A new month is around the corner

November is almost over, and with it, the first anniversary of the Black day that Mumbai experienced last year when 10 Pakistani Muslim terrorists attacked the city and killed off hundreds of innocent people. Yes, I am talking about 26/11, and that day, and the next two nights and days re-defined Mumbai for all its denizens: it was, everyone felt, no longer a city of dreams, and no longer a carefree or safe one for all, esp. not for women, old persons and children. It had, it seemed, transformed overnight into a sort of monster that was heartless and cold and calculating.

The anniversary observations were markedly subdued at all places; between friends, it was muted conversations with the occasional tears misting the eyes. At higher levels, there were the telling of many heroic tales, the release of a damning book by the widow of A.S.I. Hemant Karkare, the candle-lighting ceremonies at various chowks, and a lot of soul-searching and rumination by those who were victims, but who lived to tell their own stories.

The next few days were the days of Id-ul-Adha for Bohris (on the 28th) and the other Muslims (the next day, or yesterday, as I write this post). The weekend was also marked by the observance of Thanksgiving by the Christians.