November 9, 2003

It’s been two years since that unfortunate incident in Kudremukh. On Nov 9th 2003, 21 of us from our college, left on bikes to Kudremukh, a beautiful location in the heart of the western Ghats in Chikmangalur district of Karnataka. It was a 90km drive, and all of us were thrilled since we had heard that the final 30kms would be through dense forests.

We left the hostel at 7:30am, hoping to return by 5pm on the same day. But we returned only at 8pm the next day, and there were just 18 of us when we returned.

On the way, there was a calm looking river, where we had stopped. The location was perfect for us to chit-chat and enjoy the place. We did enjoy the first 30 minutes there, the water was just knee high and there were beautiful rocks, beautiful location and the water was crystal clear. We were planning to stay for another hour and then start our return journey, but fate had others things stored for us.

There was one area, which looked a bit deep - the water was dark -, 3 people who knew swimming ventured in and were swimming around. Three more of our friends, who did not know to swim, but knew to stay afloat joined them.

Unknown to them at that time, the place was 18feet deep. There was a sudden increase in the currents, and the 3 who did not swimming were sucked down. The people who knew swimming tried their best to save them, but the other 3 were very well built, which made the task of pulling them out of the waters and getting them ashore, a daunting one.

The trip concluded in the most unexpected way. We lost 3 of our close friends to a moment of carelessness. People like me, who did not know swimming, were mute spectators to the horrific incident. I did what I could do – I took my bike and dashed to the police station. By the time the police and fire force came, it was too late. They were gone, never to return.

The real trauma stuck only when the parents of the three came to collect their bellowed ones. Their reaction, the pain in their faces, their tears, it can never be wiped from my memory.

It was impossible to sit in the class the next day, nobody was listening to the lectures. Three empty chairs glared at us, making us feel that they were still there, waiting for the lecture to get over, head to the canteen and have fun. A lull had descended on the college, the canteen, hostels. It took us a long time to get over it.

We have moved on, completed our education, got our jobs and passed out of the college. There were many who were wondering where those three would have been placed, if they had still been with us. I kept missed them during convocation and every other important event of the college.

Even though we have moved on, it’s not been possible to wipe their memories off our minds, or forget the trauma we underwent or forget the trauma of their parents. There have been numerous occasions when I have thought, “If only we had not made that trip.” I know it’s terribly late to hope for things like that.

The only thing I can do is to pray for their souls and pray for their parents, who would be missing them day and night for the rest of their lives.

This post is dedicated to the memory of three of my friends - Ajit Binny, Jacob Joy and Syamsundar P.