Date: July 11, 2006. Around 6.20 pm.
Place: 2nd class compartment of a Borivali-bound local, Jogeshwari Railway Station.
Sitting near the window.. Tuned into my Ipod… I was drowsy and tired after all the office commotion … waiting for my destination… the train had just left the station and was slowly picking up speed…I noticed a man standing on the platform (middle aged, a sikh) … and then I saw the most horrific scene I had ever been witness to.. the train shook.. and I saw the sardarji's lower half slump to the ground… while the upper half just blew apart.. the train stopped.. and then it dawned on me.. THERE WAS A BONB BLAST.. the jam-packed local was all empty within ten seconds… I jumped out of the train and ran.. ran until I crossed the 5 ft. wall adjacent to the platform ( something I thought and still think that I can never do… its amazing what adrenaline can do to you…).. and took a cab out of the station and rushed home I didn’t have the courage to even look back and see…. pandemonium ruled that day.. which changed the lives of thousands … and made this never stopping city to a grinding halt…
The Mumbai Bomb Blast ripped apart the first class bogies of 6-7 local trains… claiming lives of innocent people returning home after a hard day at work… subsequently.. the usual happened… stories of victims… and of survivors… who made it against all odds… staring death .. cheating death … the media went all over the place… saying this was the test of the spirit of Mumbai…
And how did Mumbai react to this… by getting back on track (quite literally, the railways worked through the night to ensure that the local trains—the lifeline of Mumbai.. was on track the very next day) … as if to say… " you hit us… and we will come back at you… Braver… Stronger… and Fearless.."
Its one year since that day… and tomorrow its 7/11 again… but only this time.. Mumbai is chugging fast .. there will be more 7/11's .. there will be more times when "the spirit of the people of Mumbai" will save the day… but what I want to know is… till when…
In the meantime… Things are the way they should be… loving life… living life .. in the city of dreamz…
4 comments:
u guys are brave ppl!
totally salute d spirit of mumbai!
but its high time our govtz started tryin u guys!till thn good luck n more strength to u guys :)
@gunj- Thanks gunj ... but the question is weather this "bravery" will stand the test of more 7/11 or 26/7's anymore...
You actually witnessed one of the Mumbai blasts??!!!!
That was a horrifying thing...and cowards doing such acts should learn from the people and spirit of Mumbai.
@Nidhi -- yeah i was there... and trust me i will never forget it... and somehow... after seeing it... nothing else seems as bad anymore...
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