There is enough being said and enough being printed and discussed about the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai city.
I take pride in the fact that I am born and brought up in Mumbai. Have lived most of my life in Mumbai. I claim to my friends, relatives and Husband (who hails from Kolkatta) how well I know Mumbai- like the back of my hand.
True Blue Blood Mumbaikar is what my blog says.
But today I am sad and lost. My mind, thoughts and feelings are completely jumbled and empty. Like the needle of a compass, which has lost its magnetic north. Swinging in all directions. Aimlessly.
There is a numbness. There is no intensity left. Blasts, Riots, Bandhs and now the open firing......
Terrible sadness for lives lost, families disrupted, government and private property damaged, international criticism, loss of business, impact on economy....nothing seems to provoke a discussion. No public debates and tea table rounds of discussions.
Yes, a sense of gratitude for the known and unknown brave hearts. For saving lives and giving away their own.
Long talks by ministers, international support, rewards and awards......everything feels very false.
May god give strength to the family of those, who have lost their lives/ are wounded and hurt physically or emotionally.
Me Mumbaikar is down and under today. It seems like an herculean task to get the spirit of Mumbai back this time.
But fight back we will. Nothing or nobody can beak the spirit of Mumbai.
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Hi,
ReplyDeletehow r u? just accidentally came across ur blog. some of ur posts are just beautiful... makes me still and quiet and yet stirs something within... a lost thought of my own perhaps. will watch out for ur posts:)
You r right about the terror strikes. the outrage, the sadness, the fear, the helplessness... makes me want to distance myself from the city which we have called our own. Maybe the city has a destiny of her own..maybe she doesnt care any longer because we have stopped caring what happens to her so long as we are able to make our money, buy our clothes at the malls and reach home safely to a good dinner. Whom do we fight, we have to first fight our own decadence
oh no ! we don't need the undying spirit of bombay which has trapped us many times and given lee way to the politicans to misused it by not taking concrete steps to nuke terror. we need to be angry to demand action from the govenment and develop systeme to cut the roots and the shoots.
ReplyDeleteanger is a great emotion to be channelised to get the political machinery to work and be accountable to the office of power.
Our feelings are same and millions of people are going through the same numbness and introspection at this moment…but what next? Nothing happened after riots and blasts in the past…At least this time, all of us have to come together, brainstorm and find a way out so that we are not taken as soft targets any more….
ReplyDeleteHow do we, as common people ensure that this is the last terrorist attack on India? How do we spread the awareness and see to it that any Govt that comes to power is forced to be transparent, vigilant and efficient
We have to build this kind of community of like-minded people…but how??????
Very well penned Raj!!
ReplyDeleteBless you........... it is poignant. I hope you are right that no one breaks the spirit of Mumbai......
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI normally wander across social networking sites to scout for blogs and writers appealing to me instantly.
I think what caught attention is the deep sense of anxiety/concern about decaying values in your intro.
As far as terror/Mumbai is concerned, peoples' anger is now manifesting and finding expression. But sustainability/direction is uncertain. Though media is accused by some of hyping & sensationalizing selectively [someone wrote angrily in a forum about disproportionate focus on Taj Hotel as Heritage Icon to the complete neglect of the plight of the dead & suffering at CST], yet media alone has the power/potential of leading a sustainable campaign against the corrupt polity. I made a post 'The fourth Estate: The One Hope' recently on my blog.
Oh. Jumped in with a longish comment. May return often.
Wish You Well.