The high waves of the ocean had launched a war on all the coastal areas around Mumbai. Some waves had also entered the city. Whosoever got caught in the labyrinth of these waters could not escape even after much effort. Six million cubic metres of water of the Powai Lake had broken the banks of the Mithi River and destroyed all the areas at a distance of about twenty-five kilometres. The rising waves of the sea had added to this devastation. The clouds that burst in Santa Cruz had caused immense chaos. Mumbai had transformed into a Shehr-e-Ashob—a lamenting city. The length and breadth of the city was submerged in water. It some places the water was seven feet high, in some it was six and in some it was five or four. In the areas where the water had reached a height of five to seven feet, there were many fatalities. In the entire history of the island, the sea had never been so hungry before.

Unaware of the sea’s unveiled hunger, Hina and Asrar still lay on the rock, lost in enjoying the moment with their souls engrossed in each other. They had not yet come out of their trance when a huge wave hit against that rock with full force. The moment the wave pulled Asrar away was the moment when he had reached the surface of the blinding stage of his being’s pleasure. He could not understand anything. He did stand up, but the very next wave attacked immediately. Hina wrapped her hands around his legs when he stumbled and fell. They held each other but before they could establish balance another satanic wave engulfed them. Wave after wave crashed on them, which made it impossible for Asrar to swim. Hina had put her arms around Asrar and was holding on to his neck very tightly. Asrar tried to remove her hands so that he could swim but Hina could not understand his efforts and anxiously tightened her hold like a lover who was wounded and was about to be sacrificed. The sea threw them to the surface twice, to show them that the coast was far, far away and the pink rains had transformed into black till wherever their eyes could see. On both occasions they had looked into each other’s eyes for a flash. In their eyes there was love, unconditional and intense love for each other and nothing more.

Acknowledgements

Without the guidance and insights of Milee Ashwarya, publisher, Penguin Random House India, this journey of mine would not have been possible. I am grateful and thankful for her devotion towards the project of translating this novel.

Special thanks to Nabina Das, Zafar Anjum, Jayapriya Vasudevan and Tarique Eqbal.