Taj!
charukesi November 30th, 2008
Mumbai Mirror carried this photo today - It’s Over!
Here is something I had taken a few months ago at the same spot. Who would have thought - a commando where ordinary Bombayites walk past everyday?
Archive for November, 2008
The small incident in Bombay
charukesi November 30th, 2008
bade shahron mein aise ek adh hadse hote rahte hain. Woh 5,000 logon ko marne aye the lekin humne kitna kum nuksan hone diya - such small incidents happen in big cities like Bombay - they had come to kill 5000 people but we ensured minimal damage. This from Maharashtra Deputy CM RR Patil.
From the article - but sources close to him said the senior NCP leader did not mean to downplay the terror attack and that the remarks were being quoted “out of context”. Ah, of course.
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Who says the enemy is from outside?
Sources said though the plane carrying NSG Commandos was ready by midnight, it could not take off due to the delayed arrival of a VIP, who wanted to accompany them to Mumbai, at the Delhi airport. Worse, the Commandos had to wait for a vehicle at the Mumbai airport until morning.
Demoralised DF doesn’t even ask why intelligence failed
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A reassuringly sane voice in all this - This is not India’s 9/11 - Ingrid Srinath in Citizens for Peace.
Another sane voice I was glad to hear - Shobha De on TV saying, do not talk about Mumbai’s spirit - we will not be resilient any longer… And ticking off Jayanthi Natarajan who brought up “Sonia madam’s sacrifice” - it is not the time to get hysterical - politicians need to answer…. Go, Shobha!
In the middle of all this, we had Kabir Bedi and Leander Paes, among others airing their views on the attacks. Why?
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Reading about the way Taj employees escorted guests and hostages to safety, and hearing accounts of how they served sandwiches and canapes to keep morale up, I keep thinking of the Titanic band that played on as the ship sank… What makes people take pride in what can at best be only a routine, even boring job in normal times?
TV reporting of Bombay
charukesi November 27th, 2008
I am watching Rajdeep Sardesai asking questions to the CNN IBN team out on the streets in Mumbai, reporting live from the scene of the attacks. Asking the questions, and suggesting the answers himself, quickly before the reporter has had a chance to open her mouth.
And Barkha Dutt, on the other side, that is, on the street, has remained breathlessly loud all day. Pulling people waiting for news of their friends and relatives and asking penetrating questions. How are you coping with this tragic situation? You seem to be very calm, how are you dealing with this? Or is it that you are not feeling calm inside… Have you given thought to the possibility that some of the hostages are injured? And on and on and on - to a man waiting for his father who is trapped inside one of the hotels.
It is not RS or BD alone, someone else on NDTV is asking an expert from the UK about the future of foreign investment in India. Asking - so do you think investors would hesitate before investing in India? Or do you think that they would realize terrorism is not about India but is a global crisis?
And the expert answers,yes you are right, terrorism is a global issue. The important thing is to not give in, terrorism cannot be allowed to destroy capitalism. Now that answered the question in many minds, what do the terrorists want?
What is with the TV channels? Someone else is gushing about dramatic footagefrom the scene of terror brought to you exclusively by… And last night, just after one, the CNN IBN reporter in front of one of the hospitals, reporting about gunshots going off right next to her, her voice pleading to the one safely reporting from the studio - can you hear the shots? He says, go and find a safe place for yourself before you report further, and fires further questions at her, effectively not letting her move… Media ethics, someone mentioned?
As I am about to click on publish, Sardesai is asking someone - Mr. So and So, how does this leave you feeling? Shaken and worried about the future of Mumbai? Stop already.
Bombay burns again
charukesi November 27th, 2008
Bombay burns again. Like most people, still cannot come to terms with what is happening. And been hearing the same question everywhere - is nobody safe? is no place safe?
This morning on the way to the airport, almost no vehicles on the road, never seen roads so empty at 9 n the morning. and at the airport, indignant voices - “India does not deserve to be a democracy”…. “i think only military rule will work”… “why are we so soft on terrorists? shoot them on the streets openly!”
How did so many kilos of RDX get into the city without anyone knowing? How did over forty terrorists carrying AK 47s walk into VT, Taj, the streets without anyone knowing?
My heart goes out to those dead and injured in this attack - cops killed in the line of duty, innocent bystanders, hotel staff - they did not have rooms to get into and hide safely in…
Finally, helplines are open - check out the Mumbai Help blog and contribute if you have news or can help in any way.
From the blog:
Some helpline numbers:
JJ Hospital +91 22 23739031
St George’s Hospital - +91 22 22620240
Mumbai Police’s Helpline Numbers
Taj helpline numbers for info about people stuck inside - +91 -22-66574322, +91-22-66574372, local toll free 1-800-111-825
Trident Hotel Helpline : 011-23890606, 011-23890505, 9810956888 | Dir Corp Comm, Oberoi Hotels
For Info on terrorist cars - call DG Control Room - 9122 22023366
Send an sms -type BLOOD and send it to 96000 97000
Info on Terrorist cars - call 9122 24937755/24937747
US helpline 888-407-4747 Brazilian help line 9820686143 (C) CNN IBN FA 1-613-996-8885 from Canada, 1-800-387-3124 E
For UK
And also read Sonia Faleiro’s Children of Bombay. I often think about how much I love the city and how I would rather live here than any other city in India. And almost simultaneously, I also reflect on how the city is no place to live in - no place for children to play and grow up in, no place for the elderly to take long walks in, no place for harried professionals looking a moment of peace in… But where do we go? Which place is truly safe?
- Indiawatch
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Off to Istanbul
charukesi November 13th, 2008
After months of knowing and trying hard not to think about it all the time, I am off to Turkey tomorrow. A few days in Istanbul (a couple of days at the conference which the trip is all about) and a couple of days out of Istanbul…
Try hard not to miss me. And till I am back, with stories and photos, here are my latest Itchy Feet stories which you my have missed (and if you have, why have you?) - Celebrating Culture (Hindu, October 19), Shifting Shapes (HT Cafe, September 25).
Have fun!