The 7 hours Diary

The EMRC library was almost empty, except for the lean spectacled librarian sitting at the counter. On the last table, just near the window with a Tiffin box open out there in front of him, Chaitanya Solanki scratched his head thinking hard about his accident. His crutch lay nearby carelessly leaning against a chair…

Chaitanya grinned, that was his patent smile, and said, “Well you won’t get a “masala” story, if that’s what you are hoping for!”

Eventually bits by bits, he recounted the events of January 30^th, 2011.

(As told to the Scribblers team)

It was a nice chilly morning. After a steaming cup of tea, Bharat Baswani and I set off for a nearby valley in Mhow, we intended to click pictures of birds or anything interesting for that matter.

Reaching our destination, we took a glimpse of the 600 feet deep valley and ironically joked as well pondered over a question, “Can anyone die after falling from this height?!” Well, who knew that I was soon to find that out myself!

We spotted a kingfisher soaring at the lower depths and both of us set off towards the foot of the valley.

Now I guess everyone knows what happened next, but for the sake of the story I’ll recount it again…. While trekking down, I slipped once over the treacherous path and injured myself a little, so I decided to head back to the top while Bharat would go down and click pictures. On my way up, I lost control and fell straight into the valley.

BOOM and a SPLASH!

I blacked out… I could sense Bharat shouting… no wait crying somewhere near.

Moments later when I opened my eyes, everything was hazy around me. I tried to focus, and found myself in the middle of shallow water… Right then, I was sure of only one thing, something inside me was definitely broken!

I tried to feel my leg, shit, that was not how my leg was supposed to look. Carefully I stood on my unscathed leg, supported the other in my numb hands and wobbled towards the land. Bharat was right beside me in seconds. We decided that it was best that I wait here while he goes and searches for help. The nearest village was a kilometer away.

Now you might imagine a filmy scene here, memories flashing past in my mind, painful thoughts of never being able to see my family again or the thought that I might simply die right here… but hold on…none of this happened!  Actually I was pretty sure that I would survive this. Well I’m no superhero, but believe me I did not feel scared at all! Unsure, I just slapped myself if this was dream. Snap! No this was’nt!

7 Hours Later:

Time: 5:00 pm

(With no food, no hospital and no relief from pain)

Bharat had been back with two villagers, Shamu and Prakash. One of them had even massaged my foot. Later there were more villagers who helped me get out of the valley. When they lifted me, my fractured leg dangled along and for the first time there was a terrible pang of pain. I had to monitor the situation and so I suggested them to wrap my leg between two pieces of wood (ahem!.. inspired by Florence Nightingale!).

By then, even my restless brother had managed to reach the foot of the valley, and he made sure to stick around through the rest of the ‘rescue operation’. I was even told that both my parents were anxiously waiting on the top of the hill and shockingly my father wept for the first time in his life then! At that very instant, more than anything, I just wanted to assure them that everything was fine, and that I would be all right

The rescue process took all the time, since I had to be carried on tyres, and a longer and safer route was opted for to reach the nearby hospital.

4 Days Later: February 4^th

(Location: Hospital)

Today I was so angry with myself that finally I cried. (sigh)

After the accident my brother said just one thing, “Don’t repeat it ever again”.

And well, my mother was more than happy to get her son back. She always believed that I was her brave son!

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Now after a month full of rest, I can finally play cricket, ride my bike and use my limbs as freely as before. Whoa, a hell lot of experience that was!