After the November 26th attack in Mumbai there was a stream of angst from the public.... who the hell is protecting us??? how can terrorists armed to the teeth sail across the border and hold the city hostage???? where were the powers that be who were supposed to protect us???? Anger poured out into the streets of Mumbai and evryone discovered their voice....

The anger remains but the voice doesnt... as with everything else in Mumbai the chaos has overtaken the fears... people just got swept away once in the business of making a life...

The toughness of life of a mumbaikar becomes manifest day in and day out to me.... starting with the morning newspaper walla who doesnt come to your house on time... to the lady who cleans your house.... to your cook... your life is a well oiled machinery completely dependant on the professionalism of individuals who probably dont know the meaning of that english word.... what works in Mumbai is the "zabaan"... the words carry more strenghth in this city than the written code... throwing lawyers like me redundant.... I trust my maids to come to my house on time... I trust my maids not to steal from me... I trust my maids not let people into my house... I trust their zabaan.... as much as they trust my zabaan that I will pay them a certain amount of money every month.... in some strange way Mumbai is running on the strenth of the "zabaan".....

You come out to the streets of mumbai and you see life operating in an "organised chaos" basis... there is some rhythm to the chaos.... horns blaring, cars stalling, kids crossing, buses plying, street vendors selling magazines... everybody wants a place in the streets of mumbai... to get on with the business of making a life... and I keep wondering to myself... what prevents another attack on Mumbai?

I mean who is to stop a mad man from running across the street strapped with bombs and blowing himself up... who is to prevent another sea borne attack? everyday you come upon wide gaps in the city's machinery which could have converted into a full fledged attack...and as I drive away I keep hoping that no crazy person with the intent to kill has noticed the gaping hole in the thin fabric of mumbai life....

and I wonder what keeps the city going.. and I can only express it one word ... everything in this city runs on "Ram Barose"... in the faith that God will look after one and all... if you die, then God just wanted you to die that way... if you lived, God just wanted you to live for something....

I wonder whether there is any other city in the word where 20 million people live on sheer faith.... as they say God Knows... or should I say Ram Knows....