A Grandmother’s Grief: ‘God, Why Did You Save Me and Take My Grandchildren?

In the quiet and serene town of Nalgad Municipality-7 in Jajarkot, where riverside cremations were traditionally reserved for the men of the community, one grandmother shattered the norms on the morning of November 5. Deepa Pariyar, a woman of unwavering love and boundless strength, embarked on a journey that would touch the hearts of all who witnessed it.

The day dawned somber, as she joined the somber procession of mourners headed towards the banks of the Bheri river, a place she had never ventured to before. Her neighbors, perhaps out of concern, urged her to stay home, but she refused, for she was not merely a spectator. She was there to bid farewell to her 18-month-old grandson.

The path to the riverside Chapaghat was long and arduous, lined with mournful faces and heavy hearts. Deepa walked silently, lost in the gravity of the moment, until they reached the riverside. It was here that the dam of her emotions burst, and she began to weep inconsolably. “God, why did you save me and take my grandchildren?” she cried out, her anguished question echoing through the solemn air.

The tragic events leading to this heart-wrenching moment unfolded just days earlier, on a fateful night at 11:47 PM. Deepa Pariyar had been peacefully slumbering with her beloved grandchildren and daughter-in-law, having shared a meal together. Little did she know that the very ground beneath them would soon betray their tranquility.

A devastating earthquake, with its epicenter striking at 11:47 PM, unleashed its merciless fury upon their world, reducing their home to rubble. In the dark of the night, she lost not one but three cherished souls – her 26-year-old granddaughter, her 16-year-old granddaughter, and her 18-month-old grandson. Her daughter-in-law, though injured, miraculously survived the catastrophic tremors.

It was in the aftermath of this seismic tragedy that Deepa Pariyar’s heart, heavy with grief and disbelief, led her to the riverside. There, she stood silently, eyes fixated on the sacred ritual that would bid her beloved grandchildren farewell. Her tears flowed as endlessly as the river itself, a poignant testament to the profound pain she carried in her heart.