Mumbai Madness

dear all,

I hope you are all well. Thank you so much everyone who's been writing asking if i'm ok.

Well, this city never seize to amaze me... Within one week one thing after the other happened and before tuesday's horrible events I really though I'd seen it all. Funny thing though, everything is goin on as normal. people are just as stressed and hard-working as always and the trains are jammed-packed again. I talked to an Indian friend yesterday who is punjabi and asked him why everyone stays so calm, not afraid to take the trains just a few hour after the bombs, and he just said "well, that's Mumbaikars, they just live their lives like that but I'm not from here so I'm getting scared". I guess that really explains it, people her have an extrordinary tendency to adapt to the situation. Many times I find it scary as I see people (me included ) becoming really rough, just concerned about themselves, but I guess it does work as a way to survive.

So, last tueday monsoons hit really badly and we were all stuck inside our houses. It does rain a lot but the situation really goes crzy due to the complete lack of drainage. Within a few minutes entire streets are flooded. (if you've never walked in sandals with brown water full of all sorts of unmentionable things up to your ancles I guess you won't be able to imagine it).

This sunday (the same day I told my boss I was quitting) riots broke out in several places in Mumbai and suddenly all shops closed down and traffic was stopped in some places. Shiwsena supporters (a right-wing Hindu nationalist party connected to earlier conflicts with muslims) were putting fire to buses etc. Apparently what triggered this was someone smearing mud on the statue of the wife ofa famous politician. Being stuck in our appartment, having nothing to do we decided to go for a walk. It was the weirdest feeling. Compared to Sweden there was a crowd but compared to what it's normally like in Mumbai it was so quiet and empty.

This tuesday I was on a balcony close to Khar station when I heard a bang. I didn't figure out what it was but walking home to my friends' house I get a phone call from Vikram asking where I was and telling me that there's been three bombs. The minute after that the phones stop working. We end up watching the news at the neighbours of my friend while at the same time trying to call everybody. It was the most surreal feeling ever seeing the number of bombs increasing. The western line stretches from north to south through the city, and the bombs were really placed strategically from the centre to north. Around 6-7 most trainees are leaving work and a lot of us work in the south and live in the north so you can imagine how crazy it was with all aiesecers and trainees trying to call around to get news from everyone. We were all extremely lucky though. I had one friend who was on one of the trains, in the next door compartment but even she was fine.
I don't really know what else to write except. It's such a strange feeling, and life really does go on as usual... I'm publishing a letter below that is being sent around.
Lots of love and thinkinf of you all,
Maria


Dear Terrorist,

Even if you are not reading this we don't care. Time and again you
tried to disturb us and disrupt our life - killing innocent civilians
by planting bombs in trains, buses and cars. You have tried hard to
bring death and destruction, cause panic and fear and create communal
disharmony but every time you were disgustingly unsuccessful. Do you
know how we pass our life in Mumbai? How much it takes for us to earn
that single rupee? If you wanted to give us a shock then we are sorry
to say that you failed miserably in your ulterior motives. Better look
elsewere, not here.

We are not Hindus and Muslims or Gujaratis and Marathis or Punjabis and
Bengaliies. Nor do we distinguish ourselves as owners or workers, govt.
employees or private employees. WE ARE MUMBAIKERS (Bombay-ites, if you
like). We will not allow you to disrupt our life like this. On the last
few occasions when you struck (including the 7 deadly blasts in a
single day killing over 250 people and injuring 500+ in 1993), we went
to work next day in full strength. This time we cleared everything
within a few hours and were back to normal - the vendors placing their
next order, businessmen finalizing the next deals and the office
workers rushing to catch the next train. (Yes the same train you
targetted)

Fathom this: Within 3 hours of the blasts, long queues of blood
donating volunteers were seen outside various hospital, where most of
the injured were admitted. By 12 midnight, the hospital had to issue a
notification that blood banks were full and they didn't require any
more blood. The next day, attendance at schools and office was close to
100%, trains & buses were packed to the brim, the crowds were back. The
city has simply dusted itself off and moved on - perhaps with greater
vigor.

We are Mumbaikers and we live like brothers in times like this. So, do
not dare to threaten us with your crackers. The spirit of Mumbai is
very strong and can not be harmed.

Please forward this to others. U never know, by chance it may come to
hands of a terrorist and he can then read this message which is
specially meant for him!!!

With Love,

From the people of Mumbai (Bombay)

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