Families say they will soldier on, but on a smaller scale
SHAH ALAM: Instead of preparing for Deepavali, one family in Kampung Melayu Subang has been spending its days mopping muddy floors and salvaging damaged belongings after floods inundated their home twice.
The family of Sharan Raj G. Ravintaran is also coming to terms with the loss of cherished keepsakes, including his mother’s wedding album and saree.
The 36-year-old said the first incident struck on Oct 17 at around 3.30pm while he was at home with his family of five.
He was awoken by his mother, who said water was seeping into their house.
“Our cupboard is gone, the bedroom set has been damaged and most of our furniture and important documents, including our educational and birth certificates, are wet,” said Sharan, who works in the tourism operations industry.
He said it was the first time their family home, built by his father in the late 1980s, had been flooded.
The family had packed some clothes and placed them at a higher level in case another emergency happened.
Their fears were proven right when another flood hit the area on Nov 2.
Sharan said the latest incident had caused further damage, with their washing machine and refrigerator toppled by the force of the water.
The wedding album and wedding saree of his mother Kogila Gopal, 55, were damaged while many of the ingredients she had bought for the festive meal were soaked, forcing the family to scale down their Deepavali celebrations.
He said his mother would normally prepare briyani, mutton and chicken dishes, as well as muruku, while hosting his friends at their home.
But now, they could only manage a simple meal among family members.
“We had thought of eating out, but we are afraid to leave the house, especially with the ongoing rainy weather. We still have to observe the festival despite what has happened,” he added.
Another resident, Santhirah Mukkan, 67, has also had to put aside her usual Deepavali preparations.
The housewife from Carey Island said she was attending a prayer when a neighbour called to inform that floodwater had entered her house on Oct 17.
Despite rushing home, it was too late to save anything.
“So I went back to continue performing the prayers. When I returned home again later, the water had subsided, but everything was covered in mud,” she said.
While her children helped clean up the house, many of Santhirah’s belongings, including beds, cupboards and about 30 sarees, were damaged.
The experience has left her anxious whenever it rains, as she fears another round of flooding.
“After what happened, I do not really feel like making anything. We will just stay at home with our family and grandchildren,” she said.
Nevertheless, she managed to make some nei urundai (ghee balls), wanting to preserve at least one small part of the festive tradition despite the difficult circumstances.
