Taj, Gun, Blood and Nanny!

After reading what Mayu had to say on her Chit Chatni, I just wanted to add some more to it. As she has put up something intimidating in plain and simple words, yet I find only couple of people looking to it. The problem is not that she hasn’t spoken on a public platform, but the problem is that there aren’t many people who would have actually acted like the way she did. The most common reaction would have been to shout at the policeman and make a run for the train. I don’t know but yes, probably I too would have done the same thing ( :) a self realization! )

Anyways, that was just a part of it. The impacts on Taj and Trident is hardly any, both of them are insured and would be up and running in no time. But, the impact on those present there or those who have suffered personal loss the blood bath is a permanently tattooed heartache. While the whole ordeal was going on, the young Ajmal Kasab was watched on national television captured in camera during his (brave according to himself) act of inhumanity. But most of India was still moving according to its daily routine – offices, schools, shops – all functioning like nothing has changed. Of course, I don’t expect that day to be “the day the earth stood still”, but to mention this was somehow making the whole thing look like an irony, which most of the writers have done (??).

Personally, I pay homage and deep respect to the people who couldn’t survive the whole ordeal. My heart goes out to them. Here I would like to make the special mention of the Rabbi couple, who are now survived by their two children – the older one who is suffering from a terminal illness and the younger 2-year old who was rescued by his Indian Nanny, Sandra Samuel.

This earth has lots of religions surviving over it. After these attacks and in fact several others, the Islamic community has been looked down upon as the one spreading terror. But is it so? Ask the meaning of terror to the Christians who were slain in Orissa few months back. Ask Rahul Raj’s father whom he thinks is responsible for the untimely death of his son. Ask anyone about what they despise or what they think is terror… you’ll get a different answer each time.

The point here is, that the wrong is not in a single community or region, but the wrong is in everybody. Few overcome that wrong with good in themselves and some let the wrong out because of something bad (now, I don’t know what bad… but probably any bad).

Well, enough of the philosophy and lecture. I know I can’t make a solid point here, but I still wanted to speak all this out aloud. What touched me most is that India is still the same after all these attacks at its integrity. And I think it is time for the example that I had preserved for so long…

The incident is dated a month back. According to my daily routine, I take a three-wheeler to my office daily in the morning. Now, the place where I have to get down is spelled – “Thavrekere Road” but is pronounced in several ways by the people in Bengaluru – “Taavarkara”, “Taavarkere”, “Tavvarekar” etc. etc. – the correct one even I don’t know till now, though I end up using the third option often. Now, on the day I’m talking about, I hailed an auto and asked the driver to take me to “Tavvarekar Road”. Now this dear fellow was only proficient in Kannada, which unfortunately is no proficiency of mine. Still I tried my level best to explain to him where I needed to go. After a tiresome 5 minutes of explanation, the driver looked at me and smiled, hit his forehead with his hand and looked at me as if I was someone real stupid and said.. “Ai yo… Taavarkere Road”… and signaled me to sit inside. The most important lesson I learned that day was, even if two people don’t speak the same language, still they can communicate effectively, what is required is a little patience.

Then why do such misunderstandings leading to terror take place? Why don't people sit and solve the problems they face? Why do they always have to take up the gun and shout? Why??

P.S: Thanks to Ankit for his support regarding this post, and also to Mayukhini - for posting that incident. :)