Through a curious turn of events, I was right on Nepean Sea Road, South Mumbai when the two blasts occurred in the vicinity of the area last night. For the first time in my life, I actually heard the "boom" of two bombs going off. The first blast was a moment which escapes definition by me. In one split second, for the first time in my life, I felt first-hand, what terror feels like and how it can cause cataclysmic disturbances in the peaceful life of people far removed from the actual cause; physically, mentally and opinion-wise. More importantly, I could realize how the horror is not even remotely close or even similar to the "harbinger-of-doom" phrases used by our idiotic media to grab eyeballs. They just dont "get it".
Case in point, an instance where somebody trapped inside the TAJ hotel (in which the militants had held up hostages) gave one of the News Channels a direct call. The poor soul was repeatedly saying in English that they need help and that the commandos should rapidly advance to the higher floors. At this point of time, the News anchor was stupid enough to utter,"Kya aa hamaare darshakon ko HINDI (sic) me bataa sakte hain ki wahaan ki sthiti kya hai??"
I rest my case.
On the other hand, big-time respect to all the army/police/commando officers who rose to the call of duty and did not flinch to lay down their lives in the process. The nation, even though shaken, stands proud. Peace to you.
What really got to me was the after-thought that the people in terror-affected areas around the country (and indeed, around the world) live in this dark shadow all of their lives. 24X7. And still manage to smile. Kudos to them all, in the wake of the realization that sitting inside an AC room/office, one can never "get it". No amount of News Channel coverage can ever hope to make you feel it. You have to experience the clutching feeling in your own chest. Your dreams, your aspirations, your memories, your grudges, your plans, your vision, your abilities, your very existence suddenly gasping for breath. The sudden realization of how easily and unpredictably it might all come to an end for no reason or cause, for you or against you.
On a optimistic note, as I made my way back to Pune this morning, I saw Mumbai trying to creep back to normalcy, even though the crisis was not yet over. Just one word came to my mind. Resilience. Salaam Mumbai..
But the events of the past 24 hours have triggered a chain reaction inside me, which forces me to re-think, re-consider, re-define and re-arrange the priority order of my life. I think it should indeed be a periodic exercise to examine if the things that we give the greatest part of our time, energy and our very lives are really worth it.
I want to close this post with a quote that I hold very close to my heart:
"The true measure of a man's wealth is what he has invested in eternity."
Peace to the departed souls,
Av
Case in point, an instance where somebody trapped inside the TAJ hotel (in which the militants had held up hostages) gave one of the News Channels a direct call. The poor soul was repeatedly saying in English that they need help and that the commandos should rapidly advance to the higher floors. At this point of time, the News anchor was stupid enough to utter,"Kya aa hamaare darshakon ko HINDI (sic) me bataa sakte hain ki wahaan ki sthiti kya hai??"
I rest my case.
On the other hand, big-time respect to all the army/police/commando officers who rose to the call of duty and did not flinch to lay down their lives in the process. The nation, even though shaken, stands proud. Peace to you.
What really got to me was the after-thought that the people in terror-affected areas around the country (and indeed, around the world) live in this dark shadow all of their lives. 24X7. And still manage to smile. Kudos to them all, in the wake of the realization that sitting inside an AC room/office, one can never "get it". No amount of News Channel coverage can ever hope to make you feel it. You have to experience the clutching feeling in your own chest. Your dreams, your aspirations, your memories, your grudges, your plans, your vision, your abilities, your very existence suddenly gasping for breath. The sudden realization of how easily and unpredictably it might all come to an end for no reason or cause, for you or against you.
On a optimistic note, as I made my way back to Pune this morning, I saw Mumbai trying to creep back to normalcy, even though the crisis was not yet over. Just one word came to my mind. Resilience. Salaam Mumbai..
But the events of the past 24 hours have triggered a chain reaction inside me, which forces me to re-think, re-consider, re-define and re-arrange the priority order of my life. I think it should indeed be a periodic exercise to examine if the things that we give the greatest part of our time, energy and our very lives are really worth it.
I want to close this post with a quote that I hold very close to my heart:
"The true measure of a man's wealth is what he has invested in eternity."
Peace to the departed souls,
Av
