What was supposed to be a fun weekend getaway in Rishikesh quickly turned into a near-death experience for 28-year-old Noida-based corporate professional and content creator Arpita Sahu. In a conversation with HT.com, she recounted the terrifying moment she was swept away by strong, unexpected currents while cliff-jumping at an unregulated spot. Despite wearing a life jacket, Sahu found herself unable to swim back against the fierce undertow. Thanks to the selfless actions of people around her, she was pulled to safety. Reflecting on the ordeal, she is now sharing her story to spread a vital safety message for fellow adventure seekers.
What had happened?
Sahu visited the mountain city over the weekend. At one point, she decided to try cliff jumping. The first two times went well, but the third time turned very scary very quickly.
Sahu told HT.com, “I was cliff jumping at an unregulated spot. I had already jumped twice and it felt manageable, but the third time the current was much stronger than I expected. It started pulling me away from the shore, and even though I know basic swimming, I couldn’t swim back against it.”
Who saved her?
Recalling the moment, she shared, “A few people initially tried to help but the current was very strong. Eventually, one person—a foreigner who was a strong swimmer—stayed with me and managed to get me back to the shore. Rahul from Joey's hostel stayed with me till last. He swam and came and helped me go back to the hostel safely. Extremely grateful.”
She added, “I’m extremely grateful. Honestly, I don’t think I would have made it back without their help. I did thank him personally.”
“It was a strange feeling”
{{/usCountry}}She added, “I’m extremely grateful. Honestly, I don’t think I would have made it back without their help. I did thank him personally.”
“It was a strange feeling”
{{/usCountry}}Recalling the moment she was struggling to get out of the water, Sahu said, “Interestingly, I didn’t panic.” She added, “I think I was just trying to stay calm and conserve energy because I had a life jacket on. But at the same time, I was aware that I wasn’t in control of the situation, which was a strange feeling.”
However - and quite understandably - the first thing she felt after being rescued was relief. “Then it slowly hit me how serious the situation could have been. I felt very grateful but also a bit shaken once everything settled,” she recounted.
Advice for adventure-seekers
Learning from her own scary experience, the 28-year-old shared some advice for her fellow adventure-seekers.
“Please don’t underestimate natural currents. Even if something feels easy once, conditions can change quickly. Always do such activities with proper supervision, and be honest about your swimming ability. It’s important to enjoy these experiences, but responsibly. “