This story is a true account of the devastation brought about in Orissa (now Odisha) in 1999 by a super cyclone. On 27th October 1999, Prashant, a young boy of 19, went to Ersama to his friend’s house. Ersama is a small town in coastal Orissa which is eighteen kilometres from village.
When the cyclone hit the coastal Orissa, Prashant was in Ersama. The cyclone continued for 36 hours. It brought down all the houses and huge old trees. Prashant had to spend two days at Ersama.
He was worried about his family. He started for his village. He covered eighteen kilometres. Distance to his village through the waist-deep water. On his way, he had to push away many human bodies and carcasses of animals.
Eventually Prashant reached his village. His heart went cold. He thought his family could not have survived the catastrophe. He was happy to see his family safe in the Red Cross camp.
Prashant decided to come forward and arrange food and medicine for the victims. He formed a group of youth and elders. They pressurised the local merchant to give them some rice. They cleaned the shelter of filth, urine, etc. The volunteers tended to the wounds of the injured.
On the fifth day, some government help reached their village but it was scanty. Prashant made the children lie on the sand with utensils on their stomachs. The passing helicopters got the message and they returned with more help.
Prashant decided to bring the orphaned children together. He made a shelter for them. He encouraged the women to work for ‘food for work’ programme started by an NGO. He arranged social events. He set up new foster families. He made the childless windows to look after the orphaned children. He did not let anybody suffer. The widows and the orphaned children took Prashant as their saviour.