An ironic title :11/7

The blasts have illustrated again the spread of terror in our country. Its really sad that such incidences should take place, killing 185, so that the world stands up and takes notice of the plague of terrorism so widespread in India. England went ballistic on 7/7; I wonder what they would have done if this had happened in London.

The blasts have left the city is a sombre mood. There is this deafening silence wherever you go. Its a silence that screams out death, sorrow and fear. And yet, the car horn rings out loudly as well. Traffic was definitely on the lower side today, but that doesnt mean we didnt have traffic jams. Work, says my dad, went on as usual, with attendance around 85%. His boss was to have travelled in a compartment which was ill fated, but thanks to some quirk of fate, she was delayed and took the bogie at the end of the train, thereby living to see the next day.

There have been horror stories flashed all over the TV screens of grieving families, and horrible deaths. There was also the odd story of joy of reunision. Then there was the report of work resuming, mostly as usual, which actually chills my spine. The resilience is admirable, but it seems to have at a cost of becoming numb to sensations of death. Yet, the Bombayites stand in unison. Thats heartening.

L.K.Advani has displayed prudence in his speech. The BJP didnt do well in the exam though. Targetting the PM is hardly what I would have liked. I would have preferred the sending of the cadres for social service. Nonetheless, political parties havent had their worst performance this time around. And congrats to the Shiv Sena for being uncharacteristically mellow.

At this point of time, I request the families of the bereaved not to think that they were targetted because they belonged to a certain community. The trains that were bombed did not admit passengers on creed. All the communities have lost brethren. And please do not think that Muslims are responsible. They are not. Indian Muslims are as Indian as any other community. My brother Sahul is ample proof. I know it when he chants Jana Gana Mana with as much, if not much more, fervour as me.

Readers Digest can go to hell for all I care. Whoever said Bombay did not have a human side, and was rude? Well, for a rude city it acquitted itself pretty well on the 11th. To see people helping absolute strangers within an hour of the incident was heart warming to say the least. And it didn't stop there. There were blood donation camps all over the city, and the turnout was fabulous. Whilst blowing my own trumpet cockily, I can assure you that this as the place I had been to donate the crimson liquid, collected around 80 bottles in a few hours. I actually had to wait, in a four bed ward, with the collection taking 15 minutes, to donate blood. So thats proof enough. And besides, what Readers Digest doesnt understand is that Bombay is just following its culture. That doesnt make it rude. So, a word of advice for RD - Learn to be PC (Politically Correct). And yeah, I do feel good after yesterday.

As I write this I have Johnny Walker sing "Aye dil hai mushkil Jeena yahan" playing at the background. That was a much more peaceful Bombay, but thats all thats changed. Cheers Mumbai.