Smell the fear

Exactly after one month of the attacks, I drop by the Taj for a walk down the memory lane. While the staff members put up a brave face, and smile as widely as physically possible, their eyes are blank and haunted. And the stench of death and fear is unmistakable.

There aren’t too many visitors (this is prime time eve), the otherwise packed lobby is frighteningly sparse. Students from the National School of Blind sing Christmas carols with great energy (see pic), but there are only a handful of listeners. I have never in my life had the glitzy lobby to myself. The Christmas tree decorated mainly white (the classy Taj touch) looks forlorn and loveless.

While the lady at the desk reports 60% occupancy, sadly, I don’t see the figure remotely close. Clearly, she’s been briefed to get the spirits up. And if the lady is right about the number, the guests are safely ordering in, no one wants to hang out at the refurbished restaurants and bars anymore.

We devour chai and sandwiches at the old-fav Shamiana. Again, we have the 24-hour joint to ourselves, there are only a few other guests (see the pic of a nearly vacant Shamiana). Grenades were lobbed exactly where we are seated. While the tea is as delicious as always, can’t seem to get the image of destruction out of my mind. It’s going to take the Taj a lot more time than we thought to reach normalcy.

Equally, the shops are deserted. The Nalanda bookshop (seldom have I dropped by and not ran into a friend/acquaintance) has turned into my personal library.

The Starboard bar, thankfully, has a few patrons. I quietly slip into the smoking lounge (the Taj tower pic has been shot from there), and notice two young girls puffing away and guzzling down wine. They don’t seem too upset, they don’t suss me out for a suspicious back-pack, and seem lost in their own conversation. They are the only brave souls inside the hotel, wonder if it’s bravery or some great wine.

Damn, even the loo has been exclusively reserved for me.

And I don’t even want to recount the lonely walk to the old wing, by the pool. This is what I felt walking by the Nagapattinum beach days after the tsunami.

Outside the hotel, I urge the Sardarji durban to allow us to walk by the heritage structure (totally closed to the public). After a moment’s hesitation, he kindly grants permission. So we solemnly walk by the ravaged, raped, desolate heritage wing, devoid of humanity, even the sea seems unusually quiet, as if in mourning. (And to think this is the stretch which finds common ground with taporis, tourists, peanut sellers, romancing couples, prostitutes, pimps and elderly walkers.) The room lights are kept on (to keep the faith intact), but the fear is palpable. And the exit into the streets of the bustling Colaba brings much relief. A joy to suddenly run into humanity.

No, 26/11 won’t go away too soon. The scars are just too deep to heal. Maybe they never will. Bombay will never be the same again. The terrorists are winning this war.

Let’s look at the bright side

As the proverb goes, even the darkest cloud has its silver lining. While the heart goes out to the victims and the families of the Mumbai attacks, it must be said a few good things have emerged from the horrific tragedy.

Mumbaikars have smelt the coffee
The usually ultra busy citizens of the city, people who have no time for much else but the pursuit of personal ambitions, have finally woken from their apathy and today, many are desperate to get involved in the running of Mumbai, desperate to jump into public life. From students to housewives to pub crawlers to bank clerks to spot boys to biz tycoons… everyone is brimming with ideas for change. What can be sweeter than that? The one big reason the netas have so far gotten away with incompetence, sloth and corruption is because we have always looked the other way at their crimes and misdemeanours.

The world is with us
Almost all the developed nations today feel a sense of sympathy and solidarity with us. Not just because of the cruelty of it all, but also because this can happen to them tomorrow. Their leaders are on our side, they want to help. And most importantly, the US has come around to accepting that we are the victims and our neighbour the tormentor. The important thing is we must not lose this collective goodwill, we must not lose this moment. We must ask for global help in sorting the terror factories of Pakistan, of preventing it from totally turning into a rogue state.

Sleepy heads have rolled
With many a failed leader being unceremoniously shown the door, and many incapable babus in the line of fire (all this no doubt a direct result of the public outrage), no neta and bureaucrat will take his/her job lightly from hereon. (Watch out, dear Bhujbal!) Especially when it comes to our safety and survival. For the first time we are seeing a degree of accountability in public life. Hopefully this will be the guiding philosophy of all political parties from now: perform or perish.

Raj has become irrelevant
With the cops, soldiers and NSGs from all over the country coming together as one to rescue Mumbai, clearly Raj Thackeray’s anti North Indian campaign is finished. He dare not attack any fellow Indian from hereon. The venom-spewing neta has no choice but to woo voters on the agenda of safety and development. And if he does muster the temerity to restart the hateful propaganda some months later, here’s hoping the city’s Marathi speaking folks will openly reject him. Just as many of the city’s Muslims are openly rejecting the jihadi ideology in the current time.

Fresh faces on TV
On a lighter note, no longer will we have to endure the same publicity hungry, quote hunting pseudo celebs on our television talk shows. The aam aadmi wants to speak out and be heard. And she and he is making a lot of sense. No longer is the common woman and man camera shy. The TRPs of news channels will surely see a vertical swing. And yes, we shan’t have to put up much with young Ritesh Deshmukh in them movies.

Jai Hind!

Thot for the day

They say the best quality an intelligence officer can possess is one of a deeply suspicious and distrustful mind. At great risk of injury from my militantly feminist friends, I really think they should hire only lady officers in that department. :)

Bombay GenNext talks tough.

Can’t biz tycoons help?

Like everyone else in Bombay, I too have been wrecking my depreciating grey cells on what must be done to keep us safe, of not visiting a hospital or a pub or a college and returning in 100 mangled pieces.

My biggest concern right now, as they debate the choice of new CM, is being saddled with that buffoon called Sushil Kumar Shinde (or one of his duplicates). I had interviewed the man quite extensively for Mid Day when he was CM, and I left Varsha totally disillusioned. He knew head nor tail of what the city’s problems were (leave alone solutions) and could clearly see he was in that chair ONLY because he’s a nice guy, a dangling puppet for the Delhi leaders. Today, even a bacha will tell you the last thing this city needs is a nice guy. We want a chief who can kick arse bad to get things done. We need a professional manager.

The reason the faltu combine of Deshmukh and RR Patil failed is this: they were incompetent in their jobs. I mean, you need totally different sets of skills to fix dance bar girls and grenades & AK-47 wielding mass killers. And I think Patil in particular knew he was a total loser. Incidentally, just about a month back, soon after the Delhi blasts, I made many requests to Patil for an interview, where the agenda was clearly spelt out: to figure the state home minister’s plans to keep Bombay safe. And repeatedly I was dished out new excuses by his secy. Boss is travelling. Boss is in a meeting. Boss is busy with party work. Etc, etc. Today, I can see why he refused to meet. The fool had zero plans to keep us safe.

Now, when we the aam janta, suggest/request/plead for a CEO type of a leader, we get summarily dismissed. We neither have access nor influence inside the corridors of power. But our business tycoons (whose bucks and goodwill the netas need) do. Can’t the Tatas and the Ambanis and the Ruias and the Birlas come together as one, and demand a professional CM for this state? Someone who’s a known performer, understands politics, is admin savvy, can take tough decisions and can plan with a long term vision. Maybe they can meet Sonia with a candidate’s name. Before she lumps us with another loser. Surely the suits of India’s financial capital should be as worried as the rest of us, and take this initiative. Especially now that the terror agents have reached their boardrooms and party rooms.

On my part, I am sending a link to this post to CEOs in my mailbox. Request you to do the same. Thanks.

Some progress

Ok, here's the update on the ideas we all expressed in my previous blog. I have had a long chat with Milind Deora and he has promised to help forward our concrete proposals to the PM. AND make sure he reads them.

Meanwhile, do land up at the Gateway at 6pm on Wed. And make a statement. I will be there for sure.