Mumbai's 9/11

A middle aged man, goes to the Taj with a photograph of two of his young daughters and comes out unconsolably weeping.


A young man, lots to live for, calls his dad at 2.30 am and says, “Papa, are you sleeping? Switch on the TV, let me talk to Mamma and my brother” and never returns.


How horrifying can it get!!! Armed men enter hospitals, railway stations and just shoot anybody and everybody! Innocent men and women, kids and even dogs are not spared!
Imagine going to the Taj or the Oberoi for a night out, just to dine and party and maybe a dance…and not getting back home.
Why? Why innocent people? The terrorists are not to be blamed. It’s the terror. Its not who are these criminals, but why this crime? The terrorists who have been brainwashed from the age of 4 about being rewarded with wine and women in heaven if they die for Jihad and their religion, and who are suicide bombers and die either in a blast or get brutally tortured by the army for their whereabouts if they get caught, or live an entire life of violence and terror and trauma for some heavenly bliss which no one knows is really true…are they to be blamed or the entire origin of terror and the wrong ideology in this class of people? What do we do about this whole situation then? A situation where terror goes on and on with more kids brainwashed to grow up into terrorists like the ones who killed hundres of people in Mumbai? About mothers crying for their sons who haven’t returned home, be it the mothers of army commandos or terrorists or just laymen at the 5 star hotels…all tears have the same pain behind them.


And still, people have misunderstandings unsorted, misconceptions, frustration, and so much negativity towards other people…at this time of uncertainity of life, of whether we would really return home after going to watch a movie or shopping to a mall. Why cant we just forgive and let go? Life is so small, so transcient, so uncertain. What meaning does all this cold war between families and ‘no talking’ between people who loved each other once have? Everyone’s going to die one day…why not live a life where you don’t hate anyone, you don’t have even one person in life that you cannot show your face to, why not life happily, help as many people as possible ?


Awe inspiring was the act of the South African commandos who were on a vacation at the Taj, while they heard firing and blasts and secured the restaurant they were in by arming people there with whatever available, knives, forks, whatever, evacuating 150 people from there, including a 90 year old woman. This is true secularism of the world, true humanity, true presence of mind and sense of brotherhood. …and people like Raj Thackrey go beat up innocent cab drivers just ‘coz they are Bihari…who were the commandos who fought without fearing their lives to evacuate all those hostages? South Indians and North Indians and not just Mumbaikars.


Everything is predetermined, by fate and God, one friend dies in the restaurant in the ground floor being shot in the neck, while his friend who decided to have room service for dinner that night survives and gets back home…what is this but sheer fate? All this horror happened and can't be helped now. We do not know how well we can secure ourselves from such terror that might show its ugly head again. But, all that we can do, is live a life of peace for self and others, forgive enemies, love all, let there be no person who turns away his face when he looks at you, spread goodness, good thoughts, good actions, to make a better society.


Hats off to everyone of those who saved lives in Mumbai..condolence to families who have lost their near and dear ones..God be with them.



"Watch your thoughts 'coz they become your words, watch your words, 'coz they become your actions, watch your actions 'coz they become your habits, watch your habits, 'coz they become your destiny." Prayers to all those terrorists whose destiny today is the result of the thoughts, words and actions of their masters and leaders, fie upon violent thoughts, violent actions...who knows even eating non-veg, may instill a violent nature in us to start with. All the pain that the poultry and the cattle go through when they are slaughtered manifests as negativity in the ones who eat them, right? Hope more and more people realize this and love oneself and others and spread joy and positivity and make the world a better place to live in. Amen.