Letter from Mumbai: in tragedy, the Headline hunters

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"She bled, she burnt, she was ravaged, humiliated...but withstood it all'. I Mumbai, write to you all -- the citizens, the netas, the affluent, the aam-aadmi -- my trauma has been witnessed, recounted, shred apart, put on trial...its time now for all of you to take a breather. Let me heal, allow the memory of the martyrs a dignified moment of solemnity. Lest we forget: 26/11"....

It all began amidst those 60 hours of horror, as news teams, security agencies, politicians, bystanders, curious onlookers, scrambled to be a part of what was soon to become the darkest hour for this country. It's really no exaggeration. The casualties, the sheer brazenness with which the heart of Mumbai was targeted ought to be the most tragic time our generation has seen.

For 24 hours new television, the images of the Taj dome on fire, the frantic phone calls to newsrooms from VIPs trapped inside the luxury hotel, the shocking and tragic death of 3 senior police officers; was enough to get the media crews into a tizzy. With rumours, misinformation from senior-level officers of the Army, Navy and even the Mumbai police; all that one could rely on, was what they could see. A bruised Mumbai was let down by those seeking to make headlines: misinformed and callous.

Everyone wanted to own this breaking news story. And this one particularly so: the drama, the terror, high-profile human lives at stake at many of the targets, the scale of the attack.

Many may point fingers at the media for reporting the crisis as it unfolded. But we didn't have a choice. In many ways, the Government's response and handling of this tragedy faltered -- with no crisis information authority to communicate accurate details -- the families, kin of those waiting outside hotels willingly spoke out on camera.

It's been a year and we're yet to learn our lessons. Politicians continue to bicker and spar over relief for the families of the victims of 26/11, a year to commemorate what happened during the terror attack seemed to be a mere PR exercise as the Chief Ministers and his motley bunch hopped around making speeches at every memorial service. As the media and the politicians continue to sniff around for headlines, all I can ask for is that you reflect on your actions. Its time we all introspect and stop stirring up controversies for the sake of settling personal scores.

Amidst all the prayers meetings, as I looked back and paused to think about those affected and bruised and their struggle after November 26 changed their lives, these feelings are obvious:

Anger: as wives of valiant police officers, Ashok Kamte, Hemant Karkare, constable Tukaram Ombale search for answers on why the administration never backed its own

Helplessness: for the families of railway policemen and the parents of both Maj Sandeep Unnikrishnan, havaldar Gajendra Singh as they struggle to find closure for their irreplaceable loss

Skepticism: as the father of chef Boris Rego, General Manager Karambir Kang and dozens of those who lost their loved ones at the CST firing are reeling under

PS:. Despite its resilience, resolve to bounce back and toughened spirit; this time Mumbai needs time to heal.