earth quake

Posted on 10/11/2005 Post Comment -

Earth quakes are something very difficult to escape. In any other kind of  disaster, one could run to safety. In the case of floods or, seek higher ground, or evacuate to safer places. But when the entire ground shakes or opens up in fissures, where do we run? In any case, where's the time. Whole towns get flattened within seconds of a quake.

   Thus, when the quake hit New Delhi last week, I did not feel any need to run out from my second floor apartment. It was only a gentle rocking we got here, but the poor souls in Kashmir had not time to run. Entire habitations were flattened and at least 50,000 people may have died in remote areas. In the meantime, the inexorable drift of the continents continue and the "big one" is yet to come.

   Anyway, the quake set me thinking. In Hindu mythology, earth is portrayed as a goddess, "Bhumi Devi". It seems when the number of  evil people increase, she shakes them off. Of course, there is quite a bit of "collateral damage" as a lot of innocents also get killed in the process. But in any case, if you are innocent and good, you could go to heaven and spend a while there till your next rebirth.

   Yet another version is that the earth is supported by eight elephants. Four for east, west, north and south and others to hold up the areas in between. When one of  these pachyderms shurgs after standing and bearing the load for such a long time, earthquakes occur.