Hiloni Nepali Khuti (Sivasagar): It was love at first sight. Thirty-five years ago, Sibeswar Karmakar first met Tileswari on the banks of the Dikhow at Hiloni Nepali Khuti in Sivasagar’s Bihubor.What began as a chance encounter blossomed into a five-year romance before the two tied the knot in 1996.This year, however, the river that silently witnessed the beginning of their love story tore it apart.The devastating floods triggered by the Dikhow swept Tileswari away on July 19 at around 12:30 pm.A fourth-generation resident of the village, Sibeswar said the Dikhow remained calm throughout his life. He never imagined it would cause his family’s greatest tragedy.The flood struck around 10:30 am, with the water rising 10-12 feet within two hours.“As the floodwater level was increasing fast, I, my wife, son Labin (17) and daughter Namita (10) moved to my brother Debajit Karmakar’s house,” Sibeswar told TOI.The families later took shelter on the concrete roof of one Rajen Panika’s house as the river carried logs and firewood.“One big log of wood hit Rajen’s house, and it collapsed. Twenty-five people of five families, including my family, were swept away by the floodwaters instantly.”Unable to swim, Sibeswar survived by clinging to a tree. His wife and children were trapped in a mass of firewood about 30 feet away.“I saw my son taking my daughter to a safer place. But we could not save my wife.”On Monday, 22-year-old Guktha, a village resident, spotted a body near where Tileswari was last seen and alerted Sibeswar.“I identified her by the saree she was wearing. I found her 15 days after the floods wiped out the village, but lifeless. I was searching for her for the last 15 days, thinking that I could find her alive somewhere,” said Sibeswar, a daily wager who also reared goats.Villagers, rescue teams and the district administration recovered the body. Tileswari was buried behind the site of their home, which faced the Dikhow for decades.“In our religious system, the Adivasi community, we don’t bury; we cremate. However, the entire village has been wiped away and filled with silt and mud up to about 3-4 feet. So, we could not perform the cremation and therefore had to bury her,” he added.Remembering his wife with a heavy heart, Sibeswar said he would perhaps never find another Tileswari, even in his next seven births. His son remains with him in the village, while his daughter has been sent to relatives in Bahbari, over 10 km away.
