Dear Chennai, I'd live to see you smile

"Nature Cleans Itself", once a wise man said. 

Ten days ago, I was wondering about the narrow-mindedness and stupidity of lads speaking about intolerance in India. I was gazing at them having immense time to discuss these. But everything turned around in a week. The cyclonic showers that are usually usual in Tamilnadu, went pro this time, with unprecedented rainfall drowning Chennai and Cuddalore. Ever busy chennaites were confined to the perimeters of their homes, wading in darkness through water leveling to hips. But, some determined heads raised above the demonic floods, the youth of the city. 

Every process demands an initiation, which demands courage. But young cubs who knew no fear, made up their minds, that no angel is coming to lift them up, and it's their own responsibility to stand again. They inspired masses for the rescue ops. Every person with sufficient household to balance the city's imbalance, came out on the roads to lift others up. 

"Artists see collections; Arasiyal see elections"

Heroes who bathed in gallons of milk on their cutouts didn't come out, however reacted to pressure of situation by throwing cheques for meager amounts as semi-hearted donations. But I must say, some affluent artists, who are yet to taste milk, presided over the ops. In parallel, politicians tried very hard to sow the seeds of publicity dreaming of a golden harvest in the nearing elections. 

Mother nature became even more impatient. The forecasts continued to scream; Dams and lakes were overflowing; The streets of the marooned city became stranded; Bridges submerged; Blackouts everywhere; Death toll was growing at alarming rate; 

Networks did die everywhere, but connections did not. People did not flee the city, instead stayed to lift that up; Will you leave your mother behind in calamity, to save yourselves? I won't. 

Immediate entry of the military in the scene sped up the ops. People worked hand in hand with them, tirelessly to bring back normalcy; Air support was godly at that time. Humanity was on the driver's seat. Social media was put to optimum use to draw human and material resources. Tweets and posts in them were not to show off, but to inspire people. Even people far away from chennai collected immediate essentials and sent them to the brave minds which withstood the calamity. 

However misfortunes and fortunes are cyclic. Death toll reached many hundreds in the city. Two idiots just released ' The Beep Song', absolute ignorance. Some tragedies too accompanied the city's rebirth. Around 85 patients lost lives in a private hospital due to resource shortage. Some people became martyrs to save others. Deadly diseases broke around. But the sympathy we get is nothing before the satisfaction in bouncing back. The city managed to be back to normalcy.

A potato in a boiler softens, but a egg in the same hardens. Personality is about what we are made of and not about circumstances.The city could stand the nature's pressure. BBC named the city as one of the top 10 cities around the globe to live not because it's infrastructure, but because it's people. The survivors' minds are calm now, prepared to handle any surprise hardships; No unnecessary noisy horns are being heard on road, instead allowing others to take route; they follow signals now; they provide lifts; They greet each other; They run periodic checks over others' safety and health; Above all they smile seeing each others, having understood what really is life.  

Dear Chennai, I'd live to see you smile.