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.
Arun Shanbhag 
Thanks for sharing these information. All memories in mumbai bad n bad.
a very bad blast
the media were helping the terrorist by telecasting the activities of the soldiers live who gave there life to safe ours, which helped the terrorist who was watching the TV inside the taj hotel or to the informers of the terrorist……….
telecasting the activities soldiers is one dumbest ideas of the media , it was the duty of the government to take the media away.
Hatred Can Only Be Overcome By Love … Not By Violence
… M.K.Gandhi !
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