26/11: Anger gone, as Mumbai moves forward

Mumbai: Starched uniforms, an array of new weapons, in fact a brand new elite force marching down a three-kilometer stretch early on Mumbai on 26/11, a year later.

A spectacular police parade. Only, not many people were interested.

But elsewhere in Mumbai, little children lit candles and carried placards at the Gateway of India, at the Trident Hotel, setting the tone for a day when small acts of personal remembrance took precedence over official activity.

There was dignity in personal loss, when Kalpana Pawar, the widow of constable Ambadas Pawar, who fell to terrorists' bullets, said: "Hope to fulfill my late husband's dreams someday."

The anger and the crowds of a year ago were missing. Instead, the people of the city found their own, smaller way of taking note, gathering at the sites of the 26/11 attacks light candles at  the Trident Hotel, donate blood at Victoria Terminus now Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, or just stop by for a snack at Cafe Leopold's.

Some remembrances were private: A prayer meeting at Nariman House led by Rabbis from the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.

And inside the Taj, Ratan Tata led prayers for his staff in memory of their loss. And the courage shown.

The politicians, the target of much of the anger a year ago, made sure they were not caught wanting. Chief Minister Ashok Chavan led the morning parade, lit candles at the Trident, dropped by at CST and was joined by the state Home Minister RR Patil at the police gymkhana. At the end of the day, Chavan also observed a two-minute silence along with scores of other people at the NDTV Hands Together for India gathering.

The day belonged to the people. Especially, to the young. The voices of children rang clear as they sang "Hum honge kaamyaab..." a clarion call that Mumbai shall never wilt.