The City that never DIES..!!!

The day started seeing the first page of the newspaper in Black..... Yes, it was on this day that the terrorists left a black mark on the history of this city... A mark at places that gave the city a distinct identity... A mark ... A terror in the minds and hearts of the city and the country..... Black was the colour to mourn for those who were the victims of the cruel act......

This day, last year had been a bit different for me and the event made it all the more unforgettable....!!

I had a holiday that day due to some thing.. I don't recollect what.... But just got to know it the night before... So we planned to go for a movie.... With the place and time finalised, I went to sleep. In the morning, when I woke up, my parents were still asleep. So I could not tell them about my plans for the movie... I left as usual for college.... First time I had been for a movie Bunking at home.......!!

While at the movie, my Papa was calling up repeatedly. At first, I did not receive the call. But since there were calls again and again , I finally received the call to know that Papa had just got me a new cell phone..!!!! Wow...It was really surprising and I was happy about it because I wanted to get a new model since a long time..... So today I am celebrating the first birthday of my cell too... :)

Apart from that, the day was normal until at night one of my friends messaged me to watch television..!! Somewhere I felt that it was not a coax message and at around 11, I started watching TV. What I saw was suddenly incomprehensible for a while... Was it true?? Was it happening in Mumbai???

NO.... I thought..this cant be it.. Mumbai ... Again on the hit list.......!!

I woke up my parents and asked them to watch it... (Everyone at my home, except me, sleeps early... even before 11).

We sat in front of the television swapping channels... hearing... seeing and feeling terror...!!! In a while.. the whole thing became clear.... Attacks by terrorists at some key locations in the city... It was not the first time I had witnessed terrorism yet this was something I felt was really cruel.. Really horrifying.... Really disturbing.......!!

The next 60 hours (and even weeks after that) had been full of reports and coverages. I did not watch many because the more I saw the more

it was horrifying to me and terrifying.. I felt mixed emotions of anger, fear, sympathy for those who suffered .... Just visualising could be so terrifying..then I really did not know how would it feel to lose someone in all this or be face to face with this..!!!

Today on the first Anniversary of this dreaded day... When people all over the country are marching for peace processions and lighting candles for those who have sacrificed their lives in this unmanly terror attack.. I wish that the world, the country , the city be more peaceful...the government more responsible... (not resigning when the state needs you the most)... The people more selective (electing those people as representatives who are worthy of bringing a change in the system) and the legal system (which punishes the accused and the victims on time and not carry out trials for years) ...

But Mumbai was, is and will be the City which Never Dies....

Salaam Mumbai for your Spirit..!!!!