Yesterday in the space of 10minutes, 3 different bombs at 3 different strategic ends of Mumbai exploded...Mumbai has been in chaos since yesterday. I was at work and just got out of our popular war-room when I saw my friend's update on Facebook in Mumbai to get in touch with another friend as she could not reach him and find out if he is alright. I did not understand the message and was about to ask what the issue was when I saw another update from someone else talking about the bomb explosions...I got in touch with all my friends and was relieved to find out they are all alive and safe.
Mumbai seems to be an easy target for the terrorist groups, the 26th November 2008 Taj Hotel Mayhem and 11 July 2006 Train bomb explosions are Mumbai's dark days. One of the points my father raised when I insisted on coming to India was the 2008 Taj Killings which I pretended to know nothing about. I am surprised none of them has called to talk about the explosions.
Away from India, to the recent bomb explosions going off daily in the Northern cities of Nigeria. Our beloved Nation is slowing becoming a terrorist heaven with bombs going off every now and then and our President sits and says nothing. While the body goes up in pieces, Dr. Goodluck is busy appointing Ministers and minding business which is not his. I would not be surprised to hear the Nigerian President sends his Condolence to the Government and People of India when his own country is also on fire.
Today I read an article by an Indian asking the Indian PM needs to be resilient and strong and start governing. This needs to be directed to Dr. Goodluck, he has to realize that even though luck brought him there, our nation cannot be ruled on luck, we need him to start governing the people. He needs to assure the people who actually voted for him and those who supported him that they did not make a wrong choice. That the next 4years of our nation have not been left in the hands of a spineless individual who cannot guarantee the safety of people who went out and trust in his ability to lead the nation.
I love the way the Mumbaikar gathered round and saved the situation. In my eye, nothing in Mumbai can be right but yesterday, I was proved wrong. and twitter still remains one of the best innovation of our times. While people were crying foul, assuring the family member and lamenting of facebook, Twitterians created the hashtags #here2help offering rides from one end of the city to another, places to stay, asking for which hospitals to donate blood for the injured, etc.
Despite the fast past of the city, where everyone is always in a hurry and everything is just crazy, I saw the spirit of togetherness in the Mumbaikars. People were willing and ready to help perfect strangers....Mumbai has got my heart on this one.
Poem for Mumbai's dead
For everyone who spent last night scouring the Internet, frantic for friends and family:
Is there no thread to bind us — I and he
Who is dying now, this instant as I write
And may be cold before this line’s complete?
And is there no power to link us — I and she
Across whose body the loud roof is falling?
Or the child, whose blackening skin
Blossoms with hideous roses in the smoke?
Is there no love to link us — I and they?
Only this hectic moment? This fierce instant
striking now
Its universal, its uneven blow?
There is no other link. Only this sliding
Second we share: this desperate edge of now.
— Mervyn Peake
No matter where we are, all we can always pray for is God's safety because no nation is immune to such happenings. We have all seen it happen in the US, the UK, Russia...no one can say, my country is the safest. We just all have to unite and fight this menace of our time. TERRORISM.
♥ Lara from Incredible India
Well done, Lara. I love this. I hope India finds what it needs to be a peaceful country.
ReplyDeleteBeen a while i passed this alley... *smile*... Nice Piece, Precise & straight to the point... Only if GEJ could read this.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lara for writing about this...and especially for the heart-felt poem. That you linked this to the happenings in the North is worthy of mention. Goodluck needs to address these issues so that the country does not turn into a terrorist haven.
ReplyDeleteNigeria and India never cease to remind me of twin brothers in different continents sometimes.
ReplyDeleteGod bless them as they recover their dead and belongings. I hope they are not poking hands at the usual culprit, Pakistan yet?
I thought of you and another friend I have in mumbai when I heard of the explosions, thank God you're safe.
ReplyDeleteReally, no country is immune. It is left to the government to protect its citizens. Cos no matter how passionate I am about Nigeria, I cannot protect her from Boko Haram
ReplyDeleteFirst time here and following. Please, check out my blog at atilola.blogspot.com
Wow! This world seems to be going up in blazes! Only God can see us through. It's funny how shared hardships bring out the best in people sometimes
ReplyDeleteAdiya
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