While going through the old newspaper cuttings this morning, I saw the case of 26/11/08; the felon is now under trial. 26/11, the night to be forgotten, the night that can only make the spine chill. Though nothing happened and he is enjoying the Royal Treatment from Govt. of India...
I still remember the incidents during that dark night and the luck which helped me get away from the scene of disaster. I wish everybody out there was just as fortunate.
26.11.08: Generally I do not have any fixed time to leave office especially then when I’m too engrossed in my work even if there are no submissions. Our weekly meeting for an upcoming project was rescheduled for the interiors team. The meeting took almost entire day to get over and left us exhausted. After the meeting I decided to sit down and start formulating the changes as discussed. I saw my watch it was almost 6.30 p.m. the office started getting empty. I decided to continue with the work as we had made some plans for the weekend which I wanted to abide by.
Formulating changes for 23 buildings was not one night’s work. Until a phone call from my Father at 9; I did not realize what the time was. He told me to go home early as he had been getting some abnormal vibes for the entire day. Without any intention to hurt him I started to pack my things and leave. When I opened my bag to keep my spectacles I realized that I’m not carrying any novel for my journey back home. It was that very morning when I had told Nishant that I was unable to sleep for past few nights as I was reading a book which had described black magic and riots and I have been seeing blood everywhere. It was he who had asked me not to read the book again and must have taken it out from my bag.
When I left the office premise it was almost 9.25 pm. It was a quiet night and surprisingly not many people on road. My friend had left office at 6.30 to join her room mates at Colaba hostel for a treat. I decided to call up Nishant for having dinner together before I could go home.
I suddenly saw many people rushing from Kala Ghoda area towards VT station; I did not understand what was happening. Usually I walk down to Churchgate station. I decided I should walk fast as things seemed quite weird. When I reached fountain I felt something was wrong. Without thinking further I hurried towards station. Once I reached the junction of station I heard a noise coming from a distance. It sounded like an explosion. Without being able to locate anything I thought it must be some marriage function happening nearby. I went in boarded my train and called up Nishant to ask if he was done for the day. A lady rushed inside the train saying that there’s gunfire and explosions going on everywhere. Somebody was shot dead at Leopold’s. My heart skipped multiple beats on hearing this. My friend was out and she usually goes to Leopold’s for dinner. I tried calling her but she was unreachable. I then remembered my boss was supposed to go to Taj to attend the wedding of an esteemed celebrity’s son. I tried his number but he too seemed to be out of network.
When my train reached Dadar, I heard people talking about the massacre already happening which took away all peace of mind I had. Only those thoughts came pouring in my head which were the same as I got while reading that book. I started fearing. Things were out of control. It was when my phone rang and I saw my office number blinking on my phone. I answered the call, it was a colleague who just escaped death by an inch on his way towards VT station and he had returned to office for staying back the entire night. I started shivering. I called up Nishant and met him outside his office at Malad. We thought of eating and going back to our homes. On the way to restaurant I told him what had happened. He dropped me home and I turned the television on after entering my home and saw the fiasco happening. My friend called me to say she heard the blast at Hotel Trident as they were strolling down at Nariman point sea side. It was almost the same time I heard the explosion before entering Churchgate station. The escape of the terrorist made us only fear. I sat in front of TV throughout the night seeing and panicking and unable to move.
It was the same face of that terrorist I saw in news paper this time with guilt in his eyes. It reminds of the most disastrous night I have ever had in Mumbai. I pray to God everyday to not even let anyone go through such a night again. The fear in his eyes today doesn’t seem to relate to his face that night which was shown on TV when he was killing people at VT station…if he was just composed he wouldn’t have been here in a different country being punished . After all he is also a human only if he had valued life he would have been doing something else for himself and his family in his country. Is fate decided this way? If so, then why? In Gita it is said that God resides in us, in every birth we take step more towards Him is this the way to reach Him? All questions jumbled up in my mind and we say whatever happens is for good…no that night was not good, soldiers who lost their lives, people who died those who got trapped in the hotels was not good. The day if somehow could have been removed from the calendar would have been good.
