One of the most decisive events in modern human history
↑ This picture would have looked different a decade ago
While I usually steer clear of discussing political issues on this travel blog, I happened to wake up yesterday thinking “hmm… its 9/11” tomorrow. Throughout history, there have been innumerable incidents of humans-killing-humans in an inhuman fashion, and there have been numerous other terrorist attacks since I was born. I vividly remember three of those.
March 1993 Bombay bombings
I was only 12, living in a quiet suburb of Mumbai (it had a colonial name ‘Bombay’ back then). 13 bombs exploded within a span of few hours, killing 250 and injuring over 700 in downtown Mumbai, less than 60km from my suburb Dombivli. It was so close but seemed so far. Until then, the only type of “bomb” I really knew was a fire cracker I lit for Diwali.
September 11, 2001 “9-11” WTC attacks
I was 19, confused, depressed and the second year of univeristy had just begun. Like most of my classmates, I was planning to travel to a foreign country for a Masters degree and going to US was most people’s first choice. This incident triggered tons of debates because when the lone superpower is attacked, one begins to think about the things to come.
November 26, 2008 “26-11” Mumbai attacks
It was approximately three years ago, and I was backpacking in Bhutan. People I met on the street mentioned about the tragedy in Mumbai and I was worrying because I didn’t have much information. Then, while hitchhiking in a van, the guy switched on his radio and I heard the news. It almost made me cry. Soon, we reached my destination and I stepped inside the massive Punakha monastery, looking straight at the statue of Buddha. He was looking at me with tranquility in his eyes and a gentle smile on his face. I lost all sense of existence and the physical surroundings until the guard nudged me. It was a perfect healing.
I wish nobody suffers from such cowardly acts in future. But who am I kidding, we are humans.
We kill.
Only some people kill. Not all of us. And they don’t kill because they’re human beings. They kill because they forget that they’re humans. They lose contact with their spirit, with the essence of their being, with their soul. Will it happen again? Yes! We live in an imperfect world. Some of us haven’t learned yet that to love, to forgive, to sustain each other are the answers to most of our problems. But let’s not give up on humanity. I believe in us. There are many caring people in this world who are doing all they can everyday, everywhere, to nurture peace and love among us. May God help and bless us all!
Hello Claude, how nicely put – We kill because we forget we are humans. Thank you very much for the comment. I learned something (as always). 🙂
[…] to take. He said that it was his gesture towards his countrymen and that he was sorry to hear about terrorist attack in Mumbai. He also asked us not to worry if we didn’t find a ride back home from Cheli La – he […]