Murderous Winds

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. ~ Kahlil Gibran

Well, I agree that I absolutely love Kahlil Gibran and adore every word that he’s said but I’d ask him, if he was sure this statement could be made every time. Certainly not! Especially after the days like yesterday and the day before yesterday, I’ve learnt that God does have His own ways of showing the wrath He can send upon His people.

In today’s world, we really have forgotten God but Allah has not forgotten us. He’s not forgotten our goods and evils. I know I am no great scholar of Islam or Theology that I’d begin preaching here. What I’m doing is just the expression of what I have learnt over the years.

I remember being at school one day and Reverend Father Sebastian said in the morning assembly “How many of you count the blessings of your Lord? Or how many do thank Him for that? Taking a simple example, how many of you, since you woke up in the morning, thought that ‘I am breathing.’ Isn’t the biggest blessing for you today that you woke up alive, breathing? How many of you thanked God for you’re breathing?” He asked if there was anyone who had realized this and thanked God for being alive that morning should raise his hand. Among a lot of four thousand odd students, there was none who could raise his hand.

Kashmir was yesterday and day before yesterday being destructed by the murderous winds that blew. The Meteorological Department said that the cause of wind storms in Kashmir from Monday evening were the western disturbances combined with low atmospheric pressure. Saudi Arabia, Gulf, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan are also badly hit by the current windstorm causing disruption of normal activities in the entire region.

Restless Dal Lake: Boatmen try to move towards the bank of the Dal Lake amidst windstorm in Srinagar on Tuesday.

Courtesy: Mubashir Kahan/Greater Kashmir.

In Kashmir, one person got killed after being hit by a falling rooftop, ninety something people got injured and 9000 structures including 6670 residential houses were damaged in the wind storm. It was the time of absolute mayhem in Kashmir. The electric supply was cut off from the entire valley. Al you could see were uprooted trees, damaged rooftops and collapsed power lines and electric poles. The Dal Lake looked like a sea with huge waves.

Five majestic Chinar, some believed to be as old as 400-years, at Nishat Garden here were uprooted by strong winds that swept across Kashmir, said a leading daily newspaper.

Prophet Mohammed, peace be upon his soul, had said that “If you see anything like an eclipse, an earthquake, the storms or any other natural calamity, hasten to remember Allah and worship Him. Hasten to ask for His forgiveness for He is oft forgiving and the most merciful.”

Windstorm hits Valley: High velocity winds blowing across the Valley since Monday afternoon damaged many structures in Srinagar and other areas.

Courtesy: Aman Farooq/Greater Kashmir

While going to Nasir Sir’s class yesterday, as I walked down the street my bag fell off from my shoulder four times due to the wind. That’s nothing, what was even hard was that when I tried to walk against the wind, it pushed me back. I was wondering how desperate people are to earn the bread for their family when I thought of the masons who worked throughout the day, in the wind and cold, at my home. I felt ashamed of myself thinking, everyone’s doing their jobs, what am I doing? L But that is a different subject about which we’d talk some other time.

Coming back to the street, while I was trying to take a few steps, the dust, sand, and the small stones hit my face!

And what’s funny? When I boarded the bus, after the rigorous exercise f walking against the wind and feeling thirsty, I licked my lips. I could feel something go in my mouth. You know what? It was a part of that dust and sand and whatever that was stuck to the Vaseline on my lips. :P