My tryst with terror in Christmas season... twice in 25 years

CHRISTMAS SEASON MUSINGS
Peace was shattered, not once, twice during Christmas season in Mumbai 
By George Mathew

 Circa 1992. Winter had set in. It was that period of time when the angels in Bethlehem proclaimed: “Peace on earth.” But it was not to be in India’s commercial capital -- Mumbai. There was an uneasy calm in the Maximum City, but sadly minimum good governance. It was a lull before the storm. I learnt it the hard way -- that the world was not at peace, because human hearts were not at peace.

 I was then comparatively new to Mumbai, a hodge-podge of ideas, people, caste and creed. When December approached, it appeared as calm, cool and quiet as previous years' Christmas days were. But this time it turned out to be deceptive. Just days before the Christmas day, riots broke out in the metropolis. People were at war.  Communities were at war at a time when people were ushering in the birthday of the Prince of Peace – Jesus Christ. For Mumbai and its people, the season which was supposed to be tranquil and serene changed overnight.

 On December 6, 1992, Babri Masjid (mosque) – considered as the birthplace of Lord Rama -- in UP state was demolished by a big crowd of Hindus. It soon triggered the riots in Mumbai. Hindus and Muslims attacked each other.  Blood started flowing on the streets of Mumbai. When the enemies of peace galvanised into action, it was chaos all over the city.

 During the Christmas week, I was caught in the middle of the madness when the world was about to usher in Christmas. My job demanded long working hours and late nights. One day, when the riots were at the peak and curfew was in force in several areas, I was travelling back home in the night after the duty. I was caught in the middle of a clash between two communities. I managed to escape from the scene, but was holed up in an abandoned building near the railway station for the entire night. I could see people running helter-skelter with armed rioters chasing them. I was jittery but managed to regain my composure. There was no way I could have reached home safely and prepare for the Christmas as people were involved in pitched battle on the roads. I spent almost 6 hours in the dilapidated building and ventured out only in the morning when curfew was relaxed.

  I was forced to move into a South Mumbai hotel for the next one week as travelling was quite risky during the night and curfew was in force. The mayhem on Mumbai streets continued till the new year – January 1993 – with around 900 people losing their lives in the riots.

  Come 2008, history repeated itself. Yes, November 26, to be precise. Christmas was just four weeks away. This time it was terrorists from across the border. They came armed to the teeth and targeted 11 locations in the city, including the Oberoi hotel. When they barged into the hotel throwing grenades and shooting indiscriminately, I was just 25 metres away across the road. I ran for my life to the nearby Express Tower building where I work. It’s bang opposite Oberoi. Bullets whizzed past around me. I couldn't move out of the building and police asked us to stay inside for the night. I could see explosions and hear gun shots throughout the night. It was a sleepless night and I could leave Express Tower only the next day morning. Terrorists killed several innocent people in the hotel.  

  The thought that they could have entered Express Tower instead of Oberoi still unnerves and intimidates me.

  Although the stand-off ended in two days, I was shaken and couldn't sleep for several days. More so, because anything could have happened on that fateful evening as I used to visit Oberoi frequently for meetings and seminars. Over 160 people were dead in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. When the Christmas day – December 25 -- came in 2008, images of blazing guns of the terrorists were still fresh in my mind. They refuse to go even now.

 If the first incident in 1992 brought the fear of God in me, the second incident in 2008 cemented that relationship with God. After these two incidents, when the Christmas season approaches, I always think about the love of God and how He protected me in difficult and dangerous times. I also realised that our daily warfare is not against sins and sinful nature alone, but also against the terrorists and religious bigots who make peace impossible.

  Someone inside me also reminded that it's not “first the feast, and then the hangover” in the last eight Christmas seasons. The enemies of peace won’t just lie down of their own accord. The world is passing through difficult times. The messengers of devil can spring a surprise anywhere at any time. The prince of darkness will try his best to trap people. So watch out. 

 We may have to pass through the wringer again and again. The only way to defeat the armies of devil is to have close relationship with God. Trust in Him. Leave everything to Him. Let Him guide us through this turbulent period. He’s our protector, saviour, healer, redeemer and teacher.  

 There's no doubt peace is a fruit of victory. When we look at the biblical notion of peace, it may not be quite the peace that some have in mind. It may not be politeness or political correctness. It is not just the absence of riots or peaceful co-existence. As Catholic scholar Dr Marcellino D'Ambrosio said, it’s rather the right relationship between people and God.

  Believing and following God’s word can go a long way towards driving out the darkness and bringing peace and light in our lives. Let's do it right in this Christmas season. That’s the spirit of Christmas. It also means taking the message of Christmas that our Lord Jesus Christ is alive even today. He came into this world to save us and He will come again. Be holy to welcome Him.