| Mumbai/New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) There were official commemorations and private moments of grief, sombre reflections and avid debates - a speeding country paused in its tracks Thursday to remember the traumatic night of Nov 26 last year and the 60 hours of terror that followed.
They went to school, college and office but the fear and helplessness of that day was never far from the mind as Indians across the country and the world mourned the 166 dead in India's most wounding terror strike that had left behind scars perhaps never to be healed.
In the national capital New Delhi, parliament began with two minutes silence and a resolution in the Lok Sabha to wage a united war against terror. In Kanpur, the cricket Test between India and Sri Lanka began with a similar homage. Tributes to the brave who died - and those who survived - were planned in many cities with citizens collecting at designated places.
And all thoughts were with Mumbai, India's thriving commercial capital that was ravaged by terrorists who came by boats from Pakistan on the night of Nov 26 to begin a bloody siege that ended only on the afternoon of Nov 28.
"The house salutes the indomitable courage of the security forces who gave a crushing blow to the terrorists on Nov 26, 2008, and fortitude of the people of Mumbai. On this day the house resolved to unitedly fight and defeat the forces of terrorism and never again allow them to spill the blood of innocent people," Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said.
Events were slated through the day in Mumbai - at Gateway of India, the two luxury hotels ravaged by the attacks, Chabad House� every place the terrorists had left a bloody imprint.
The morning rush hour showed the famed resilience of the Mumbaikar with commuter trains and buses packed and roads as choked as ever with traffic.
But memories of that night were uppermost.
Thousands of commuters rushing to their offices halted to pay respects to those slaughtered in the blaze of bullets at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST).
Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel also laid wreaths inside the station to remember the commuters and their colleagues brutally gunned down by terrorists.
And while Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and his cabinet colleagues visited the precincts of the Hotel Trident-Oberoi at Nariman Point, people gathered outside the Leopold Cafe in Colaba - where the first attack was launched.
"We shall leave no stone unturned to protect Mumbai and its citizens," said Chavan as everyone -- from the celeb to the ordinary person -- relived the trauma.
Said Bollywood star Aamir Khan: "It was a very tragic event, but good thing that happened was that the tragedy brought the people of Mumbai together and closer."
Domestic worker Suvarna Kamble agreed with him when she said: "I came to Mumbai only three months before the terror attacks, but I was amazed by the sheer grit of the city. A year later, I feel safer and more confident of living in this big city."
The 1.5 km wall at Marine Drive was full of messages at 5 p.m. and thousands more came to read them.
"People want to unite, they want to jointly tackle the common challenges confronting them like terror� that is the reason the 1.5 km wall at Marine Lines has got several thousand messages," said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Shaina NC.
In Hyderabad, Noorjahan Begum, who lost her 22-year-old daughter Amina at the CST and whose husband Rashid was seriously injured, is still angry.
The wounds are still wide open for the family, which was about to board a train to Hyderabad after visiting the famous Haji Ali dargah in Mumbai when terrorists struck.
"He was the only source of livelihood for the family. Now he can't go out of the house and is completely bed-ridden," said Noorjahan of her auto-driver husband who sustained three bullet injuries.
For the makers of the Hindi comedy "De Dana Dan" being released Friday, it was a bizarre coincidence. The film had started on 26/11 last year and was being released a day after the anniversary.
Akshay Kumar, whose wife Twinkle was at the Taj when the terrorists stormed in, remembered the indomitable spirit that let them go on and how director Priyadarshan insisted on continuing the work "with full strength" to defy the terrorists.
"They wanted to stop us. And now the film is coming, one year and a day after the incident."
Remember but move on undeterred, the "De Dana Dan" story may epitomise the spirit in which India observed the 26/11 anniversary.
Moist-eyed Bollywood says 26/11 taught unity to Mumbai
New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) Bollywood celebrities say 26/11 was an event that united Mumbai residents and should never be forgotten. Be it Akshay Kumar or Aamir Khan or Priyanka Chopra, they all look back at the terror attacks a year ago with sorrow and remember those who lost their lives.
Akshay Kumar: It's unfortunate that something like this happened. My wife Twinkle was there at the Taj that day. Fortunately, she had left the premise at around 6 p.m. A few positive things that happened after the unfortunate incidents are the unity of people in the city. We all should never forget this and always be united to fight back.
Suniel Shetty: People have now started showing their opinions very loudly and we are now working together for a terror free Mumbai and a terror free India.
Aamir Khan: It was a very tragic event, but the tragedy brought the people of Mumbai together and closer. We also saw the bravery of our police forces and security agencies. It was a sad thing and I hope we learn from it.
R. Madhavan: When it was happening I became very emotional. I saw the entire thing on television. Once it was over, I thought big decisions would be taken and things would change. But it was very sad to see that this year the voter turnout in Mumbai was even less than last time.
Neha Dhupia: I agree completely that somewhere this has made us realise that we all should be human and care about human lives. This was very unfortunate and the government should see to it that we don't go through this again.
Raveena Tandon: It is pointless blaming the government or security forces for lapses in the 26/11 attacks. The question is what have the citizens done to counter such a challenge in future? Have we become the change that we want to see in others?
Celebrities also put forth their opinion on Twitter.
Preity Zinta: To live in one's heart is not to die! Here's remembering all those who lost their lives in the Mumbai attacks. We will not forget.
Priyanka Chopra: 26/11... a day to remember our losses and promise ourselves a better future.
Dino Morea: One year since Mumbai was attacked, I am never cynical, but all the protest marches, voicing anger etc, what's changed? Have no faith in our system, how do we change it, and the people who run it? God bless India.
Sonam Kapoor: Remember this day. Look at it not with grief but with faith, as 'faith is the only light that lights the darkness into dawn' (Rabindranath Tagore). Have faith that our country is strong and the people who lead us will make it stronger, have faith that there is a god and he knows what is best. Learn from past mistakes and know that humanity and goodness always prevail. What does not kill us will make us stronger.
Vishal Dadlani: To the soldiers and policemen who saved us, gave their lives for us, thank you. Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, god bless you, and may he keep you at his right hand.
26/11 talked about as it happened in Taj Hotel: Ahluwalia
New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) On the first anniversary of 26/11 Thursday, Rajya Sabha MP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader S.S. Ahluwalia said the terror attacks were being talked about because they happened at the elite Taj hotel in Mumbai.
"The media is very aggressive about the 26/11 incident. Only one year has lapsed. Such incidents are happening regularly in rural India," said Ahluwalia, who is also the deputy leader of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha.
"You guys are talking about 26/11 only because it happened in the posh Taj Hotel," he told reporters outside parliament.
He said such incidents occur regularly in states like Jammu and Kashmir, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. "They are the worst affected," he said.
India's financial capital Mumbai was under siege for 60 long hours after 10 Pakistani terrorists struck, killing 166 people dead and injuring many more. The terrorists targeted some of the important landmarks, including Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel and the Oberoi Trident as well as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station.
A year after 26/11, their wounds are still fresh
Hyderabad, Nov 26 (IANS) A year after 26/11, the wounds of three families of Andhra Pradesh who lost their loved ones in the terrorist attacks in Mumbai are still fresh.
The family of Vijay Rao Banja is yet to overcome the shock. The executive chef at the Taj Hotel was gunned down by terrorists during the siege.
The 48-year-old chef was one of the hotel staff members killed by the terrorists.
Vijay's family here was informed that he was holed up in the hotel with others but was safe. However, the next day the family received shocking news from one of his colleagues that the terrorists shot him dead.
Saroja Rao at her house in Neredmet here recalled that they were shocked to learn on the night of Nov 26 that terrorists had attacked the Taj Hotel.
Vijay's wife Fareeda could not overcome the shock of his death and died of a heart attack a month later, dealing a double blow to the family.
Fareeda, who was working with blind kids in Mumbai, was suffering silently after her husband's death. The couple is survived by their 18-year-old son.
Death was cruel for Laxminarayan Goel, an advocate from Hyderabad who was killed in the blast in a taxi at Ville Parle. Goel, 55, who had missed his train to Hyderabad, was returning to a relative's house in a taxi.
Goel, who had gone to Mumbai on work, rang up his family from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) station to inform them that he had missed the train and was returning to his sister-in-law's house in Kanjayali.
At Ville Parle, the taxi burst into flames, killing Goel, the taxi driver and another passenger. Goel is survived by his wife and four daughters.
The terrorist attack also claimed a newly-wed woman's life. The wounds are still wide open for Noorjahan Begum, who lost her daughter when the terrorists fired at CST station.
Amina Begum, 22, was killed while her father Abdul Rasheed, 55, was injured in the indiscriminate firing by the terrorists.
The family who are from Nizamabad town, about 170 km from here, was about to board a train to Hyderabad after visiting the famous Haji Ali dargah in Mumbai when terrorists struck.
While Amina, who was married only seven months ago, died on the spot, Rasheed sustained three bullet injuries. He was an auto driver but the bullet injuries left him incapacitated.
"He was the only source of livelihood for the family. Now he can't go out of the house and is completely bed-ridden," said Noorjahan.
She is angry that despite all the assurances by the authorities no help has reached the family.
Mumbai bustles - but pauses - to remember 26/11 victims
Mumbai, Nov 26 (IANS) Sending the strongest possible signal that they would not be deterred by terror, Mumbaikars went to school, college and office as any other day but also paused in their tracks to honour the memory of the 166 people killed in the devastating 60-hour terror strike last year.
Thousands of commuters rushing to their offices halted to pay respects to those who slaughtered in the attacks on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST).
Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel also laid wreaths inside the station to remember the commuters and their colleagues brutally gunned down by terrorists.
And while Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and his cabinet colleagues visited the precincts of the Hotel Trident-Oberoi at Nariman Point to offer homage to the victims killed there, a group of people gathered outside the Leopold Cafe in Colaba - where the first attack was launched on this day last year.
The Force One - the new crack security force of the State government launched here last two days ago (Tuesday) - made its first public appearance by staging a parade from Nariman Point to Chowpatty this morning.
The Mumbai Police will have a separate parade later this morning and display the latest arms and ammunitions it has acquired in the past one year after the attacks.
Later in the day, Chavan will attend a memorial organised by the Indian Merchants Chamber where the corporate world will pay homage to the 26/11 victims.
Last night, the Citizens Initiative for Peace organised a candle-light march to Hotel Taj Mahal Palace & Tower.
This evening, the ravaged Chabad House, a Jewish community centre will be reopened with a commemorative prayer meeting which will be webcast live.
Home Minister P. Chidambaram will inaugurate a memorial to honour the martyrs erected by the Mumbai police Thursday evening and also attend a condolence meeting at the Sahyadri State Guest House.
The state has also organised an all-religious prayer meeting at the Gateway of India in the evening that will be attended by prominent members of society and the masses.
There are many other moments of silence, remembering and mourning slated all over the day, but the morning rush hour showed the resilience of India's financial and entertainment capital, with commuter trains and buses packed and roads as choked with traffic as ever.
Tribute in Sand for26/11 victims
Bhubaneswar, Nov 26 (IANS) On the first anniversary of 26/11, the victims of the terror attack were paid a tribute in sand by artist Sudarshan Pattnaik on Orissa's Puri beach. The acclaimed sand sculptor erected a seven-foot replica of Mumbai's Taj Hotel in memory of the horrific attack.
The huge sand sculpture carries the message 'stop terrorism'.
Pattnaik and students from his Golden Sand Art Institute created the sculpture Wednesday using six tonnes of sand.
"It is my way of condemning the attack when ten armed men sailed in from Pakistan and unleashed a reign of terror. I pay my tribute to all those victims of that attack through this new Taj Hotel," Pattnaik said.
Two-minute silence in Lok Sabha to remember 26/11 victims
New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) The Lok Sabha Thursday observed two minutes' silence to remember those that had died in the 26/11 terror strike in Mumbai.
It has been a year since terrorists sneaked into Mumbai to unleash 60 hours of mayhem that saw 166 people being killed.
Mumbai bustles as usual on 26/11 anniversary
Mumbai, Nov 26 (IANS) Sending the strongest possible signal that they would not be deterred by terror, it was business as usual for Mumbai residents on the first anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks Thursday.
There would be many moments of silence, remembering and mourning later in the day, but the morning rush hour showed the resilience of India's financial and entertainment capital, with commuter trains and buses packed and roads as choked with traffic as ever.
Taking no chances, police have maintained high levels of security all over the city since Wednesday, with armed personnel stopping and checking vehicles, especially at strategic points.
Security was especially tight at places like Chowpatty, Haji Ali, Prabhadevi, Worli, Bandra, Jogeshwari, around the Mumbai airport, the three main exit points connecting the city with the mainland and around the sites of the locations targeted one year ago.
Several public and private functions have been lined up during the day to remember the people who lost their lives in the 60-hour terror mayhem.
Some private and government offices shall observe two-minute silence to remember the victims, especially those who worked there.
Last year on this day, 10 terrorists who sneaked in from the Arabian Sea, targeted Mumbai in which 166 lives were lost. In the 60-hour operation, nine terrorists were killed by security forces.
One terrorist -- Mohammed Ajmal Amir alias Kasab -- was nabbed alive and is currently on trial.
On first anniversary, Delhi commemorates 26/11 victims
New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) On the first anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, a host of commemorative events are planned Thursday in the national capital by a cross section of people.
One year ago, on this day, India's financial capital Mumbai was besieged by a handful of terrorists for 60 hours -- leaving 166 people dead and injuring many more.
Saluting the brave defence officials who gave up their lives to save others and paying tribute to the innocent victims, a number of candle light vigils and discussions are being held in Delhi.
In one such commemorative 'lighting a candle' ceremony, youngsters from as many as 10 countries will gather at the Scope Complex Thursday evening to pay tribute to the victims of the 26/11 attacks and salute the courage of those who fought the terrorists.
The youngsters -- who hail from Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Egypt, New Zealand and others, apart from India -- are a part of the Indian Model United Nations Conference (INMUN), a simulation of the United Nations Assembly.
The United Muslim Morcha, an NGO, has also organised a commemorative function.
Ejaz Ali, president of the group, said: "On this day, we salute the brave officers, Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte and all the others who gave their lives fighting terrorism."
Spiritual guru Swami Ramdev, who has organised a conference on the occasion, said: "26/11 reminds us of terror attacks not only on Mumbai, but also on India as a nation. The threat remains."
"The system needs to change to deal with such terrorist attacks," he added.
A number of NGOs, including TV news channel NDTV India, have also planned candle light vigils to pay homage to the victims of the attack.
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