The earthquake had destroyed everything in Latur. More than 10,000 people died, 16,000 were wounded, and more than 20,000 domestic animals were eaten up by the earth. Her parents and younger brother were victims of this disaster. Her maternal uncle gave her courage and support. She had no one left in this world but her Ashok Uncle. He always looked upon Shanti with a lot of care and love. Shanti was aware of his kindness. Ashok made her sit under a mango tree at a distance where she sat crying her heart out. In the afternoon people started pulling out dead bodies from the rubble and putting them out in the open. This was when Shanti went towards the destroyed houses. The bodies were so many that one could not count them, and even more difficult was finding the dead bodies of the loved ones. Many wounded people were trying to lift the bodies and putting them in order without caring about their own injuries. These volunteers had advised children to stay away from the site of destruction. The children, ignoring this, cried and looked for their loved ones. A schoolteacher whose head was severely injured asked people to take the children away, for this terrible sight would become a lifelong trauma for them. They scolded and drove the kids away.

Shanti came and sat under the mango tree again. Before dusk, government employees had also reached the spot. The children were injured, traumatized and scared. The wailing cries of the children rose and fell with short intervals. Somewhere some woman cried and beat her chest in grief. A traumatized woman tore open her blouse and kept shouting at the top of her voice while beating her chest. Killari village looked like Karbala with innumerable dead bodies, open wounds, traumatized children, destroyed houses, wailing women and crying men. Shocked birds were perched on tree branches. The animals that managed to stay safe during the quake were now so terrified that they looked near-dead already. Dogs were howling and cats searched for familiar terraces and walls. Those who had died were gone, but those alive were in no better condition. Close to sunset, Shanti’s uncle informed her that he would be taking her away from this disaster to another city. She was broken-hearted and silent. Her uncle told her that dead bodies were all kept in the government hospital and would be handed over to the relatives after a few days; it was no use staying back in the village. Shanti had no other option and so she held on to her uncle’s hand and accompanied him. She had realized that Killari was now the graveyard of the living. Before the arrival of government representatives and NGO volunteers in the village, Ashok Uncle had already left with Shanti.