Bhubaneswar: Orissa and Chhattisgarh may be at loggerheads over sharing of Mahanadi water, but an 18-year-old girl from the neighbouring state, who had accidentally reached the state after being swept away by the current of the river, developed a bond of love between the two states.
Sony Yadav, a resident of Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh, was swept away 50 km in river Mahanadi for 12 hours and reached Kushumel in Jharsuguda district. Sanyasi Kalo, who had rescued her, has adopted Sony. The girl has now developed a bond of love and affection with Sanyasi and his family and decided to stay with her adopted parents for good. And from Sony Yadav she has now become Sony Kalo.
“I did not have any hope for survival when I slipped into the river as I didn’t know swimming. However, my father rescued me and gave me a new lease of life. One year has passed since then, but he never neglected me. He loves me like his own daughter and looks after all my issues. I do not want to return to my home state and wish to stay here for the whole life. I am very lucky to have such a loving father in my life,” Sony said.
Sanyasi said, “Now Sony is our family member. I will try my best to give her love and care. I will marry off her as my own daughter.”
Sanyasi’s wife Ahallya also echoed the similar love and affected for Sony. “I have three sons and no daughter. I had been praying for a daughter when Sony was rescued from Mahanadi. She is indeed a girl from God. One year has passed since her rescue, but I never felt she is adopted. I always love her like my own daughter.”
Notably, Sony had been living with her aunty at Sarangagarh in Chhattisgarh after the demise of her parents. On the fateful day of September 13, Sony had been to Chanderpur for darshan of the presiding deity Chandrasheni Devi. At around 6.30pm she was waiting at the bus stand to board a bus to reach home. But destiny had some other destination for her. She went to wash her hands in the Mahanadi water and slipped into the river. Even after over an hour-long struggle, she could not swim ashore.
Like every day, Sanyasi along with two other fishermen went out for their daily livelihood into the river. Sanyasi noticed something floating on the water and rescued Sony. She was admitted to Lakhanpur hospital.
When she regained her consciousness, Sony found her alive but at a different location. She was aghast to know that she landed in a village in Orissa and was 50 km away from her nativity. She narrated her harrowing experience before the family.
After her recovery, Sanyasi decided to adopt her as his daughter. Sanyasi’s wife also welcomed Sony with open arms.
Sony visited Bhubaneswar Wednesday along with her adopted parents to attend a convention on Mahanadi water dispute at the IDCOL auditorium here and inaugurated the event. She is now better known as ‘Jalakanya’.
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