Leopold Cafe – Remembering 2008 Mumbai Attacks – 26/11

Walking into the busy and happening Leopold Cafe in the Colaba district of South Mumbai, you will be struck by the distinct character of the place. The iconic eatery is more than just an eatery. It is a place buzzing with locals, tourists and expats and is filled with equal amounts of tête-à-tête and tantalising aromas of food. You almost forget, when stepping in, that this was one of places hit hard in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Yes, the horrible tragedy of 26/11 was uppermost in my mind as I walked briskly towards Leopold cafe, only to momentarily disappear from my mind as more pressing concerns of finding a table in the jam-packed cafe diverted me. But a helpful waiter asked us to wait, and after only a few minutes, came to escort us to a table.

As luck would have it, he led us to the table right in front of the gun shots! There they were – right behind me – a solemn reminder of this dark day in history.

It was difficult to not think of the ‘luck’ of the person who sat in the same spot on that ill-fated day. My mind conjured up images of friends sitting on that very table, chatting affably and then a sudden round of gun shots, coming in from nowhere, cutting through the thick glass, ending it all.

I couldn’t help shuddering and closed my eyes to wipe those images away from my mind. The waiter was waiting for my order and guessing by the crowd of people inside, didn’t have an extra moment to spare.

As we waited for our order to arrive, I took in the interesting decor as well as the vibes of the place.

The ghosts of the past were not visible anywhere. The place was as lively and chirpy as nothing had ever happened.

Again, can’t help but think about that day. It must have been as lively and chirpy a few moments before the firing took place.

But looking back – literally – reminded me of what did happen, and how the place picked itself from there and continues to go forth, stronger than ever.

Our minds were more pleasantly distracted as our food arrived. We ordered their special Pasta, which was cheesy and yummy….

…and Tandoori Mushrooms, which I absolutely dig. Theirs are one of the best I have ever had….

….and Lemon Soda, which is not on the menu, but you have to have it just for the experience. The waiter brings the lime concoction ready in the glass, then opens the bottle and pours the soda right before you on the table.

Walking back after the comforting meal, it was impossible not to reflect upon it all. Life must go on and who knows it better than this city. Mumbaikars are the most resilient lot. The legendary Leopold Cafe certainly doesn’t want to dwell upon this tragic incident, but they also want to make sure that the future generations know about this. They have left the marks of this horrific incident intact to make sure that such tragedies are avoided in the future. They cannot erase the bitter memories, but they certainly can learn from the past and move forward with a resolve to focus on becoming better than ever and most importantly – “Live in the present”.