Assam was still recovering from the devastating floods that gripped the State when the Nepal border also started experiencing perilous floods. What makes it even more dangerous is the sheer number of devotees who travel each year to the region for spiritual contentment. Amidst the floods, when every human and animal is trapped, rescue missions are in full swing and humanity is testes at its height, comes a story of how one woman’s intelligence and quick thinking saved the lives of 21 Tamil Nadu pilgrims with this everyday fashion object.
According to reports, a group of 57 pilgrims were travelling to the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage in three different buses when catastrophe hit around Nepal’s Rasuwa region and one of their buses got caught in the floodwater. As per passenger reports, while they has escaped from the vehicle itself, navigating the flood filled path to safety was far from their horizon. Many elderly individuals and women were unable to navigate this slippery, rocky, steep terrain. That is when one passenger’s intelligence, quick action and a saree saved them all!
Survivor accounts describe Ratnakumar's wife, Poongunzhali who had reached a higher elevation on the ground, put on a sweater, unwrapped her saree and lowered it to the passengers so they could hold on to it as a rope. This gave them a strong grip as they walked around the path to higher elevation. Moreover, another woman who was unable to walk at all had the saree tied around her waist and pulled up to temporary safety. After all the passengers had escaped and reached safe lands, rescue helicopters found them and evacuated them. Now, all of them are safely back in Chennai.
When fashion becomes a life saviour…
Due to the unique make of the 6 yards, they are long, can be often coiled into what looks like a rope and the fabric is strong enough to support weight. Thus even if sarees are themselves light weighted they can come useful in unthinkable ways when needed. However this does not give a free pass to this garment, but just sets an example that in dire times it can be used as a rope as well.
In fact, several statement fashion pieces can be used as your last hope during emergencies. After tying the foot holes of a trouser, air can be filled in to create a temporary buoyant floatation device, a belt can double up as a tourniquet to restrict blood loss during injuries, scarves can be used as head wraps or arm slings and more.
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