INTRO:
So many emotional tributes marked the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 horror on Sunday. In contrast, how many tears, vows or emotionally charged ceremonies do we see here in India whether on the occasion of 26/11 Mumbai attacks or any other horrific act of terror? The question thus arises “ Is America overdoing its tributes? Or are we, on the other end of the spectrum, apathetic and uncaring of our fallen heroes?
From bells tolling across the nation as early as 8.46 am to the traditional tribute in light marking the site of the twin towers, Americans gathered at the site of the destroyed World Trade Center in New York in thousands as family members and complete strangers observed solemn silence.
Even 15 years later, the long shadow cast by the attacks, where nearly 3,000 people were killed, lives on as television channels, radio and newspapers across the world paid tribute.
Mourners sobbed and laid flowers in the grooves of their loved ones' names, carved into the walls of two reflecting pools in the footprint of the towers overlooked by the Freedom Tower, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.
In contrast, how many tears, vows or emotionally charged ceremonies do we see here in India whether on the occasion of 26/11 Mumbai attacks or any other horrific act of terror?
Other than a few floral tributes to the martyrs who laid down their lives fighting the ten Pakistani terrorists who arrived by sea and opened fire indiscriminately at people at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, the Nariman House in Mumbai, what have we as a society done to memorialise our fallen heroes?
Quotes
I managed to catch a glimpse of the Sunday's service on television and thought it was really moving. Sadly, I can't remember what happened on the occasion of the 26/11 attacks last year.
Hilton Fernandes, Verna
BOX
The Tribute in Light emanating from ground zero in Lower Manhattanwas visible across the five boroughs on Sunday night as hundreds took to the streets of lower Manhattan to get a closer glimpse.With cameras in hand, hundreds stopped in their tracks across the tri-state to take photos of the glowing tribute. Many of them posted their photos to social media. “They’re gorgeous,” one woman said. “They meant everything to us when they came up six months after the towers came down. We never wanted them to go down, so that they’re bringing them back once a year, it’s really special to us.”
As the sun went down on Sunday, visitors began gravitating to the 9/11 Memorial to see the blue light as they reached into the night sky.
The tribute, which started out as temporary back in 2002, is now an annual tradition on September 11 and the days before it. The display is comprised of 88 search lights and represents the Twin Towers before they were felled by hijacked planes, killing 3,000 people.
The lights were set to fade at dawn on the morning of Monday, September 12.
