Lost In Transit

Close to 46 hours and still counting. Its unbelievable how the situation is still not under control yet. Its unbelievable how there are swarms of people so close to Nariman Building where the operation was still underway until a short while ago. Why don't people have the sense to stay away and keep their distance so as not to make things harder for the police and the army?

One of the places where the shootouts had occurred-Cafe Leopold, is an institution in itself for any Non-Mumbaikar, much like the Taj Palace Hotel. People living in Mumbai may know about it, but may never really take the time to step inside. Over the years my friends and I have passed by it many times while shopping in Colaba Causeway, but we never went in.

I happened to go there just a few short weeks ago...with a friend who is interning in Mumbai at the moment. I loved the place, the ambience, the crowd, the posters and photographs on the walls. This was when a few days had passed post Diwali. At one point some idiot outside who must've still been in holiday mode decided to burst some really loud crackers. EVERYONE in my line of vision literally jumped of their seats for a second, with panic on their faces before they realised where the sound was coming from. Then when they realised what the sounds of explosion really were everyone became instantly relaxed and some of us even started laughing.

I cant imagine the scene a few weeks later, at resturants and cafes, people relaxing over their meals, unaware of what lay in store for them, daily commuters making their way back home, patients and families at the hospital. Innocent people just going about their lives... No one deserves to die this way. I hope it will all end soon. Too many lives have been lost already.