Friday, September 25, 2009

Mumbai on and after 26/11/2008 - My take

November 27, 2008

It is 2:30 am and I am not sleepy. Few hours back, we were all having a gala time at Vijay’s Haldi, and now the celebration mood is all gone...few terrorists have attacked the city...Mandar’s friend who stays at fort is home too...they both are awake as well...we were all sitting in the living room watching the news channel, but I couldn’t see it any longer...I have called almost all my friends who stay or work in the vicinity...Mandar is usually in his office at Nariman point till 10 pm or so, but today he came home early to attend Vijay’s haldi...

A friend’s friend became one of the first victims of this attack...before entering Leopold Cafe, the terrorists fired gunshots blindly on the street when this friend’s friend who was 25 years old was going home after his MBA classes...a bullet hit him and he died on the spot...when my friend was telling me about this incident, I could hear gunshots in the background as it was all happening the next door...yes, my friend stays next to the Nariman House building where the terrorists are present at the moment...how many? We don’t know, but they all are fully loaded with arms; that is what the latest report says...



December 2, 2008

We came back this morning to Mumbai after attending Vijay’s wedding...things are almost back to normal here...most of the offices located in the areas where the attacks took place have started functioning normally...nine out of ten terrorists are dead and one is captured alive...now what happens to him, that is to be seen in the coming days...in the meanwhile, there are so many smses doing rounds about various peace rallies happening all around...and so many people are attending them too...ask them what is the purpose of these rallies, some they are in the memory of people who lost their lives in the attack, some say they are against the government who is responsible for these attacks, some even say that they are attending as everyone else will be attending and that way, they will be able to take a glimpse of Hotel Taj too...I am going to be attending one too tomorrow – a peace rally...my reason? Well, attending a rally is better than sitting at home, not able to do anything...



December 4, 2008

Heena and I left for attending the Rally at 4 pm...our family people did not want us to attend it, we almost cancelled our plans, but our conscious did not let us rest, and we convinced people at home and left for the Gateway of India for the rally that was to start at 5 pm...one more girl joined us, she was a relative of Heena, but got down mid-way as her fiancĂ© didn’t want her to attend the rally...now it was me and Heena...the traffic was bad, and we managed to reach Gateway by 7 30...we thought it would all be over by now, but we were wrong...it had all started at that time...there were around 2.5 to 3 lacs people (I read that this morning in the newspaper) gathered around Regal Theatre holding various hoardings and sign boards and protesting against various things and people like the Government, the minister, Pakistan, terrorism, corruption etc. etc. So it was in short nowhere close to a peace rally, but well, since we were there, we decided to join one of the groups marching without any cause, and I spotted one being leaded by an old college friend...he was working for one of the newspapers, but he didn’t represent it there...he too had thought it was a peace rally, but it didn’t look like one...he was there with a group of fifteen people and we joined them...on the way, we found many people selling t-shirts, caps, candles, stickers etc. with the message – Stop Terrorism and make Mumbai safe...

We reached Taj...for me, I had spent 8 long years visiting this area time and again, but had always seen this beautiful building shining brightly, spreading smile all around with its rich heritage as Mumbai’s pride...and now The same Taj was looking dead, so was the surrounding...the police was not allowing anybody to go near the Hotel, but in that pitch dark evening, thanks to the mild light spreading around due to a wedding happening at the Radio Club, we could see the damaged dome of the Hotel that had caught fire when the terrorists were inside...a group of college students were chanting abuses for the politicians, and they got a big and good enough lecture by a reporter lady for their immature behaviour...



On the way back, we spotted many celebrities giving away interviews to media...don’t know whether to call it their concern or another publicity stunt...no, we didn't click them, that was not necessary...


The above image is that of our Preamble...interestingly, the Constitution of India was enacted on November 26, 1949...Mumbai was attacked on the same day, 2008...maybe a coincidence, or is it?



one of the groups flaunting that poster at the "Peace" Rally




One of the groups Rallying peacefully..



A Promise...



Yes, such people were there too...



A college group had made this poster..



Point noted...










PS: I was not on blogger when the terror attack happened on Mumbai...and wanted to share my experience here...thus this post...