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;sia y;a jk l,dmh 21
was packing-up my baggage to return to Sri flows from melting glaziers of Himalayan mountain
Lanka on completion of three-year tenure. range.
I was going through my desk-top computer
We came across our first rapid known as
deleting unwanted files. My son (ten years old
Hilton. Boat tossed up and down. We were drenched
at that time) extensively used this computer
with cold water. Kumar controlled the boat with his
for his school work in New Delhi and to play
long oar. I was tired but I was enjoying. When we
computer games. I came across an interesting
cleared the rapid, we stopped at the river bank for
file. It was an essay my son has written as a ten
a rest. Kumar said next rapid is known as “double
year old student titled “My Summer Vacation.”
trouble”. We reached next rapid slowly. Suddenly we
I will re-produce it here,
gained speed. Rubber boat tossed up and down like
This Summer Vacation during the a rubber ball in the water. Kumar started to give his
month of June, I went to Haridhwar and Commands for us to pull hard on our oars. It was a
Rishikish. Haridhwar is an important place for real trouble in “double trouble”.
Hindus. ‘Hari’ means God and ‘Dhawar’ means
Anyway, we passed that rapid also and
door. So, Haridhwar means door to haven.
reached near Luxman Jula, the hanging bridge.
My father, mother and I were on this tour. We
Water flows under the bridge very slow in this area,
performed Arthi at Haridhwar. ‘Arthi’ means
and we enjoyed beautiful sight with mountains and
you float oil lamps along the mighty Ganga
jungle on either side of river Ganga for next two miles
River. Hindus believe it brings good luck
paddling slowly. My father started singing Sinhala
to them. It was a beautiful sight at night as
songs. After singing Sinhala songs, he jumped into
hundreds of lights were floating downstream.
cold water and start swimming with the boat. I held
Next day was a Sunday. We went to Rishikish.
him from his T-shirt. We were very happy. Kumar
Rishikish is a holy place, and we saw a lot of
explained about trees and birds you see in this part
Hindu priests meditating. My father said he
of India. We took our boat safely to the river bank
has a surprise for me. He said he has arranged
and pulled it up to the river bank.
“White water rafting” for me. I was very
excited. We tied our rubber boat to the hood My mother reached there in the Jeep after few
of our Jeep and drove along the road up to a minutes. We have come along the river before the
staging point for rafting in River Ganga. Jeep. I realized white water rafting is very fast. It was
an exciting trip in white water rafting. I want to do
Our guide and instructor Mr. Kumar
it again and again. My father said it is his gift to me
met us there. He explained all the safety drills
on Father’s Day. I wished him for being such a caring
and equipment. I was given a plastic helmet,
father.
life jacket and short oar. My father was also
given the same. My mother was afraid and He said next time he wanted to do white water
refused to go in the boat and she said she will rafting with Children of our Nation. I asked him
follow us in the Jeep along the river bank. who are Children of our Nation? He said I will not
understand now but will explain who they are when
Mr. Kumar said, if the boat capsized, not
I grow older.
to worry and hold on to the oar and to keep
legs downstream and float. I was not afraid as I will explain it now....
I am a good swimmer. My father and I sat on
My dear son, Children of our Nation are children of
either side of the rubber boat with short oars
all our gallant military personnel who had sacrificed
and our guide, Kumar sat on the back with a
their lives to protect us.
long oar to control the boat. We start going
down rapids. Kumar used to give commands I have written about a very few of them in this article,
to paddle or not. He controlled the boat but there are thousands of them about whom we
beautifully with his long oar. He was a very should write. Then their children will realize that
experienced instructor. Some places we had to their fathers are National Heroes, and they did not
pull hard. I was enjoying white water rafting. die in vain. Today we have peace in our country
Even though it was summer, water was very because of their sacrifices.
cold. Kumar said water was cold because it We will never forget them!