I was out of the country when the bomb blasts happened – got back to Bombay only last night. I landed in Chennai hours after the blasts and got to know from my dad only when I stepped into the house – he had been trying to reach my husband in Bombay all evening…
I have been reading blog accounts of the blasts all day – much more balanced and personal reports than those of mainstream media. And therefore to me feeling so removed from what happened when I was away, more impactful and moving… All I saw on TV were reports and interviews around the “spirit of Bombay” – channels were at it ad nauseum. And why, oh why, has the media been calling this 07/11? To strengthen any rumours of links with al qaeda perhaps?
I read the piece Uma had linked to on train friends and this thought flitted in and out just as quickly – hey, this could be about “blog friends”! so many people called and wrote asking if we were ok…
Ironically, on my flight back, I was reading Murakami’s Underground, his book based on interviews with the victims of the nerve gas attack in Tokyo in 1995.
From the contents page – Nobody was dealing with things calmly
It’s not even whether or not to take the subway, just to go out walking scares me now
What if you never see your grandchild’s face?
It’d be pathetic to die like this
Things seem so “normal” on the surface in Bombay now… yet I wonder about how many people would have felt terrified at the thought of stepping on a local train yesterday, and perhaps for the rest of their lives…?
And here is shoefiend’s moving 55 word prayer – and here is what a Tokyo survivor says – Since that day, we’ve never had a fight. We used to before, over anything. Lately I wonder, suppose we parted at the station after having a fight and something happened- what would I do?
thank god! you hadn’t posted since the blasts… let’s just say I was worried. glad you’re back.hugs
Welcome back. Strange to be welcoming you back to a city that’s just been shaken by explosions, but would any of us ever want to live anywhere other than in Mumbai?
To blog friendship..
how i felt stepping on the local train….written a post…maybe u will get time to read it
….after the blast i thought of many bloggers who live in mumbai…whether they are safe?? I had a vague idea that u dont live on western line…it was a comforting thought
Welcome home. Siv and I tried calling you guys like crazy that evening, didn’t know you were out of town. Glad you two are safe 🙂
Charu
glad to know u & V are safe..*hugs*
swarna
I also landed in Chennai hours after the Mumbai blast (11th July). Would have bumped into you had I known that u were passing via Chennai airport.
I had stopped by today to see if you were okay- its been ages since I’ve stopped to read (or at least it feels like it) and remember things are happening in your neck of the woods.. well, here I am am and darned glad to hear you’re okay. I couldn’t imagine if anything like that was happening near where I live.
Great blog.. Stumbled when searched in google for a cartoon.