MUMBAI: In the chaotic aftermath
of the terror strikes many ordinary Mumbaikars came
out on the streets to offer whatever help they could.
One such
group of young Sikhs worked
relentlessly in the last few days to offer food and
water to security forces at Taj and Oberoi hotels.
About 20 to 25 Sikh men, volunteering for the
Gurudwara Shri Dashmesh Darbar in Sion, saw the
chilling visuals of the carnage on television and
decided to help. Aided by 50 to 60 Sikh women, they
set up a temporary langar at several gurudwaras in the
suburbs and cooked
food
day and night. "Once, Shri
Guru Nanak Sahab had little money left with him, but
he used it to serve food to the needy. We all draw
inspiration from that incident. A Sikh's first duty is
to serve the needy,'' said Ajit Singh, a volunteer who
was serving food outside the Taj.
On Thursday and Friday, the volunteers supplied 500
packets of food and water to forces at Oberoi and Taj,
for breakfast. For lunch and dinner, they provided
1000 packets of puri bhaji.
This is not the first instance these men have helped
in a major crisis. After the serial blasts in Mumbai's
local trains in 2006, the men helped police to pack
dead bodies in plastic bags, and immediately
thereafter washed themselves and cooked food for the
injured at the spot. "That was a completely different
experience, one that changed our lives for ever," said
another volunteer.
At the Taj and Oberoi, the youth coordinated with the
police to make sure everyone received the food. The
gesture was appreciated by the tired security
personnel, who were glad to see that the common man
cared for them. "This shows people care for what we
are doing here," said an army jawan stationed at the
Taj.
