This post is getting too long; See updates from Day Two at: Mumbai Blasts: Day 2
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And, Previously Unseen pics from the 26/11 terrorist attacks.
Sorry, pic heavy post!
Revision ~ 12:15 – 12:30 am Indian Time; Friday Nov 28th
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Posting all pics on FLickr! username “arunshanbhag”
Dome of the Taj is nearly all burn’t out! Only the central post remains; the base of the dome is still burning! TV Cameras are located on diagonally opposite side of Taj and cannot see the dome; TV coverage only shows glow from burning dome! TV is now saying that shots are heard inside the Taj and all the terrorists are NOT YET cleared!
Revision ~ 10:30 – 11:00 pm Indian Time
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OMG! One of the domes of the Taj is on fire; It is burning like a bonfire! I can actually see the structs/frameworks under the tiles in full blaze. OMG! NO! This can’t be happening!
~ Hand held; rested my elbow on the sill!; Sorry for blurry images from ~ 10:45 pm
MORE PICS!
My earliest memories of childhood include the Taj!
This morning as I saw smoke billowing from the windows of the Taj, I was composed!
When I heard about my friend’s brother being shot and encountered his wailing family, I was composed!
When I saw blood of the Leopold waiter pooled on the sidewalk with his tray still in the blood, I was composed!
But when I saw the dome of the Taj burning, my heart bleeds! It is all in knots!
I am overwhelmed! Finally tears, … in torrents!
NOW! I am … very, very sad!
I can’t do this!
I can’t watch this!
WIll the Taj be there when I wake up?
How can I sleep! I am scared to walk up to the terrace and look out!
Oh No!
Revision ~ 4:00 – 5:00 pm Indian Time
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I had walked over to the Taj to see what was going on. At the back corner of the Taj, the Firemen stopped the crowd.
At top right you can see the window where fire had broken out in the night/ morning. See pic at the end of the post. Now hardly any smoke. Ditto for another of the windows.
Firemen on guard.
Two more with beautiful helmets!
Two firemen discussing their work earlier today.
Onlookers mesmerized by the beauty of the Taj.
A father brought his son to this historic event. What does the future hold for the child? What world will he grow up to?
I tried to walk over to the front of the TAJ on Apollo Bunder Road from one of the side streets. We were blocked there too. There juxtaposed with the Gateway of India.
We heard a blast inside the Taj, but could not see anything, so I moved back to my original spot behind the Taj. Here Firemen were still huddling! The Army was in control and these firemen could only proceed once the Army gave the go ahead.
One of the firemen allowed me to take a pic of his beautiful helmet of the Mumbai Fire Dept (MFD). I think Mu-A-d stands for Mumbai Agni Dal (Thanks Parag). This guy was an older gentleman and his was a leather helmet; the others had modern polymer helmets. Beautiful helmet, no?
Several more loud blasts inside; could not see any fire or smoke, but pigeons were flying off and the firemen were on alert; Heard Army choppers buzz by several times. Finally got a pic.
Chappals of one of the victims near the Leopold Cafe! A walk interrupted!
Revision 12:15 pm Indian Time
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Caution: Gory Pics from scene of Terrorist Killings!
Just got back from a short walk to see my friend. His brother was killed by the terrorists last night. The terrorists started shooting inside/outside the Leopold Cafe;
Steps of the Leopold Cafe: Broken cutlery and glass; and a few blood stains
Blood dripping from inside the Leopold Cafe and trickling outside!
Reporters and bystanders collected outside the Leopold Cafe
Police have marked circles on the pavement in front of the Leopold Cafe where bullets/casings were found! Such markings are all over the place.
See SUV still outside with bullet hotes
Reporters interviewing one of the witnesses on the street in front of the Leopold cafe
After the shooting, people started running inside the lane (Nowroji Lane). Just past the Leopold is a row of shops which my friend and his family own. Here onlookers are looking down the lane towards the Taj.
A pool of blood in front of my barber shop.
Apparently, one of the waiters from the Leopold who was shot was running (with his round serving tray). He was shot in the head; He fell and died on the street right there. See the chalk circle by the feet of the guy on the extreme right? That is where the police found a bag filled with explosives.
That is where I go for a haircut every week.
This is so painful – but we should all see these pics and be MAD at the terrorists; Pool of blood of the waiter; He had rushed out of the Leopold with his serving tray, which is still in the pic.
Pool of blood where another of the victims was shot; four or more victims were within a few feet of each other.
More blood;
One of the victim’s chappals still on the road.
I went to visit my friend whose brother was killed in front of this store. On hearing the shots, customers rushed in, and so did his father (who works as a tailor in a neighboring store). The kid ran out to pull the metal shutter down.
He did bring the shutter down (and possibly saved the others inside), but he ended up outside the store. The terrorists were shooting indiscriminately; he caught five bullets; One went through and through his stomach! They operated on him till 5 am when he was pronounced dead. His body is undergoing an autopsy. His family and relatives were wailing loudly when I visited. I could not bear to enter, but called my friend outside to offer my condolences. He leaves behind a wife and two kids.
Revision:10:02 am Indian Time
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Even though we are only a block from the Taj Hotel, I slept through the blasts. Woke this morning at 5 to get ready to go for my morning run; Noticed that we had several folks (strangers?) sleeping in our Hall. Did not think much about it and got ready to head out; Then as I was stretching, some of the sleeping folks woke up and I recognized the Managers from the Kamat’s restaurant downstairs. They told me about the blasts and insisted I not go out. Mom woke up and nearly had a fit when she saw me ready to run.
So I took my camera and headed to the Terrace and took a few pics of the Taj Hotel. The hostage situation is still ongoing. I could see smoke billowing out of several windows. Looking down from the front of our house, I notice the main street in front is a staging area for Fire Engines; Also, there are many trucks filled with army type personnel (with guns) and standing patrol. Was terrified to pick up my camera and take pics!
Mom was briefly trapped in the restaurant downstairs as the shooting started at the Leopold Restaurant and the terrorists were roaming the streets shooting people. A few injured people and crowds rushed into the Kamat’s Restaurant to escape the shooting; THe Managers then pulled the shutters shut and my mom remained inside. We are all safe now – more details later.
Pics of the Taj from our terrace; Around 7:15 am (Nov 27th):
Will keep updating as I venture out and take more pics. That is if my parents let me get out.
Marathoner, Professor, Author, Citizen Journalist, Fitness Nut, Foodie, Meera's father, Hindu, Scientist, Photographer.
Those photos of injured commandos and DIRECTLY overhead choppers make a much more impact than a photo of the standby cops. It was those photos which made me think about the thankless jobs the police and commandos are doing to protect us.
The closeup of Leopold’s remind me of the hangouts of my city, Cochin. The collapsed dome of the taj is sickening. These photos scream ” the terrorists want to take away our vibrant culture”
Newspapers, catering to prudes, publish its-a-walk-in-the-park photos and muffling the reality.
Active citizen journalaists like you can put humanity and sanity back into the “news” we are consuming.
Hi Arun, I ma glad to know your mom and your family members are doing fine. Very sorry to hear about your freind’s brother. Your post made me bleed and cry again which I was doing all last night. I know that the attacks are over now and things are settling, but thye have taken away the peace in everyone’s heart and mind. Please be safe and take care.
I have been reading you blog several time today to keep up with your updates of what happened in Mumbai and I want to congratulate you on your accurate reporting of this terrible tragedy.
Best Regards Anteek
I am looking into the news but don’t know how to reach media… already indian commanders have inform not to broadcast each and everything, especially Army/commander man positions where they are standing and how they are moving inside to attack. Currently in Nariman attack, media is exposing and leaking all the positions of commanders and army man… you never know indirectly the information is going to terrorist and operation can be interrupted or can be a reverse attack. So Please inform media not to leak any on-going activities of NSG. Media is NDTV, especially IBN7 , CNN IBN and others too….please….
My prayers are with the hostages. I hope they are safe, and get released soon. Be safe.
Hope you don’t mind if I quote some of your post
http://emunctory.blogspot.com/2008/11/mumbai.html
Stay safe mate, I hope you and your beautiful city come out of this alive and well
Steve
Sydney – Australia
such a strong feeling when I read your report…its so TERRIBLE. I hope everything calms down and is over soon for you. our thoughts are with you and all citizens of Mumbai
We are helplessly watching the news channels throughout. Tears just keep rolling down uncontrolably!
We must find a way to stop these terror elements soon! Very soon!
Thank you, Arun.
This is so horrific.
It’s good to know that someone is feeling the way I do.
Seeing the Taj burning is just too much. Listening to music of Bach tears are running down my cheeks.
My thoughts are with the victims, their families and with the Taj people.
What are they going to gain from this carnage ??? What a waste of human life – all for what ?? May public of Mumbai unite and help each other in this hour of needs
Terrorists have no nationality, religion ,creed or conscience. They have a dark and twisted ideology and a completely distorted interpretation of religion that does not even stop them from killing their ‘own’ people.
My heart goes out to those affected by these horrific acts of terror. May the crisis end peacefully without further losses of innocent lives.
Arun,
I heard you in CNN and immediately went to your blog to chek it out. What a terrible sight. What is happening is unreal and the pictures speak for it.
Hope you and your family is safe. Take Care
Gopal (EMBA 14)
I hope this does not escalate into Indo pak war. They already are blaming each other and some of the media are going along with it. These things have deep roots and they have stemmed from the fact that grave injustices have been done to innocent people just like the one we are are witnessing now and nothing was done about it. As a matter of fact the major powers in the world took part in invoking these injustices. Take Iraq or palestine for example. This has to stop if we really need peace on earth.
its time all nations combined together to form some sort of a global anti-terror squad…briging together expertise from multiple national agencies to combat this plague. These fanatics need to be brought to justice!
Thank you first of all for posting the pics and for considering the feelings of your fellow neighbors. The pictures we are seeing on CNN have moved me to tears.
Second of all.. I’d like to say to EVERYONE that reads this.
Please do not refer to these evil beings as Muslims. They are not muslims. They are terrorists.
I understand it is hard for some to understand, but just like any religion, islam does not allow this. These people are twisted , brain washed idiots who will all rot in hell.
Peace to all.
2twentythree3 in Kuwait x
Great pictures – Stay safe. Your Blog was mentioned on CNN-USA.
Hello from Canada. Peace and safety and love for you and your fellow citizens in Mumbai.
God bless everyone in Mumbai right now.
nice work
solidarity to Mumbai
it’s all so terrible. just feel angry and helpless that there’s nothing we can do.