The sea, sand, surf... and a cyclone

...a mother of all storms at Marina Beach

It was during one of those hop, skip and fly trips to south India that I landed in Madras, to the company of a jing-bang of aunts, uncles and cousins. One of my fervent wishes, even before I left Bombay, was to visit the ruins at Mahabalipuram, located a few kilometres from Madras. So I had carefully devoted a weekend for this much desired trip.

All of Saturday went in preparing for the visit - arranging transportation, eatables, the works. It was going to be a great picnic for all of us, especially for me.

Till then, my only touch with Mahabalipuram were photographs and snippets of information from other people. Somehow, the thought of being there amongst those stone ruins always fascinated me. And now, it would all come true... I was so excited.

In the midst of all this, there were constant news flashes all day about the arrest of a former chief minister in the city, as well as of the impending cyclone that was to hit south India.

Though the arrest did not evoke any riotous response, the cyclone moved closer towards Madras. And the evening saw strong, gusty winds, heavy showers lashing the streets, dark thundering clouds and constant lightning.

Just as we were beginning to fear a full fledged cyclone, news flashes reported that it had finally moved away northwards. But not before the city reeled under its impact.

The next morning, the effect was there for all to see. Mighty trees had fallen, the entire city wore a washed out look and the sky was ominously grey. Continuous showers, accompanied by occasional thunder, drenched the city. Everybody in the house was up and about, the cars arrived at 7 am sharp. Yet, no one voiced what we all knew - the promised outing was not to be!

I was disappointed - and it was obvious. The dull, overcast day only worsened my spirits; time dragged by slowly. By the evening, I could take it no more. I decided that if fate was going to play truant, I'd play along and suggested a trip to the Marina Beach.

Only to have it promptly shot down - whoever went to the beach in the aftermath of a would-have-hit-Madras-any-moment cyclone? Three of us, though, jumped at the idea. The car intended for Mahabalipuram now sped towards the Marina.

The city wore a deserted look -- the streets were empty, the shops were closed, the traffic lights were not working and most roads were flooded. Trees swayed precariously in the strong wind and the light drizzle occasionally turned into a heavy downpour. The car negotiated a bend and...

I'd been to Marina many times, but never had I ever seen it like this. The rainswept sands, the cloudy gray sky, the huge violent waves and a completely deserted shore. There was not a soul around!!

Sitting in the car, the view made me breathless. It was like watching a picture, take after take, as the wipers clicked back and forth. Through the slight drizzle, I watched the sand stretch endlessly ahead before meeting the waters. And the waves leaping high, as they rose towards the dark sky, only to be tamed and dragged towards the shore. The invisible horizon moved closer with each wave and shied away as the wave died. Until the next one came along.

Time passed us unawares and we realised it had stopped raining. I stepped out of the car, barefoot, and the cold, settled sand sent a shiver through my body. We walked quietly towards the sea; the strong wind striking my face and tossing my hair and kurta.

We reached the middle of the shore and, as I looked around, the vastness of that entire stretch of empty sand hit me. I felt as though I was suspended in the centre of a vacuum. And, suddenly, I felt light; almost giddy-headed.

I ran towards the sea, unmindful of its ferocity. The waves swirled around my waist before they surged towards the shore. But then, they'd race back, dragging the sand beneath my feet with them as they hurried back into the bosom of the stinging, cold sea. The sky was clearing, turning from the dull grey to a light blue; the bright new colour reflecting on the waters below.

Returning to the shore, my eyes roamed over the picturesque scene. The feeling of lightness had now been replaced by peace.

"Want some channa?" a voice interrupted my reverie harshly. I jerked around to find a hawker, his wares slung round his neck, standing before me. Anger raced through my body but as I snapped at him, I saw the shore was no longer empty. In fact, it was bustling with boisterous families and friends, now that the skies had cleared, the wind had softened and the sea was tame. Shops were displaying their merchandise and the road leading to the beach was now filled with cars and jeeps. Hawkers were moving around, trying to sell their wares.

As I looked around, the peace and joy of the last hour disappeared. I wanted to leave immediately. I raced towards the car. My family could not understand my hurry, but I needed to get away. As the car moved away, I looked back once more. But the image that flashed before my eyes was the one that had been imprinted on my mind -- that of a vast stormy, rain soaked shore stretching all the way towards the turbulent sea, with me standing out there in the midst of Nature's glorious beauty.