Mumbai and Delhi- In two different moods

You must have heard that Mumbai never sleeps. It is awake 24x7. Crowded with malls, people, cars, autos, taxis, Mumbai is like a scary monster for people who want peace and quiet. Boy, how I hate peace and quiet.

Another day in this city of life and energy - Mumbai. The energy, enthusiasm and excitement here is amazing. Checked out the farewell of Ganeshji yesterday and this is something you cannot miss. It’s so beautiful to see lakhs and lakhs of people dancing, praying and celebrating for hours and hours together. Despite heavy rains and the underlying tension after Saturday blasts in Delhi, it was amazing to see the smooth passage of the city's favorite deity as lakhs of devotees turned up to say good bye.

I am quite conscious to dance with unknown crowd but the music and the aura is such that I wouldn't mind standing in the corner and shake a leg while my shoulders would also unconsciously move to the beats of the drums. While I am enjoying this, my heart goes out for all the effected victims of the Delhi blasts. Amongst all these celebrations and red gulal in the air, it’s sad to see the front page of the newspapers with pictures of children loosing their parents, innocent people covered in blood, injured and the fear of safety in the dampened eyes of older citizens. I don't know when these people will stop tier of ruining lives and livelihoods of so many families who have done no harm to anyone. I salute film makers who make films like Wednesday where they show that it’s a duty of every citizen to fight this war on terror. I also hope that our Government comes up with some anti terror laws, strategies and policies to counter terrorism. People caught in the act should be punished in such a manner that the ones planning to do similar attacks will think twice before they damage lives and property in our country. The over whelming emphasis on Special Forces, special laws and special institutions ignores the most fundamental reality: you cannot have a first class counter terrorism response in a third class policing system.I conclude today with prayers for the people affected and hope that better sense prevails for people involved in the blasts.

Till the next post,
Majaani life,
Sarwar