Blog By Hazel  |  27-11-17

#7 26/11.

26/11 was the darkest terrorist attack in India's recent history.

Terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba carried out a series of 12 attacks across the city, this lasted for 4 days, killing 166 people and injuring over 600. We still get ghoosebumps when we think about.

This is the story of one such hero, Captain Ravi Dharnidharka, a then US marine who took responsibility and saved 157 lives during the attack on the Taj hotel.

#6 Ravi Dharnidharka.

Captain Dharnidharka was in India after more than a decade to meet and spend time with his uncles and cousins.

On the day of the attack, he along with his family were dining at Souk, the Lebanese restaurant on the 20th floor of the Taj Mahal Palace.

#5 Their Plan.

Two of the South African commandos explained the situation to the people, while Captain Dharnidharka along with another commando found a secure hall where civilians could remain safe. They also blocked a fire stairway with tables and chairs to make it difficult for the terrorists to enter the floor.

While moving everyone through the kitchen into the secure hall, they armed themselves with whatever they could – knives, meat cleavers, rods, to fight back if the situation demanded a retaliation.

#4 They waited.

The hall which became full with 157 civilians was darkened, the doors were barricaded with every available heavy object, and people were asked to stay quiet.

They barricaded the fire escape inside the hall and asked the hotel staff to unblock the stairs if they had to make a quick exit.

#3 Explosions.

They heard explosions and after the terrorists had set off RDX in the heritage towers of the Taj, they waited quietly for their moment of escape.

Around 2 a.m., the terrorists set off 10 kilos of RDX below the central dome of the Taj, and set the sixth floor on fire.

The fire had started spreading upwards, which could complicate things further by blocking their exit, cutting their power supply, or even suffocating them. It was time move out.

#2 Carried 84 Year Old Down The Stairs.

The South African commandos made sure the path was clear. Captain Dharnidharka helped people vacate the hall slowly.

It was realised that an 84-year-old lady among them couldn’t climb down 20 flights of stairs.

She insisted on being left there, but Captain Dharnidharka wouldn’t allow that. He took help from one of the waiters and carried her downstairs in his arms.

#1 Out Of Danger.

The staircase was narrow. The group led by the South Africans and Taj security men moved slowly.

They were followed by women and children, who were followed by more security men. The men along with Captain Dharnidharka came out last.

Crossing each landing carried its own risk. Every floor had a fire exit with a glass panel from where one could see the floor’s lobby, meaning every landing had to be crossed really carefully. The group moved downstairs slowly and steadily before they were out of danger.