Mita and Hemant Parikh, residents of Suwanee, Georgia, were on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet when a last-minute change of plans led them to witness, and narrowly survive, the catastrophic floods that swept through Nepal in August.
The couple, who had planned the trip for 15 years, were part of a group of 47 international travelers accompanied by seven guides. Their original itinerary was to visit the sacred site of Mount Kailash.
However, Mita Parikh described an impulse decision to take a side trip to view Mount Everest. "Usually we argue, or tickets are expensive — no, let's not go," she told CBS Atlanta. "But I don't know why we both agreed."
This spontaneous decision proved to be life-saving. Upon returning from their excursion to the Everest viewing point, the couple discovered that their hotel had been washed away by the floods. Reports indicate that several families from their tour group and all of the guides are among the thousands missing and presumed dead.
"As soon as I close my eyes, I see Kailash, and I see the people," Mita Parikh stated, grappling with the loss and the fate of those who were on the original path. "I don't know what happened."
The devastating floods, which occurred near the Nepal-China border, caused widespread destruction to infrastructure, including homes, roads, bridges, and a hydropower station. Official reports confirmed at least 1,400 lives lost and thousands missing, including an estimated 85 Americans.
"I ask myself why?" Hemant Parikh reflected, questioning their survival amidst such tragedy. "And I don't have an answer." His wife added, "That's what keeps me awake... Why? Why God chose us to live. So there has to be some purpose, right?"