The white shirts yesterday went unnoticed by the majority of students. But to those who felt the recent Mumbai terrorist attacks closer to their hearts, even the small symbol of solidarity hit home.
A mixture of sorrow, frustration, fear and uncertainty continues to hover over the daily lives of Brown's Indian community, many of whom were affected by the Thanksgiving weekend attacks. The three-day siege left roughly 180 dead and more than 300 wounded in India's financial capital.
Several Brown and RISD students from Mumbai live in neighborhoods surrounding the landmarks targeted in the attacks.
As the country's political arena became turbulent, students like Vasundhara Prasad '12 joined others around the country yesterday in wearing white shirts to show support for Mumbai.
"I saw pictures of Cafe Leopold where I've been a million times. I recognized the decorations," the Mumbai native said as she refreshed an Indian news site on her computer. "They were splattered with blood."
Karthikeyan Harith '11 said he followed news streams for 72 straight hours following the attacks. Although India has been the target of various terrorist attacks in recent years, "This one is different," Harith said. While previous attacks have targeted working class Indians, this attack was primarily directed toward the upper middle class, he said.
"It left me totally numb," he said. "It really hit home."
RISD sophomore Pranali Mehta said she had never before known anyone involved in a terrorist attack. "I feel helpless not being in Bombay," she said.
Mehta's aunt and uncle were eating dinner in the dining room of the Taj Mahal Hotel when the attacks started. After hearing the blasts, the waiters used tables and chairs to barricade the doors, and Mehta's relatives hid in a small passage for two days.
In another room, attackers lined up male hostages, forced them to the 25th floor and shot them one by one. Shot in the arm, Mehta's classmate's father fell to the ground and feigned death for two days before finally escaping.
Neha Zope '09, also from Mumbai, said her family and friends stayed in their homes for four days during the siege. "Everyone is still in the process of recovering," she said.
The attacks underlined a drive for political change, especially with the upcoming national elections. According to Harith, the political system in India has long suffered from religious tension, corruption and "petty issues."
"It is definitely a wake-up call," Harith said.
College Hill itself remains relatively quiet in the aftermath of the attacks. All 12 Brown students currently studying abroad in New Delhi are "well and accounted for," according to Ned Quigley, associate director of the Office of International Programs. Quigley said no Brown students are studying in Mumbai.
Deeksha Gupta '10 is planning a candlelight vigil, like the many held across India, in memory of the roughly 180 victims. She hopes to hold it on the steps of Faunce House at 10 p.m. today.
"There is a collective sense of mourning in India right now," she said. "It is difficult to feel that here."
"People always say Bombay has a kind of energy, a spirit to bounce back," Zope said. "But no one knows what will happen this time."
