MEMOIRES OF ANOTHER DAY - IV - Arun Roy Mukherjee.

Another incident in Puri is still etched in my memory. It happened when we all went for taking our bath in the sea on the day of our arrival. I do not remember how the sea appeared when my eyes met it for the first time in my life, but only the huge waves coming one after the other and breaking when we were taking our bath. My father took me and Finchumama in turns for a number of times for our bath. Didima and Rangamama (Montu) were also bathing at a little distance. But my mother was standing on the shore and a stream of tears was flowing from her eyes while her face was showing various distortions in several expressions of emotions of fear, anger, helplessness, despair and despondence. Strangely however she was the most enthusiastic amongst us all in the morning for this occasion. Later she confirmed that though she knew that the sea is very big but never had any idea of its vastness as it appeared and the gigantic waves approaching her gave her an idea that it would swallow us all. Didima somehow persuaded her to come to where the waves were touching the sands on the shore and receding. Mother knelt down there with her head bowed and touching the sands facing opposite the sea. The sea waves hardly reached her body in full but her hairs were full of sands when she came out and stood. up.