26/11

The fact that i chose to dine at the India Jones restaurant at the Oberoi Hotel that fateful night of 26/11, and the manner in which i escaped death by a whisker, reinforces my belief that there is a driving force that governs the entire universe. While the staff at Oberoi’s ushered us into safety through the service entrance, i kept praying to Santoshi ma. It is her grace that i could make it out alive that night. My upbringing in the Gandhi family has taught me that God is one, whichever deity we may choose to worship, or whether we address this super-power as Ram or Rahim. An important part of my childhood was spent at Gandhiji Sewagram Ashram where we were made to attend the evening prayers without fail. Bapu may not have been around us in small little ways, but when he was present, he made sure that we sang the hymns properly and got the intonation right. Over the years, i have started feeling that the everyday miracles that occur in nature as a fixed pattern — be it the rising and setting of the Sun, or the manner in which purnima and amavasya occur — are certainly taken care of by a higher power. Therefore, the manner is which man is exploiting his environment is giving rise to negative consequences. For me, religion and spirituality don’t mean wearing lucky charms, although i do feel that astrology is one of the most evolved sciences in India. It is like a lantern that helps you see the path ahead clearly. But still, we should not fall prey to false preachers or become dependent on a horoscope for everything. A few days ago, i helped organise a multi-religion prayer meeting at the Oberoi’s in honour of the departed souls. For me, it was like coming a full circle. But i still feel the anger and anguish in the air and i know that this time Mumbai will not allow itself to forget the brutal massacre.