Reflections on Terror
I’m home alone in Hyderabad and my options in the evening are to work, watch tv, have in depth conversations with Raju… or to blog …
I now also have time to think and reflect on life in India and the recent events that unfolded here.
Almost two months ago terrorists attacked Mumbai in a cowardly and headline grabbing attack.
Images such as the ones below grabbed the attention everywhere in the world and brought life to a standstill in Mumbai for a few days:
We were actually visiting the beautiful Taj Mahal (monument) in Agra when the attacks happened. Hearing about another attack was at first not that shocking because there were several bomb blasts in India earlier in the year.
After the phone call from Petro (Marga’s sister) to check if we are ok, we turned on the television and were quite horrified to find out that unlike the other attacks this time it happened at places that we have visited – some of them more than once.
We were also staying at an Oberoi hotel in Agra and one of the hotels in Mumbai that were targeted was the Oberoi in Mumbai. Several of the staff in the Mumbai hotel previously worked in the Agra hotel and therefore some of the staff around us in Agra had friends who were literally under attack during the 2 days we stayed there.
The one thing that struck me about all the staff I talked to was that they were able to remain upbeat and one in particular told me that the terrorists try to attack the way we live and the only way to beat them is to keep on smiling. Brave words for someone who had friends trapped in the attack and not knowing whether they were alive or dead.
When we returned to Hyderabad I watched how the aftermath of the attacks unfolded and wondered how it will affect our lives, life in India and our expat friends. It was clear from the start that despite the shock and anger in Mumbai after the attacks, that foreigners were affected differently than locals.
English and American tourists left India immediately (on the advice of their embassies) after the attacks and hotels were at least 50% empty due to cancellations. Some of our expat friends avoided attending functions at prominent hotels in Hyderabad and people who were planning on extending their stay in India decided to return home when their contracts end.
Life in India seemed to have returned to “normal” after the attacks in a few weeks – except for a significant chunk of the expat community who still seems to be somewhat shaken. The attacks did spur some changes in the security agencies in India, but it seems to have failed even in becoming a decisive political issue for the elections happening this year.
So, if the terrorists tried to attack India or the Indian way of life, I would have to say they failed miserably. They might have succeeded in hogging the world headlines for a few days and frightening some foreigners, but India still stands strong and are “smiling” at you.
On our way back from our trip to the north, a few days after the attacks, I looked out of the plane window and I just had to grab my camera and take this picture:
It seems that even the universe is sending us the message to keep on smiling and not give the terrorists the satisfaction of affecting our lives. I can’t argue with this and this will be my approach. I’m looking forward to again walk through the lobby of the impressive Taj Mahal hotel and will also pop into Chatrapati Shivaji station (the train station in Mumbai) to enjoy the thousands and thousands of people flowing through the station.
With Marga back in South Africa it has also put things clearly into perspective for me. I am much more worried about her safety and would have breathed a lot easier if she was here in India with me.
Ye akhela aadmi ziyaada kahani jaldi likhoonga. (This lonely man will write more stories soon …)
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http://www.vwd.co.za Francois Botha
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http://www.vwd.co.za Francois Botha
Theo Scheffler