Bhubaneswar: What was meant to be a journey of faith before a season of celebration has ended in an unimaginable tragedy for the Behera family in Bhubaneswar.A flash flood in Madhya Pradesh’s Agar Malwa district not only claimed seven lives from the family but also extinguished dreams that were just beginning to take shape.At the centre of the grief is 66-year-old Banamali Behera, owner of a popular dhaba near Jayadev Vihar Square, who spent decades building both the business and a close-knit family. Today, he is left with little more than memories and heartbreak. In one devastating incident, he lost his only son — who had taken the responsibilities of his business — two daughters — including one who was about to get engaged in Nov — a son-in-law, two grandsons and a granddaughter.Radharani Behera (29) was his youngest daughter, whose engagement ceremony was scheduled for Nov. Preparations had already begun, with relatives discussing arrangements. “My maternal aunt’s ring ceremony was to take place in Nov. My grandparents had arranged everything. After this religious trip, we were to start preparing for the marriage,” said Banamali’s granddaughter, Rosalin Behera, who lost her parents and younger brother to the accident.Ironically, Rosalin’s decision not to join the pilgrimage saved her life.A Plus II arts student at a local college, she said her parents had urged her to accompany the family on the trip. But she chose to stay back because of a college event. “I was supposed to go. But I had a college programme and stayed back,” she said, still struggling to comprehend the scale of the loss.The family had travelled from Bhubaneswar to Madhya Pradesh on a pilgrimage to Bagalamukhi Temple at Nalkheda. While returning, their vehicle was swept away in a swollen stream flowing through a hilly terrain in the early hours of Saturday.Back in Bhubaneswar, shock and sorrow have engulfed the neighbourhood around Banamali’s dhaba. Customers who once saw the bustling joint family, now see them gather in silence, struggling to absorb the enormity of the tragedy.For Banamali and his wife Anusaya, the loss goes far beyond the numbers. One daughter with a happy family, another who was preparing for marriage, a son who carried forward family responsibilities, grandchildren who filled the house with laughter and a son-in-law who formed the backbone of the close-knit household — were all swept away.A pilgrimage undertaken in hope has left behind only grief, shattered dreams and an emptiness that will linger long after the floodwaters recede.
