India in Mourning: My Week in Mumbai and Goa
Mumbai, India--My wife Deborah and I arrived in Mumbai at 10pm on Wednesday, November 26th. We were spending the night in Mumbai on our way to Goa early the next morning, where I was being honored and Deborah was giving a Master Class at the International Film Festival of India. There was the usual crowded confusion at the airport and we were unaware of anything out of the ordinary. A man was holding a sign with a list of names, including Deborah's. He drove us to the hotel listed on our itinerary where the desk clerk told us that our reservation had been canceled. After the 20-hour trip from LA, this did not make us happy and we called our Indian contact who said he was at the airport waiting for us, to stay put and that he would come and get us. He moved us to the Leela Kempinski Hotel, closer to the airport.
Our car was greeted at the hotel gates by armed guards, flashlights, and what struck us as rather intense security for a luxury hotel. As we stood at the front desk, with an influx of airline flight attendants, an Indian hotel guest turned to me and said, "Somebody is shooting up the Taj." When we arrived in our room, we turned on the television where the horrifying events around the city were "live" on all channels. The reality of the just next-door ongoing terrorist attack was profound. The hysteria on the news made our hotel seem quiet and surreal. Uneasy and starving, we went down to the hotel's 24-hour restaurant. It was well after midnight. When our food arrived, our smiling waiter asked in the most neutral way, "How long will you be in Bombay?" We said we were leaving early in the morning. He said, "That's very good, you shouldn't be here." After the bloodshed and chaos on TV, this was not at all reassuring. The next morning we got on one of the last flights out before they shut down Mumbai International for the day. As we were in flight, the terrible events in Bombay were still unfolding.
In Goa, the mood at the International Film Festival of India was somber and most of the gala events canceled. However, the Festival, with its international offering of films, soldiered on to great success. Goa was quiet, although the Anjuna flea market was filled with Russian and European tourists. Despite the heat, humidity and gunfire, our Indian hosts treated us royally at the India Film Festival. The local government insisted we have bodyguards our entire stay in Goa. We had two alternating bodyguards, a quiet Goan plainclothes cop named Johnson, and a sari clad village woman who proudly showed me her Colt 45 that she kept in her handbag. With two members of the international jury (and our security), and we took the rusted flat-bottomed car ferry across the Mandovi River to Divar Island to visit an old Portuguese church. We were surprised to find that a big service was in progress in the middle of the day. Goans dressed in white massed around the church entrance and every pew was filled. A flower-laden hearse arrived and within moments, we heard the sounds of a small brass band leading mourners into the church. This was the funeral for the first casualty of the Mumbai attacks, the young chef of the Taj Hotel, murdered in the hotel kitchen. All of India is in mourning.
Deborah and I have returned to Mumbai to speak at a film school and visit Film City, the largest Bollywood Studio. We considered not returning, bombs were found and defused at the Chhatrapati Shivaji railway station yesterday afternoon, but we are certain we made the correct decision. Otherwise, the terrorists win.
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For those on this website finding Pakistan's hand behind every terorist attack please get this:
"Did you know that over the past 14 years 54,969 Indians have been killed by Indian militants? Incredible. That translates into roughly 4,000 Indians getting killed per year by India's own militant entities. Did you know that of the 608 districts in India at least 231 districts are "currently afflicted, at differing intensities, by various insurgent and terrorist movements?" Incredible. And, that translates into roughly 40 per cent of the entire country being afflicted with some kind of militancy.
Did you know that RDX that killed 68 Samjhauta Express passengers was stolen from the Indian army by Indian army's Lt-Col Shrikant Purohit."
Read more here:
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=151003
Can you show us a source page that is not based in Pakistan please? I do not trust them at all. Who are the Indian militants and how are they related in anyway to the problem seen currently. I can show you something else, when an attack happens in Pakistan, they do not blame India. Recently, the ex-head of ISI has given an interview, where he claimed that the 9/11 in US was an internal one. This is the kind of country they run, Pakistan is a terrorist state. Get over it.
More of the Pakistani propaganda!?! General Gul was on GPS (on CNN at 1 p.m. eastern) claiming that 9/11 was an "inside" job and the US had produced no evidence that Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden were behind it. He also went on to claim that the 11/26 attack in Mumbai was also an "inside" job. Pakistan continues to deny it is harboring terrorists and that the ISI has had a hand in training and arming them. One technique is to change the subject and point fingers at India. Enough already!
I don't care if pakistani's aren't behind every attack. If they are behind even ONE attack there should be full retaliation from India. We cannot let them control us with fear and terrorism. The day is coming when pakistan will be flattened and broken up.
The Pakistanis who are behind this attack have no idea what's in store for them. India will avenge this crime.
babsfromKansas, I hope that your daughter is safe in Goa .Goa is a beautiful state with a portuguese culture .I thank Mr Landis & his wife for being so courageous to contd travel ...just like we did not quit & run back to India when 9/11 happened ...we can never let the terrorist win ...may God keep our loved ones safe
Thank you, riafern. I spoke with her yesterday. She is well, and a bit homesick. She was in NYC during 911 and said she feels much the same way - frightened and confused - rumors flying - she finds herself trying to communicate a global perspective in a language not her own.
She asked me to please send her some sage as she is tired of curry!
Well done. Come home safe.
The funeral in Goa was of the kitchen mgmt trainee I think Jordan Fernandes who refused to light the table cloth on fire & was shot in head ,he was only 22 & a son of a known chef from Goa ...he was set to leave for his big break in UK a week after the 26th ...He was an Indian christian ....no minorities are not treated badly generally in India ....I have read too many comments where people have tried to tie the few cases of christians being treated badly to minority illtreatment in India ..it is not true ..Goa is a predominantly christian state ...with portuguese culture ....people who hate ...hate with a very small excuse .....they have to learn to live & let live ...
"Goa is a predominantly christian state"
Not true.
Hinduism (65.8%), Christianity (26.7%) and Islam (6.8%) are the three main religions in Goa
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goa
al four of my siblings work for the service & airline industry in Mumbai for US & Brit companies ...they went back to work the next day ...they had their reasons to go back ....never let the terrorist win ..
Leopold cafe is open ...Trident set to open on 21st I think ...I love Mumbai ... I was one block away from Air India bldg in 1993 when the serial blast happened ...seen the damage same eve ...all location downtown ...we tried to help in our own way ....my sis is organising a blood drive at work & collecting basic stuff for fly of victims in hospitals ...that is the beauty of Mumbai ....My dad is in medical field .I am sure he will be busy with this for a long period ...we are Indian christians ...pls trust me the Indians have been very patient with its neighbours for long ....and as a wife of a moderate muslim I am sure there are a lot of muslims who love India & esp Mumbai ...the crazies we cannot please anywhere ...
Mumbai will be a global city ...no terrorist can stop us from loving Mumbai it is a dear dear place just like NY ...
Namaste.
the reak kashmiris live in kerela & goa ...along the coast selling there crafts ...to tourists ...they have tales to tell of how the brothers from across the border threw them out ....and the hindu kashmiris ...this is a hoax that the kashmiris have a prob with India ...before all this started Kashmir was a beautiful state to visit (my entire fly has travelled several times ) I am not a hindu or have any interest in hating any particular grp in fact my hubby is a moderate muslim ...this is a fake created story to get pity from the intl community & muslims around the world ...Kashmir will be part of India .b'coz those millions of muslims who decided to stay in India after the partition want to contd to live in India ...what happend of them if the muslims majority state is given away ..do they have to leave as they are a minority in India ???ask any moderate muslims .they are happy to be in India with all the opportunities ....what is pakistan's economy compared to India ...that is why Mumbai is a target just like NY ...the economy ......
any piece of land is never going to solve the prob terrorist have with anyone ...it is a cause that gets them new recruits & cash ...this will go on ..all I can hope as an Indian is that the moderate muslims will get frustrated & stand up for their religion ...like on wed the muslims in Mumbai were at a rally outside the Taj in large nos ....that is a good sign ....Kashmir is a stupid cause ....the state was doing so well ...before these terrorist came from across the border ...we use to envy Kasmir & its tourism economy ...as Indians we were not allowed to buy land in Kashmir ...lots was done to make it a good tourist desitination ...they destroyed the livelihood so the place is a mess now ....same with Mumbai it is the economy in my great city they are after ...but Mumbai is an exceptional place which is home to a mix of people ....it will take more than these attacks to hurt us ....the money & taxes generated will go to protect Mumbai & the country ...they have awakened a sleeping giant ...
First off all Kashmir is a minor problem, and giving Kashmir to Paks,will not stop terrorism in Middle east, Europe or India. All moslems are not terrorists, Muslim 130 million of them live all over India in harmony with others. Hindu temples, mosques and Churches line streets of Kerala and Madras and Bengal. So stop talking about rape of Muslims in Kashmir. Thousands of Hindus have been displaced from Kahmir by terrorists MUSLIMS>
Pakistan has to take strong and courageous actions against criminals living in their country, threatening their own leaders and foreigners who come there to help them. We know their govt. has been unstable and weak since its creation.Their military is de facto in power., and they should be carefully watched before supplying them with more arms and planes. No one is going to attack Pakistan, for territory. China is their friend, India wants to be. Afghaniastan and Iran are not going to attack them. Muslim brothers. So why do they need more planes and guns, other than to threaten India who has always extended a helpful hand?
There is only one sure way of ending the Pakistan sponsored terrorism against India and that lies in giving the Kashmiris right of self determination as promised by India long ago and as required by Security Council resolutions.
Indian security forces are killing and raping Kashmiris on a daily basis but since foreign journalist are banned from entering Kashmir, the truth doesn't come out. Read William Dalryple's writings on kashmir if you want to understadn teh truth behind this terrorism and its causes.
An amazing story. What are the odds of arriving in Mumbai at the time that you did?
John and Deborah I had the fortunate opportunity to work with you both on "Into the Night". It was
my first job and such a great experience to work with such incredibly smart, talented people. The one thing I will never forget about that production job was your kindness. After reading about your uneasy
experience I admire your decision to return to Mumbai and not letting the terrorists win. We cannot let
the terrorists keep us living in fear, no matter where we are in this world. Have a safe trip home.
You are a brave man, Mr. Landis. I wouldn't expect anything else from the director of "Animal House", "The Blues Brothers", "Trading Places", "Spies Like Us" and "Blues Brothers 2000" (yes, I liked that one).
Thank you, Mr. Landis, for the report, and for your work in general. Please be safe (and the same goes for your loved ones).
As I commented yesterday, I was on the phone with a tech rep from Mumbai getting a piece of software upgraded and registered. He compared Mumbai's experience to 911. And you Bush haters are not going to like this but he was very quick to point out that the U.S. has not experienced an attack on our shores since 911 while India has experienced numerous attacks.
I felt for the guy. He seemed very educated and informed. You could hear the sense of longing for a stable and secure life in his voice. He asked so many questions about the U.S. He expressed great frustration at the news that the Indian government had received intel from the US that described just such an attack. He said we would likely be brothers in arms in the future effort to deter Islamofascism. He was just one man expressing frustration and anger but it really got to me.
Your hatred of Bush and the administration may be deep and wide ranging but they have made an effort to thwart terror whether you agree with the methods or not. So much venom has been launched at Bush because the Indian government did not take action on the intel. That is simplistic and shows an unwillingness to think through the situation.
Did you even read about how many peopler were recruited by our actions involving the use of torture?
Just in case they haven't read about it, here is this from someone who saw detainees tortured & was too disturbed by it to remain silent:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/28/AR2008112802242_pf.html http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/109792/former_u.s._interrogator:_torture_policy_has_led_to_more_deaths_than_9_11_attacks/
Of course many Indians will feel that way. I'm an Indian also but I choose to think rationally. We need to pursue peaceful resolution by co-operating with friendly Muslims. Just as we Americans and Indians love our fellow countrymen, so do the people of the Middle East. Killing some terrorists will create many more. That is what Bush's policies have done. Enough. We need to stop making martyrs of young men and women, whatever their nationality or religion may be.
We may not have had a terrorist attack on our soil since 9-11, granted. If so, that is the ONLY thing this miserable, unintelligent man has done right. He ignored the intelligence that warned about 9-11, and you cannot deny that.
HOWEVER, he has planted the seeds to grow terrorism exponentially because of the invasion of Iraq, and that is what we will have to root out and contain in the future. It will not be easy.
May I suggest that your desire to reframe every debate as people "hating Bush" is not helpful?
Perhaps you should take a step back and recognize that many people have many legitimate reasons to be dissatisfied with the work President Bush and his team have done, and that casting those people as "Bush haters" (and suggesting they are somehow supportive of terrorism or don't want to protect their own children from it), instead of trying to understand their position and see where they're coming from, is doing yourself and them a disservice.
wow that is amazing I am glad you guys are ok and that you went back. I think your decision to return is admirable.
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