Some smiles can never be forgotten. More so if they emerge out of tormented souls that saw dear ones being washed away by flash floods, houses being submerged, fertile fields stripped, and little children turned to starve.

Many parts of North Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh suffered a horrific tragedy in October 2009. In North Karnataka alone, nearly 230 people lost their lives, 6.55 lakh houses collapsed, and over 4,290 villages were affected in 75 taluks across 14 districts, of which 346 villages needed complete rehabilitation. Lakhs of people sought shelter in relief camps. They still do.

Back in Bangalore, “resort politics” had peaked. The dissident faction of the then Yeddyurappa government, led by the Reddy brothers, was holing up in high-end resorts in Goa and Hyderabad busy playing political ping-pong. The miserable CM was twiddling his thumbs.

And, when I visited six flood-ravaged villages across Koppal and Bellary districts a few weeks after the tragedy, there were these divine smiles, too.

(Pics: SH)

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