In Patna, there's no space to burn pyres in the floodwaters of 5 rivers. The 13 ghats of the Ganges are submerged, all the houses in Bind Toli are flooded, and families by the roadside are hungry and thirsty.

"The flood has flooded my house. It's very troublesome, but this will all be over in a month or two. I won't give up studying out of fear; I don't want to ruin my life. I want to join the police force. I come to Patna by boat every day for studies." Rinki Kumari, who lives in the Diara area of Patna, says her words in one breath. A smile on her face is there to hide the pain that Diara has suffered due to the floods.