Hail house rock at Leo

Show dedicatedu00a0to victims of 26/11 attacks at Leopold Cafe evokes high emotion

Leopold Cafe rocked to the rafters last night as MiD DAY paid a special tribute to the victims of last year's carnage.
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The site of the terror attacks seemed to have gained in strength, spirit and resilience as the packed house and crowds outside the cafe at Colaba Causeway proved.

As the security personnel struggled to contain the people who wanted to gain entry, the evening picked up tempo.

MiD DAY Executive Editor Abhijit Majumder kicked off the event with words that led to quiet introspection.

As his young audience put down their glasses and pushed aside the cutlery to listen, he said, "Why did 26/11 happen at this place, this city, this country?
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It is because Mumbai is one of the rare cities that accepts difference, where people from any place can come and make a living, sit at a pub and unwind.











Mumbai is the pet whipping boy of bigots, people with narrow regional agendas, people who are in the business of insecurity and terror."

The cafe burst into applause as Abhijit ended, "Let us always accept difference. Here's to the memory of those who gave up their lives defending the right to difference."

Melodies

It was now time for some music. Mihir Joshi of The Works band said, before he began playing, "The occasion is so significant.

Last year, I was at this cafe having lunch on 26/11. I keep thinking, what if I had been having dinner?" Soon after, Leopold stood up as the national anthem was played and cries of Jai Hind, Vande Mataram rent the air.

As The Works began playing, actor Vivek Oberoi walked in causing a frenzy.

There were cheers as Vivek said, "Jai Maharashtra, Jai Hind. Last year, as crowds gathered for tributes, there was cynicism as people wondered how long it would last.
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Today, we can see that the turnout is bigger than ever."



The Works fittingly played Michael Jackson's Black Or White, the modern anthem celebrating difference and banishing prejudice.

Then, Prahlive followed. This band dedicated its original songs to the memory of those who died at the cafe.

Meanwhile, the mood of the moment was best captured by cafe owners Farzad and Farhang Jehani, who said, "The anger is still there, the sadness is there, but people have kept coming.
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They have helped us to keep going. Foreign tourists are warned by their parents not to come in here. They still do and call home from here saying: Dad, mom, we are at the Leopold, crying while they talk."

3,000
Number of coffee mugs bearing the message 'Bulletproof Mumbai No bullet can beat us' that have been sold by Leopold Cafe so far for Rs 300 each