Nov 27

I returned home a little earlier than normal last night and decided to go on a short drive in my car (since it hadn't been moved for over 10 days). The Metro line that will connect Andheri to Ghatkopar is being built quite close to my home. I was very pleased to see that construction is underway in full swing, and after the somewhat depressing trip to Delhi, became optimistic about Bombay's future again. On my way, the car radio mentioned something about incidents in South Bombay, though it was not very clear what had happened. By the time I reached home at around 11, it was clearer that terrorists had struck the city again.

By morning, the gravity of the situation was quite clear. But I wished still that the daily routines of millions of citizens wouldn't be disrupted. I don't think I have ever been as keen to go to office as I was today - just to send a message that ordinary citizens will not allow themselves to be paralyzed by the violent acts of a few criminals. I learnt that my office building, which is bang opposite the Oberoi Hotel, had been cordoned off. I then decided to go to another office of my firm in a different part of the city. On my way there, I learnt that the authorities had decided to shut the capital matkets for the day. So I returned home. It may have been a necessary and sensible decision, and yet I still wish that we had been able the keep the markets open...terrorists should not be allowed savour these little victories they score by disrupting our lives.