On Saturday Nov 29 (2008) (yesterday, as I write this), as the officials were ending the "sanitizing" process of going room by room in the Taj, the first funerals were held for the National Security Guard (NSG) officials killed at the beginning of the mess in Mumbai. One of the three officers killed, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, was from Bangalore, and we ended by driving by the location where his funeral was taking place. The pictures below capture some of the post-funeral scene, and the coverage of the press. Of course, there were the big posters, several along the road and then one in front of the crematorium (which is located right next to the nearest shopping center to us). Here was one on the road.
As an NSG officer, he received a military honor guard. His body was carried from the airport to the crematorium on this truck. Military funerals apparently don't allow the body to go home.
The scene outside the crematorium, with one of the big posters outside, and many people out to pay tribute.
The media circus is an essential part of the process too, of course.
I wasn't able to capture the military band, but they were there too. There were soldiers all over the place, though.
While it is nice that this guy gets this treatment, and the other two NSG officers got it too, and their pictures are all over the tv and papers, but I wonder why we haven't heard even the names of the Mumbai policemen that died. I have to say that this is one of the times that the American approach to terrorist violence makes me feel proud -- the names and pictures of everyone, not just the elite few -- were shared with everyone, so that everyone could pay respects to them. I want to light candles for everyone that died, not just the top guys.
As an NSG officer, he received a military honor guard. His body was carried from the airport to the crematorium on this truck. Military funerals apparently don't allow the body to go home.
The scene outside the crematorium, with one of the big posters outside, and many people out to pay tribute.
The media circus is an essential part of the process too, of course.
I wasn't able to capture the military band, but they were there too. There were soldiers all over the place, though.
While it is nice that this guy gets this treatment, and the other two NSG officers got it too, and their pictures are all over the tv and papers, but I wonder why we haven't heard even the names of the Mumbai policemen that died. I have to say that this is one of the times that the American approach to terrorist violence makes me feel proud -- the names and pictures of everyone, not just the elite few -- were shared with everyone, so that everyone could pay respects to them. I want to light candles for everyone that died, not just the top guys.
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