Our member Mr. Ravinder Kumar Puri was associated with the much-known Union Carbide India Limited and he travelled through out the country for his posting. He shared some of his beautiful memories of Bhopal prior to the tragedy.
Mr. Puri was posted in Bhopal for 3/4 years during late 70s. The quite sleepy town with people of laid-back attitude, scattered hillocks, river Betwa, two skyline silver coloured lakes everything came alive in his mind while describing. Once a princely state and suzerainty of the Nizam of Hyderabad, people had their inborn “princely” attitude! “We spend a wonderful time there with a stunning garden full of roses, a big bunglow and some beautiful people.” The Union Carbide plant the 2nd in the world after the US plant, completed in front of his eyes. Mr. Puri’s job was to depute people for the factory. “We had to constantly tell and remind staff there that a small amount of the chemical can destroy Bhopal and if the whole chamber burst it can destroy the whole of Madhya Pradesh, so you have to work really cautiously.” But that will turn into reality, he might have never dreamt of. He used to visit the plant every now and then even after he was transferred to Mumbai and eventually to Kolkata and the tragedy happened in 1983. “The devastation is known to all, but we were deeply disturbed because many of our friends and colleagues got affected due to the tragedy.” The highly toxic substance made its way slowly with air around the small towns located near the plant. Though the cause of the disaster remains under debate, but finally it is a single drop of water that entered the gas chamber which caused the devastation.
“We have never been to Bhopal after the tragedy”- may be because of the fear that the air is still intoxicated or maybe they don’t want to see their loving workplace transformed into an abandoned place with a deserted look.

The only man in the world to be struck by lightning seven times was ex-park ranger Roy C. Sullivan. Kami Rita Sherpa. 22 times climbed Mount Everest. These are records from Guinness book. But here is someone, though not featured in Guinness book, our member Mrs. Ranju Hore, peculiarly, used to get lost over and over again.
“I was about 5/6 years old then when I was lost in Kolkata roads. I came to Kolkata to attend wedding of one of my relatives. When everyone was busy, I thought of going around and have a look at the city. At that age it was merely a fun going out somewhere without elders in the family. The fun turned out to a nightmare for me when I realized that I couldn’t find my way back to my uncle’s house. It was almost evening and I was feeling extremely tired and hungry. At last I saw two policemen. I approached them and narrated my sad saga. They offered me food and helped me to reach my uncle’s place.” That was only the beginning. She got lost several times in Gariahat market while shopping with her daughter. However by that time she became smart enough to take help from the local people to come back home. Now the latest one. Last year during September-October she went to visit one of her relative to Mississauga, a city neighboring Toronto with her elder brother. Both the siblings after few days of morning walk, thought that they were aware of the streets and parks. One evening when her brother asked her to join at a park, she was confident enough to reach that park without any hassle. She walked for about 15-20 minutes in almost freezing temperature in the dark roads. She could neither find the park nor the house where they were staying and she was lost again. After about half an hour trying to seek help, a kindhearted person helped her back home. “Fortunately, I could remember the address”, she giggled.
Well, that’s what life is all about. You make funny slipups in the past and enjoy the incidents in your safe and sound present, not knowing such mistakes may occur in the future also.