Rumours on the Street on Why terror struck

With about 55,000 cabs plying everyday in Mumbai, the taxi drivers transport thousands of people everyday. Often, they interact with the passengers on everything from politics to personal life or end up overhearing the conversations amongst passengers themselves. Logical conclusion that they probably know what is going on in people’s minds and what the general sentiment is like.
So Nirmal and I went about, chatting up with several cab drivers just to get a sense of what they have been hearing from the janta regarding the recent terror attack.
Cabbie Ismail Abdul Kader Naik, who transported some 300 people since the terror attack started on Wednesday night, said, “Majority of the passengers believed that the entire operation was carried out to lure the anti terrorist squad (ATS) top brass out in the open and shoot them.”
We were amazed to hear this initially. But more cabbies from different locations and origins echoed this feedback.
“Passengers are telling us that they believe the main target was ATS and security forces. They surely think help came from overseas but the mastermind could have been the opposition party stemming from there unhappiness with Malegaon blasts investigation,” said a 60 year old cab driver.
Reason for why security officials target differ though. Another driver, Ashok Kumar Mishra said that security and intelligence organization have been very tough on underworld and terrorists and so this was their shot at getting back at the former. Taking hostages at Taj and Oberoi was just a ploy while the main idea was to get the top brass out in the open.
Interesting it is to see how these thoughts can catch on. Also very obvious from our interactions was the fact that passengers as well as the cab drivers are very angry with the politicians and local police.
During our interactions, we also found out that many drivers who were not from Mumbai had fled back to their respective villages as terror hit the streets of Mumbai. Just like they had done when anti-north Indian protests had haunted them a couple of months back.
While the world talks about Mumbai becoming a target for global terror, our very own cabbies have a different story to tell of what Mumbai thinks.
(Meant to be printed in DNA newspaper. So i guess they have a cpoyright thingy over this)

Can Mumbaites differentiate between a bollywood movie shooting and a terror attack?

What happens when we all get carried away with the whole idea of ‘Spirit of Mumbai’? Is there a possibility that our zeal to bounce back after any sort of tragedy and craving for masala in life could backfire? And create a nuisance for an on-going rescue operation?

On Friday morning, as National Security Guards began the final assault at Nariman House to flush out six terrorists, spectators assembled all around to watch the action live. The loud gun shots every now and then wouldn’t have held these curious onlookers back. Several RAF soldiers spent the day pleading them to move back.

“People don’t realize the gravity of the situation. If a terrorist gets out on the street right now, we will have to chase him and open fire. Others might get hurt in the process. But this nobody understands,” said an RAF soldier stationed near Nariman House.

Two Hundred meters away from the building, straight in the line of sight, were at least 100 people standing, observing the proceedings of operation Black Tornado. At one point, when they moved too close to danger zone, police began to send them back. The movement caused panic in the crowd, with people in the back running around and shouting.

This is apart from the crowd on the terraces and windows of nearby buildings. Reports had already come of a family being shot as they came out on their balcony to check out the gun battle. Yet, the sleep deprived people of Colaba sat on their windows, eating poha for breakfast and hearing gunshots in the background. Is that a desperate measure to bring back some sort of normalcy in life or is it just hunger for thrills?

Lets flashback to the previous evening. At 7.30pm, Marine Drive is a crowded place- tourists, walkers, young couples and much more. It wasn’t any different on Thursday evening. Life went on as usual despite the fact that a few hundred meters down the road bombs were going off and bullets were flying around at Trident Hotel.

Apparently the fight between the security personnel and terrorists, in one of the most horrendous terror attacks that Mumbai has seen, acted as an added attraction for city people.

Bipin Kanani, a businessman said, “My wife and I were getting bored at home. So we decided to go ahead with our daily walk on Marine Drive. (Pauses to peek as a grenade goes off 300 meters away and then continues nonchalantly) What is there to feel scared about? There are people all around.”

A similar sentiment is echoed by the parents of two year old Zubina Susnerwala, who had taken their kid out for a walk. DNA saw families strolling about, ladies walking dogs and children running around.

Sandy and Kim, researchers from Australia, who were amazed to see the casual environment at Marine Drive, said it made them feel comfortable. “I would be scared if there were snipers on the roofs, choppers hovering and people locked in their own homes,” said Sandy.

Sometimes, if such rescue operations get out of hand, bystanders end up getting injured and even losing their lives. Is it all worth it? What justifies taking the attention of security forces from rescuing hostages and catching the terrorists into dealing with crowds full of children, old people and women when clearly the choice can be avoided? One wonders.

(Eyewitness accounts from the time Archana n I spent at Taj, Oberoi and Nariman House covering the 3 day rescue operations. This probably belongs to DNA even though it wasnt printed in the main edition and was only put up on the website dnaindia.com )

Why loving us is not easy for most men!

Before you begin to court any of my family members, i suggest you take a look at this-

Last week a cute guy cooked yum french toasts for five 'just woke up from a nice slumber' women. While the women lazed around on the floor of their living room, a man was sweating it out in the kitchen beating eggs and grating cheese. What makes this even more interesting is-
1. It was at the house of the lazy devils.
2. Some of us were tired from working all day while the chef was on a pseudo vacation.
This is luxury. And it is not such a rare sight as it sounds. We've had quite a few 'homely?' men cooking sumptuous breakfasts and late lunches for us. Probably more number of times than we have been in that kitchen. Lemon/Darjeeling tea, black coffee, cold pizza and maggi is what rules our kitchen otherwise. But they’ve all fazed out after a while.
This is the new age I am talking about. It has begun to gather momentum and my generation will be the one accelerating it (I’ve dozen more examples of this). This is the time for young women to carry a smart phone in one hand and a cocktail in another, talk business and poetry with same elegance, make a mark in office every single day and throw a party every single night, die for their family and friends, and show the middle finger to anyone who tries to mess with them. It makes one wonder if ‘Sex and City- Delhi/Mumbai’ version can be better than the original.
This generation will remain an outcaste, a minority because of the millions who still are simply happy making meals for their husbands and bearing children. The latter ones are those spoiling this intolerant society of ours.
Does our community dream the same? Sure, it plays a part. But definitely not ready to give up on our free will, individualism, professionalism, parents and our own friends. And so, to all the men who have tried to love us, cook for us, wait for us, take care of drunken us... Sorry guys, but there are five women who love, understand, support and take care of each other and are damn comfortable with each other’s vices…so unless you stop trying to change us, I suggest you get a life and find someone else to massage your chauvinist egos. Cheers!!!

Just A Muse

I wish everything could be discarded saying "Oh! That was a just a muse!"
I wish everything would go away once its time was done
I wish everything could be summarised as niyat to dil ki hamesha hi sahi thi, dil ke irada bhi samjho nek tha... fitrat awara to kya kare bechara, uska ho jaye dil jisko dekhta?
I wish threads didnt have to break.... and then i wish threads werent used to tie down
I wish life would be constant high.... and then i wish nothing would intoxicate me
I wish i could love... and then i wish i could define love
These are all general musings. And now, i wasn't going to talk about some guy who was just a muse (there aren't any worth that either!)
Randomness peaks when mind is avoiding a certain clarity in actions... (i would know, my entire family of girls are born random!!).

A Walk in the Rains

One fine evening, i was headed home after a hectic day at work. It was raining heavily... no.. wait a minute, it was .......pouring!!!
So there i was... walking by myself.... right outside one of the busiest places on this earth- Andheri Station- at my own pace, listening to radio, with a flowery print umbrella trying its best to save me from the lashin water drops, a partially wet paper bag carrying my staple snack- Chicken Mc Grill (with cheese) -.. and coke..... jumping across the puddles... listening to Dil hai Chota Sa... bouncing down the crowded street to my home, happy.. 'just like dat'.... thinking that this is the perfect end to my day... nothing could ruin my life where my boss and colleagues loved me, roomies were like a family and i had music to define my life and its moments. (family and friends not to get offended, plz..... ur role goes without saying :D)
But i was wrong. Cause right then came along a giant 'khadoos lal dabba' and splashed all the muck in the world on probably the only truly happy soul on S V Road!! . Snapped me right out of my dreamworld! I had to dive to save myself from the most dangeous things on our roads- an autorickshaw!!
And you won't believe me..... that was exactly the same instant that Dil Hai Chota Sa stopped playing... n the lady with the seductive voice started yapping about life and solitude and missing links ..... DAMN!!!!
need i go on?

Men that We've Known

Think about this.... at some or the other point in life... you, like me, may have shared a few moments of your life with a Man
who was too ambitious for existence of his own happiness.... so obviously no one else can figure in
who was self obsessed... even if that was a little less than his obsession for you
who was simply a male chauvinist pig
who was still stuck on a childhood sweetheart
who always came along at the wrong times
who was an egotist (also very cute)..... and Man! He redefined that word....
Perfectly capable of honestly, whole heartedly loving a woman.... and being commited to her...
And going overboard proving this , one step short of snatching the stars from the sky for you, and make perfectly entertaining fools out of themselves.
huh! i just read what i've written above n i realised that i've got to clarify something here- THESE ARE ALL DIFFERENT TYPES THAT I JUST MENTIONED. i wasnt specifically criticising one man (not that that would be difficult to find)

My point is that its not always about the fact that they dont know.... WHAT WOMEN WANT!

Caution: This blog has not been written by a feminist.

Podcast from the Past

I found my shuffle after a year.
Hadnt used it in a looong time.
I turned it on.
Put on the headphones.
And it felt different....
The music began.
I felt different....
That puzzled me.
Something to do with the man who used it last.
The song list-part his part mine.
part what was our's.....
Brough a smile to my face.
Memories never felt closer.
travelled back in time not just to remember moments
but to feel them.....
each song a different journey
time machine flying me to places
back in present now
what am i doing?
listening to songs in languages i don't understand
don't want to say more
within the confines of those headphones is our world
still.....