Hope rises from the devastating monsoon floods in Seraj valley
In the hills of Himachal Pradesh, where the air still carries whispers of the monsoon’s fury, life has begun to bloom again in the laughter of a 14-month-old girl named Nitika. Once an infant orphaned by a cloudburst that ravaged Mandi’s Seraj valley, she now fills her new home with joy, her giggles present a gentle defiance against tragedy.
A night of fury
It was past 10 pm on June 30 when torrential rain began lashing Talwara village in Chachyot tehsil. Within minutes, two mountain streams flanking Ramesh Kumar’s modest house turned into torrents. As water rushed inside, Ramesh, his wife and his mother stepped out to divert the flow, unaware that a cloudburst in the higher reaches was about to unleash devastation.
Inside, their 11-month-old daughter Nitika slept peacefully. Moments later, the furious waters crashed through their home, sweeping away everything, and everyone, in their path. Ramesh’s body was found near the ruins the next morning. The bodies of Nitika’s mother and grandmother were never recovered.
Yet, amid the wreckage, a miracle happened. Rescuers found the infant alive, tucked in a corner of what remained of the house — bruised, shivering, but breathing. In a night of unimaginable loss, Nitika became a flicker of hope.
A new family, a new life
Today, Nitika lives in Shikavari village, wrapped in the affection of her paternal aunt, Kirna Devi and uncle Anmantar Singh. When authorities suggested sending the orphaned child to an institution, Kirna refused. “She’s my daughter now,” she said, her voice trembling. “She calls my husband papa and me mumma. I cannot imagine life without her.”
Kirna, who also has a son studying in Class 11, says the child has brought light back into their home. “Our house was silent before she came. Now, her laughter fills every corner.”
Healing through love
Nitika’s maternal grandmother, Mangali Devi, spends her days playing with the little girl. “She keeps me busy,” she said with a faint smile. “Watching her grow feels like watching hope itself take its first steps.”
The state government has officially recognised Nitika as a ‘child of the state’, ensuring her welfare and future security. A bank account has been opened in her name, where contributions from well-wishers have been deposited.
A symbol of resilience
After the Seraj floods that claimed dozens of lives, Nitika’s survival became a story of resilience — not just of one child, but of an entire community’s capacity for compassion. Adoption offers poured in from across India, yet her aunt’s quiet determination kept the child within her family and her roots.
“She came into our lives for a reason,” Kirna said. “Maybe she was saved to remind us that even after the darkest storm, love can rebuild what nature destroys.”
The promise of tomorrow
As dusk falls over the misty slopes of Seraj, Nitika toddles across the courtyard, her laughter echoing through a valley once drowned in grief. Each unsteady step seems to carry a quiet promise that even in the wake of loss, life finds a way to rise again. In her smile, the people of Seraj see something beyond survival. They see renewal.
Himachal Tribune