Live from Mumbai

By Karthik NJ

26, November 2008, Mumbai.
All is well in Mumbai until the 26th day of November in 2008. The city of dreams is reeling under a terrorist attack. Several lives including those of Aamir, Naseema, Rajesh, Victor and Sneha are caught in the maelstrom. Live from Mumbai is an account of the 3 days and 3 nights which changed the lives of hundreds of people.
Will Rajesh and Nirmala get back together?
What will happen to Akbar, Vishal, Priya and several others trapped in the Taj?
What happens to Victor and Sneha at the Leopold Café?
What happens at the Oberoi and at CST?
Love or Terror, which of the two wins?
And the biggest question of them all, will the nation get back on its feet?
Coming Live from Mumbai, an exclusive about how the common people of Mumbai survived the chaos unleashed by Ajmal Kasab and Co.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Notion Press
• Release date: Jun 15, 2012
• ISBN: 9788192349978

Karthik NJ

Karthik, a passionate writer and cricket fanatic, was born and raised in Chennai, India. He completed most of his education in singara Chennai and later moved to the U.S to do his Masters. LIVE from Mumbai is his first venture at a full length novel. Karthik has always been a prolific writer and an active blogger. He enjoys his cricket and plays the game very seriously. Knows Chennai city roads like the back of his hand. Currently works as a quality engineer and also takes time to work on his future stories.

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Live from Mumbai

By Karthik NJ

Copyright 2012 Karthik NJ

Published by Notion Press at Smashwords

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Chapter 1: 26 November 2008

It all started one fine day. A perfect day, thought Mr. Aamir Ashraf, as he opened his windows to usher in the sunlight at around 7am on a rather cool November morning.

"Chai is on the table, said Mrs. Naseema Ashraf, 41, as she gave her husband a peck on his cheek. Aamir took her in his arms and said Happy Anniversary, darling" and gave her a gentle kiss. Married for 18 years, Mrs. and Mr. Ashraf were very happy and proud about their relationship. Though they did not have children, they were very happy and loved each other. 

Aamir and Naseema were neighbors to start with. They were born to parents who were born and brought up in the suburbs of Andheri in Mumbai. They went to the same school and also to the same college. Everyone in Andheri believed them to be in love with each other, while in reality, nothing of that sort took place between them. Fearing that they would elope, their parents decided to get them married as soon as they finished college. However, neither of them regretted marrying each other.

Their only worry for nearly 6 years after getting married was that they did not have a child. Finally, after consulting various specialist doctors all over the country, the Ashrafs decided that they were not to be blessed with a child.

No excuses. I want you here at home by 6 pm sharp and I expect to be taken out for dinner tonight, said Naseema, as she folded up the bed sheets in their room.

Okay, madam. Sure, I will be home before 6 pm.

Aamir, 42, was employed as a chemical engineer in a reputed pharmaceutical company. Recently promoted as a lead for a major project, he had been given the additional responsibility of doing the documentation work for this project, which often made him work extremely long hours at his office. There were even times when he failed to turn up home during the night and would stay back at office and return home the next day, only to find a cold dinner on the table.

Naseema worked with an NGO, which helps to rescue orphans and provide them with food and shelter. Initially, Naseema had thoughts of adopting a child from the NGO, but had to give up any such idea as long as her ultra-orthodox mother-in-law was alive. Aamir had once even consented to bring a child home, but his mother wouldn’t hear a word of it. Mrs. Haseena Begum, aged 72, was a mother of 3 children, of whom Aamir was the youngest and the only son. Aamir’s sisters, were both married and settled in Dubai, where their husbands worked. So, ultimately, the responsibility of taking care of an ultra-orthodox old woman fell upon Aamir’s shoulders. Aamir’s father Mohammed Ashraf was killed during the Mumbai riots of 1992. Since then, Aamir made sure, he did everything that could please his mother, so that she would not miss his father.

You cheat; you’ve never come home in time for going out on our anniversary. Half the time, sorry, 99 percent of the time, you have escaped taking me out for dinner.

Hey, I have taken you out for dinner… trailed Aamir.

"Sweetheart, that was on our first anniversary. Agar aaj tum ghar nahi aaoge, to tumhe maar daloongi main." said Naseema with a wink

Ok ok, chill. Now be a good wife and make me my lunch. I’ll shower and get back in a few minutes.

Rajesh Saravanan, 34, was reading the morning papers while on board his flight from Chennai to Mumbai. He was particularly interested in the sports column. India had thrashed England 4-0 in the 7 match one day series and the next match was due to be played that evening at Cuttack. The Indian team was very strong in its batting line up. With star players like Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh in top form, it would be a treat for any cricket fan to watch these star batsmen maul a bowling line up. 

Sitting next to him was his son, Girish, 9. Girish was very excited about this trip to Mumbai, since he was going to meet his mother. Mrs. and Mr. Saravanan divorced on mutual consent 2 years ago and the court had allowed Rajesh to take possession of the child. Girish was already turning out to be more than a handful for lads even older than him. He was able to bowl at a pace that belies his age and even get wickets of boys who were at least 6 years older than him.

Appa, is Yuvraj Singh playing today?

Yes dear. He is playing today. Now did you finish that juice?

Yes.

Rajesh was the owner of a popular chain of stationery stores in Chennai. He loved his son very much that he didn’t bother how much it cost or what it took to influence people to get his son to play for the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association. As a boy, Rajesh, himself had aspired to play for his state and then for his country, but could manage neither as his father‘s untimely demise forced him to start looking after the business.

Victor Mark Nicholas, 22, was getting ready for his semester exam that day. He checked whether he had taken all his stuff.

Bits, pen, pencil, eraser, and ruler… ok all set Victor, ready to go mumbled the young man as he put everything in his bag. Oh Lord, forgive me, for I am about to sin, Said Victor, as he mumbled a silent prayer to a small photograph of Jesus Christ, which he always kept on his table. Victor was a mechanical engineering student at Mumbai’s K.J. Somaiya College of Engineering. He was an ace at studies; the bits he kept with him were to help others. Just as he stepped out of his room, his mobile rang. Hey, can you pick me up on the way? My bikes’ stalled. said his best friend, Arvind.

Arvind and Victor had been classmates since the day they met in kindergarten. They grew up together, played together, and even studied together. However, there was only one difference between the two of them. Victor always topped the class, while Arvind only managed to pass, that too only due to Victor’s efforts.

Sure, where are you?

Just near Vaishali’s place. I was to pick her up and my bloody bike stalled. She’s taken a taxi now.

Fine, 10 minutes, I’ll be there, said Victor as he started his brand new Swift, which he had got as a well deserved gift for topping his class over the last 3 years. 

Her man was still asleep. Nude as she was, she walked over to the bathroom, locked the door and spent a few minutes thinking as to where they could go out today. After nearly fifteen minutes, she came out and picked up her dress, which was lying on the floor near the bed. Her single piece dress, covered her body so well that it exposed where her body needed to be exposed and covered, where it had to be covered. Just then Kevin woke up.

Are you going somewhere? he asked, still half asleep but conscious of the fact that his girl was out of the bed. Kevin