Dozens of buildings and blocks collapsed, and thousands of people were buried under the rubble. When it struck, she said, she was taking a morning bath. Then I realized it was an earthquake, and I guess instinct took over, because I jumped out of the bath and stood in a doorway until it was over. I didn't even think to put my clothes on. It was like when someone dies, people just came together in mourning.
Some Sumrasar residents are Hindu refugees from nearby Pakistan, a Muslim country.
They fled across the desert and marshes to India in the turmoil of the 1971 war between the two countries. For years they lived in refugee camps, but finally were allowed to obtain Indian nationality and resettle in Gujarat. We chose this village because it was a quiet place. Although most artisans in Sumrasar were able to return to their work soon after the quake, Frater said the damage in other villages caused serious upheaval to the lives of other Kala Raksha participants, making physical and psychological recovery a far higher priority than decorating clothes. Many lives have been lost.