of Kalikuda in the Indian state of Odisha. He had experienced a great personal loss when he lost his mother seven years prior. However, little did he know that he was about to face an even bigger challenge on 27th October 1999, when he was visiting a friend in Ersama and a catastrophic super cyclone hit the area.
The winds were ferocious, and the rains lashed down for two whole days, causing immense destruction. Prashant and his friend took shelter on the rooftop of a house and survived on the tender coconuts that had fallen on the roof. But when the storm abated, Prashant was filled with dread about his family’s fate, and he set out on a perilous journey back home. Armed with a stick to help him navigate the treacherous roads, Prashant had to swim through floodwaters and encountered the gruesome sight of floating dead bodies of both humans and animals.
As he journeyed through village after village, the extent of the devastation became apparent – not a single house remained standing. Even Prashant’s own house was in ruins, and he feared the worst for his beloved family. But his heart was lifted when he finally made it to a Red Cross shelter, where he was reunited with his maternal grandmother who was overjoyed to see him alive.
At the shelter, Prashant saw firsthand the scale of the disaster and the suffering it had caused. The crowd of 2500 people had been surviving on coconuts for the past two days and was running out of supplies. Prashant took the initiative to organize a group of volunteers, and together they were able to persuade a local merchant to give them rice to feed the hungry crowd.
With the immediate need for food addressed, Prashant and his team went on to clean and maintain the shelter, tending to the injured people and helping to organize the survivors. He even came up with an idea to engage the widows and orphaned children in a program called “Food for Work,” which gave them a sense of purpose and allowed them to contribute to the recovery effort.
Prashant’s leadership and compassion didn’t stop there – he also arranged sports matches for the children and set up foster families made up of widows, orphaned children, and lone men, who could support one another in their time of need.
Through his efforts and determination, Prashant was able to overcome his grief and find a way to bring hope and joy to the survivors of this devastating cyclone. His story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of compassion and community to help us overcome even the most challenging circumstances.
CONCLUSION
The chapter “Weathering the Storm in Ersama” underscores the importance of forming a community of workers during times of calamity, rather than relying solely on government aid. It highlights the need for people to come together and help each other in times of crisis. This CBSE Class 9 English Moments Prose Summary of “Weathering the Storm in Ersama” serves as a reminder of the power of human kindness and compassion, and how these traits can help us overcome even the most challenging situations.
More Articles