TV celebs recollect the horrific day of 26/7 when Mumbai went under water

Hell had broken on in Mumbai on 26 July 2005, when the city was submerged in water. The pathetic condition was caused by the eighth heaviest ever recorded 24-hour rainfall figure of 994 mm. So much was the wrath of God, that a large number of people were stranded on the road, many lost their homes while a lot many walked long distances back home from work that evening. Sadly, many even lost their lives. Today is the eighth anniversary of the dreadful day but still every Mumbaikar remembers the horrific day. Tellychakkar.com got in touch with a few television celebrities who recollected the day when life became lifeless in the maximum city. Read on… Ace Tarot Card reader, Munisha Khatwani was at Andheri at The Club restaurant and was stuck there. “I had gone there for the exhibition with my mother wherein I had put my counter of tarot card reading. It was raining heavily but I thought it was as usual. Later on, as the exhibition got over, we got know that Mumbai is flooded and there is continuous heavy rainfall, there was no electricity anywhere. To my bad luck, my cell phone also conked off. Luckily, I was with my mother that day. To our plight, we didn’t have anything to eat and were stuck at the club. When we tried to venture out the next morning, we found that the roads were flooded and my car was fully submerged in water.” “With no way out, we walked from Andheri till Bandra in the muddy and dirty water and then took a rickshaw to Carter Road. Since I was walking barefoot, I got several cuts and bruises on my legs. We were amazed to know that we took as many as 30 hours to finally reach home. But the other think what surprised us was that the Mumbaikars were very helpful as they guided us throughout our way back home. I won’t be able to forget that blessed day ever in my life,” Munisha exclaimed. Observed Hiten Tejwani, who is seen in Balaji Telefilms’ Pavitra Rishta as Manav, “Though it was raining heavily, I was shooting with Gauri Tejwani for Kyunki… After the shoot, we came to know that it would be very difficult for us to commute back home. Still we tried our best and reached home quite late.” Shared Sumona Chakarvarti, who is seen in Bade Achhe Lagtey Hain, “I was in college in town that day. After we were all told to go home, I got stuck there. Not knowing what to do, I decided to walk back with my friends. After a certain stage I saw that the water level had almost reached waist high. Poor us then decided to stay put at one of my friend’s place that night. The next morning, I met my father at VT station who had come to fetch me. Together, we went home. Going home I found that my eyes were swollen, I had fever and was broken down as I walked down from town to Breach Candy. I will never be able to forget that day.” Averred Jay Soni, “I was in a meeting that day and in spite of the rains I managed to reach home. Later on, mom told me that dad did not reach home yet. My brother Nirav said that he must be on his way but then it was quite late. Horrified, I went back to Oshiwara bus depot where he usually takes his bus from and I was of the feeling that he would be somewhere there. After that Nirav and myself searched for him a lot, we finally managed to spot him. We somehow managed to reach home.” Neha Desai stated, “I was coming back home to Malad by train that to my bad luck got stranded at Bandra. With no other means to commute, I walked all the way to Andheri and from there to my home. Unbelievably, I walked in the muddy water for eight long hours and when I finally reached home, I was fully drenched and fell ill. I went back to college only after three days.” Krystal Dsouza, who is seen in Ek Hazaaron Mein Mere Behnaa Hain on Star Plus, as Jeevika said, “I was in school that time. After school got over, I started for home with my little neighbor. I had to hold her tight as the water level had reached waist high. I could barely walk but somehow reached home.” Well… like all of us, these stars too have distinctive memories attached to 26/7. Let’s hope this plight never occurs again!!