Zaheerkhan
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MUMBAI: In a gesture of defiance to the terrorist's will and in support of the city's never-say-die attitude, the Leopold Cafe,where the first chapter of the terror attack unfolded, reopened on Sunday, only to be shut temporarily due to 'security reasons'.
"We had opened it in the afternoon to show them (terrorists) that we have won and not they. But the crowds had become unmanageable as everyone wanted to come in and have a look," Farzad Jehani, the owner of the cafe just behind the Taj Mahal hotel said, adding that their effort is to get going as soon as possible.
Earlier, raising a toast to the re-opening of his favourite cafe, Salim along with his young son, the first customer to enter the 'Leo', as the cafe is fondly called, said, "Come to Leo with hugs and smiles. Nothing to fear as the show must go on."
Looking around, one could easily see the imprints left behind by the terrorists who with their well-thought out act have re-written the history of terrorism in the country.
Bullet riddled thick glass panes and walls, splinter marks, a broken cash counter and a small crater formed as a result of a grenade, are still visible, a testimony to what really happened at the cafe, a favourite with foreign tourists and youngsters.
Describing what happened on the dreadful evening of November 26, Farhang, his brother said, "I was busy upstairs watching Dhoni play along with my brother when we heard a blast. Initially, I thought it was someone trying to play mischief on the road. As I got up from the seat, I heard bullet shots and we ducked."
Farzad chipped in and said that the entire mayhem lasted only for a minute and a half.
"I think it was a diversionary tactic of the terrorists. Two men came in and hurled a grenade first which fell just near the feet of two foreign tourists sitting near the bar," he said.
"This was followed by random shooting. Another foreign couple who were sitting near the entrance were found in a pool of blood along with few other guests," Farzad added.
While two of the cafe staff died on the spot, a third is battling for his life.
"I heard a blast and thought beer bottles had fallen. Then suddenly shots were fired and glass panes broke. We all ran into the kitchen," said Raju, a cafe boy as he opened a cola can for a customer.
Kept on one table are two bags, neatly packed and tagged which belonged to one of the foreign couple who along with other injured were rushed to the hospital by the staff.
"We have gone through all the belongings looking for any contact details and have called many so that the valuables are returned," Farzad said.
When asked if he would get the bullet riddled glass panes and doors changed, he said, "We would definitely want most the damaged things changed but would also like to keep on display some as a remembrance of what happened."
Supporting him is his 67-strong staff who had reported to work at 11 in the morning other than the kitchen staff who arrived early and participated in a Jewish prayer organised at the cafe.
Dressed in a bright red t-shirt with Leopold written on it, a waiter says, "I was so angry that such a thing happened here. We had to reopen as fast as possible to tell the terrorists that we are not cowards to be bowed down by their bullets."
The cafe's aura was enhanced after it was mentioned extensively in roman-a-clef novel 'Shantaram' authored by a convicted Australian bank robber Gregory David Roberts.
Named after an Australian King Leopold, the cafe was first an oil store which opened in 1871 before it took its present form in 1987.
"It is Mumbai and this is how we are. Like a spring which might be pushed down but will also spring back with great vigour," said Farhang summing up the Mumbai spirit.
Link:Leopold cafe re-opens to mark Mumbai's never-say-die attitude-Mumbai-Cities-The Times of India
C'MON MUMBAI,NEVER SAY DIE.
"We had opened it in the afternoon to show them (terrorists) that we have won and not they. But the crowds had become unmanageable as everyone wanted to come in and have a look," Farzad Jehani, the owner of the cafe just behind the Taj Mahal hotel said, adding that their effort is to get going as soon as possible.
Earlier, raising a toast to the re-opening of his favourite cafe, Salim along with his young son, the first customer to enter the 'Leo', as the cafe is fondly called, said, "Come to Leo with hugs and smiles. Nothing to fear as the show must go on."
Looking around, one could easily see the imprints left behind by the terrorists who with their well-thought out act have re-written the history of terrorism in the country.
Bullet riddled thick glass panes and walls, splinter marks, a broken cash counter and a small crater formed as a result of a grenade, are still visible, a testimony to what really happened at the cafe, a favourite with foreign tourists and youngsters.
Describing what happened on the dreadful evening of November 26, Farhang, his brother said, "I was busy upstairs watching Dhoni play along with my brother when we heard a blast. Initially, I thought it was someone trying to play mischief on the road. As I got up from the seat, I heard bullet shots and we ducked."
Farzad chipped in and said that the entire mayhem lasted only for a minute and a half.
"I think it was a diversionary tactic of the terrorists. Two men came in and hurled a grenade first which fell just near the feet of two foreign tourists sitting near the bar," he said.
"This was followed by random shooting. Another foreign couple who were sitting near the entrance were found in a pool of blood along with few other guests," Farzad added.
While two of the cafe staff died on the spot, a third is battling for his life.
"I heard a blast and thought beer bottles had fallen. Then suddenly shots were fired and glass panes broke. We all ran into the kitchen," said Raju, a cafe boy as he opened a cola can for a customer.
Kept on one table are two bags, neatly packed and tagged which belonged to one of the foreign couple who along with other injured were rushed to the hospital by the staff.
"We have gone through all the belongings looking for any contact details and have called many so that the valuables are returned," Farzad said.
When asked if he would get the bullet riddled glass panes and doors changed, he said, "We would definitely want most the damaged things changed but would also like to keep on display some as a remembrance of what happened."
Supporting him is his 67-strong staff who had reported to work at 11 in the morning other than the kitchen staff who arrived early and participated in a Jewish prayer organised at the cafe.
Dressed in a bright red t-shirt with Leopold written on it, a waiter says, "I was so angry that such a thing happened here. We had to reopen as fast as possible to tell the terrorists that we are not cowards to be bowed down by their bullets."
The cafe's aura was enhanced after it was mentioned extensively in roman-a-clef novel 'Shantaram' authored by a convicted Australian bank robber Gregory David Roberts.
Named after an Australian King Leopold, the cafe was first an oil store which opened in 1871 before it took its present form in 1987.
"It is Mumbai and this is how we are. Like a spring which might be pushed down but will also spring back with great vigour," said Farhang summing up the Mumbai spirit.
Link:Leopold cafe re-opens to mark Mumbai's never-say-die attitude-Mumbai-Cities-The Times of India
C'MON MUMBAI,NEVER SAY DIE.
Good stuff! Life goes on as it should.
