Children are playful by nature. They cannot sit quietly even for a moment. To play in water is their favorite sport. When they happen to play in a river their joy knows no bounds.
It was the occasion of Ganga Dashehra in the month of June 2009. All the members of my family went to Rajghat to have a dip in the holy Ganga. It was somewhat hot. The moment we stepped into the river, it gave us great pleasure. We were enjoying bathing. Nearby a boy of seven years was playfully skipping and jumping in the water. His mother was happily enjoying the fun. She began to talk to my mother. After five minutes we saw that the boy was not there. She was shocked. Soon we saw a child’s head drifting with the current, at some distance in the water. The mother cried loudly and called for help. For a while we were shocked and did not know what to do.
The mother was wailing. Nobody came forward to save the child. Suddenly we saw a young man of hardly twenty-five swimming across the water and proceeding towards the child. Soon he caught the child by the hand. He began to drag him towards the bank. He seemed to be tired but he did not lose courage. He was trying hard to reach the bank. Soon a boatman saw him. He at once rowed his boat towards the young man. In no time he reached him. Both the child and the young man were picked up. The child was senseless. Now the boat reached at the bank. The mother rushed to her child. Seeing him senseless, she wept very loudly. The ladies standing nearby tried to console her. First-aid was given to him. Artificial respiration was given. Some improvement in his condition was seen. The child was rushed to the hospital, where the doctor examined him. Soon he was restored to life. The mother was very happy. The father of the child also came there. Both of them showered blessing on the young man and the boatman. In this way the drowning child was saved.
The pranks of children really give great joy to parents, but they should not allow their children to play in water. A little carelessness sometimes may cause great loss.