…how sadness turned into rage on hearing the same old cliched quotes, on seeing the same old inefficient response to crisis…the whole “I cannot eff-ing believe this is happening”

…how bravely a few people fought, regardless of being ill-equipped to do their job

…how a few went above and beyond their call of duty to help those in need

…how life changed dramatically for a few, who lost people they loved

…the promises I made to myself, what I can do to play my part in ensuring this does not happen again.

To all who were affected by 26/11…I haven’t forgotten anything.

Is baar jab main chehron par dard likha dekhoonga
Nahin gaoonga geet peeda bhula dene wale
Dard ko risney doonga,utarney doonga andar gehrey
Is baar nahin

Is baar main na marham lagaoonga
Na hi uthaoonga rui ke phahey
Aur na hi kahoonga ki tum aankein band karlo,gardan udhar kar lo main dawa lagata hoon
Dekhney doonga sabko hum sabko khuley nangey ghaav
Is baar nahin

Is baar jab uljhaney dekhoonga,chatpatahat dekhoonga
Nahin daudoonga uljhee door lapetney
Uljhaney doonga jab tak ulajh sake
Is baar nahin

Is baar karm ka hawala de kar nahin uthaoonga auzaar
Nahin karoonga phir se ek nayee shuruaat
Nahin banoonga misaal ek karmyogi ki
Nahin aaney doonga zindagi ko aasani se patri par
Utarney doonga usey keechad main,tedhey medhey raston pe
Nahin sookhney doonga deewaron par laga khoon
Halka nahin padney doonga uska rang
Is baar nahin banney doonga usey itna laachaar
Ki paan ki peek aur khoon ka fark hi khatm ho jaye
Is baar nahin

Is baar ghawon ko dekhna hai
Gaur se
Thoda lambe wakt tak
Kuch faisley
Aur uskey baad hausley
Kahin toh shuruat karni hi hogi
Is baar yahi tay kiya hai

… Prasoon Joshi

Update – This is a touching poem written by Adman and lyricist Prasoon Joshi that appeared on the news site Rediff today. Apologies to those who don’t know Hindi. I am not the best person for translation. So if anyone can translate the above lines in English please let me know and I will link up their post to this one.

It is the same old story and yet it is not. Ministers and Prime Minister will say the same words they have said before. I guess they know their lines by heart now. (The Home Minister has been MIA though, from what I hear) In the course of the next few days, people will go back to doing whatever they do, and all will hail the spirit of Mumbai and forced normalcy will return. Those who lost their dear ones will move on with a void in their hearts for the rest of their lives and those who didn’t will thank the heavens that it wasn’t them this time.

I am one of those.

My mother was supposed to travel to Mumbai on Wednesday. To the very train station where one of the attacks took place. But her plan got cancelled on Tuesday itself for some reason. I shudder to think what would have happened had she gone as planned. But it is ok. We all will get over it in a few days.

Or will we?

How many such attacks have to take place before anything concrete is done?
Why does India seem to lack the will to do something about this?
Does the fact that there are more than a billion of us make the value of human life cheap in this country?
What can we as responsible citizens of the country do? (I really need the answer to this one)
More importantly, what makes young educated people take up this violent path? Is there something wrong with the social fabric of India?