It must have been a terrible experience.
The earthquake began with strong side-to-side movements which
knocked down and person who was standing. Then there were up-and-down movements, a vast rumbling
and reverberating noise as of an artillery bombardment or a hundred aeroplanes in the sky, and water gushed
out in innumerable places out of huge fissures and craters and rose to about ten or twelve feet. All this
probably lasted for three minutes or a little more, and then it died down; but those three minutes were
terrible enough. It is not surprising that many persons who saw this happen imagined that this was the end of
the world. In the cities, there was a noise of falling houses, and rushing of waters, and an atmosphere full of
dust which made it impossible to see even a few yards. In the rural areas, there was not much dust and one
could see a little farther, see a little farther, but there were no calm-eyed spectators about. Those who
survived lay flat on the ground, or rolled about in an agony of terror.
The city of Monghyr was the last place in our tour. When we saw Monghyr and the absolute destruction of
this rich city, we gasped and shivered at the horror of it.
All over the earthquake areas there was a very painful absence of self-help among the residents, both in the
cities and villages. Probably, the middle classes in the cities were the worst offenders in this respect. They
all waited for somebody to take action and help them, either the Government or the non-official relief
agencies. Others who offered their services thought that the work meant ordering people about. Part of this
feeling of helplessness was no doubt due to the nervous collapse brought about by the terror of the
earthquake, and it must have gradually lessened.
In marked contrast with this was the energy and capacity of the large numbers of relief workers who poured
in from other parts of Bihar and other provinces. It was wonderful to see the spirit of efficient service of
these young men and women and in spite of the fact that a host of separate relief organisations were
working, there was a great deal of co-operation between them.
Of all the non-official relief organisations, the Central Relief Committee, of which Rajendra Prasad was the
head, was by far the most important. This was by no means a purely Congress organisation and it developed
into an all-India body representing various groups and the donors. It had, however the great advantage of
having the Congress organisation in the rural areas at its disposal.
The Relief Committee availed itself of this fine organisation to reach the peasantry. In the rural areas, no
other agency, not even the Government, could be so helpful. And the head of both the Relief Committee and
the Bihar Congress Organisation was Rajendra Babu, the unquestioned leader of Bihar. Looking like a
peasant, a typical son of the soil of Bihar, he is not impressive at first sight till one notices his keen frank
eyes and his earnest look. One does not forget that look or those eyes, for through them truth looks at you
and there is no doubting them. His outstanding ability, his perfect straightness, his energy, and his devotion
to the cause of Indian freedom are qualities which have made him loved not only in his own province but
throughout India.
Earthquake in Bihar
Notes
1. The quake
1.1. People knocked down by mvmnts
1.2. Reverberating noise
1.3. Fissures and craters,
1.3.1 water gushing out, dust in air
1.4. terrible dstrctn in Monghyr
2. The victims:
2.1. Painful absc. Of self-help
2.2. waited for govt non-govt agencies to act
2.3. some only ordered others
2.4. quake generated helplessness, nervous collapse
3. Relief work:
3.1. wkrs from Bihar & other states energetic
3.2. cooperation between different teams
3.3. Central Relief Com’tee headed by Dr. Rajendra Prasad
3.3.1. Congress orgnsn of rural areas at its disposal
3.3.2. most effective in rural areas
4. Rajendra Prasad -unquestioned leader of Bihar
4.1. head of Bihar Congress & Relief Com’tee
4.2. peasant like looks not impressive
4.3. earnest, truthful
4.4. man of outstanding ability, devoted to the cause of freedom
Key to Abbreviations
Sr.No. Abbreviations Words
1 movem’ts movements
2 absc. absence
3 wkrs workers
4 orgnsn organisation
5 com’tee committee
