I watched in horror as the events of 26/11 unfurled over the course of three miserable days this time last year. I watched my city burn as we sat helpless, unable to extinguish the flames of malicious hatred that burn in the hearts of so many. I watched the news last night where there was a Times Now debate on anger & aggression featuring a panel of victims, social commentators and journalists including personalities like Anupam Kher, Bachi Karkaria and Shobha De all being angry at someone or the other for letting this happen; for poor crisis management, for being accused of not being angry enough when similar terror struck – but not so close to home, for insensitive media coverage, for the 3-year-old Rabbi’s son Moshe
Holtzberg
who doesn’t know his parents are gone, for a trial that continues with no punishment yet meted out, for the fact that this happens so often now we’re getting used to it… Of course I empathize with the shock and anger everyone feels (although its hard to imagine the shattered lives of those who lost loved ones in the carnage) but I’m trying not to think about the government the media or the Indian judiciary. I can’t help but relive my own experience of that night and just be grateful for how lucky I am. I am humbled and hollow in the knowledge that people not unlike myself didn’t get dealt the same hand by fate (why is that?) I know people are upset and angry and there is always someone else to blame, but don’t you think that’s what got us here in the first place?
Sometimes there is nothing you can say to make it better.
Sometimes its better not to say anything at all.
*Not sure who took this picture of me but ever since I’ve seen it pop up all over the place (most randomly in the backdrop to the debate on Times Now which I was not a fan of, oh well.) But yeah this was a candle light vigil at Carter Road, Bandra the following Wednesday after the attacks, I even remember growling at a journalist who asked me “who died?” Seriously?! After that night, who didn’t?