26th July 2005 , when mumbai stopped for everyone. I was 6 years old on July 26, 2005 the day Mumbai came to a standstill. The rains were relentless. Our school ran from 12–6 PM, but halfway through, they announced classes were canceled because of the flooding . My mom came to pick me up, and we started walking home because the water was too high for vehicles to move. What I remember vividly: • Water up to my chest. • Buses, cars, and rickshaws stranded like abandoned toys. • People walking in the middle of the street to avoid potholes. • Gusty winds, loud thunder, and the eerie quiet between lightning cracks. Then it happened. I tripped over something and fell into an open gutter . I was small, terrified and so close to being swept in. The only thing that saved me was that the gutter was overflowing, so I didn’t completely sink. Before I could even process what was happening, two men rushed toward me. • One picked me up and put me on his shoulders. • ...