Nariman House leaves 26/11 scars behind
Dedicated to the memory of the slain Rabbi Gabi and his wife Rivky Holtzberg, Nariman House has now been reinforced with the resilient spirit of worldwide Jewish community and enhanced security features.
The gunshots are still reverberating, the wounds are still fresh and the bullet marks are still there, but it's time for a new start for Mumbai's Jewish community. Six years after the 26/11 tragedy, the Chabad House centre in downtown Colaba, better known as Nariman House, opened on Tuesday.
Dedicated to the memory of the slain Rabbi Gabi and his wife Rivky Holtzberg, Nariman House has now been reinforced with the resilient spirit of worldwide Jewish community and enhanced security features.
The tall security gate and high density steel doors with electronic access control are some of the security features that the Chabad-Lubavitch has incorporated at Nariman House, Colaba in Mumbai.
"At the funeral (of Rabbi Gabi and his wife) we had promised we would rebuild and we have not left Mumbai for single day since then. I pledged by their holy bodies we will rebuild. We never looked for a new location. We rebuild the Nariman House in that building that bears their blood and that of other martyrs in a mark of love and kindness," said Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, vicechairman of the educational arm of the Chabad-Lubavitch.
"Today is a very special day for his family, children, friends and his supporters all around the world," said Rabbi Nachman Holtzberg. "We all have to continue the good work initiated by them. We not only have to continue but grow. We are asking everybody to spread this message, further and further on," said Rabbi Holtzberg.
It was Rabbi Gabi and his wife who had found the Mumbai Chabad in 2003. The six-storeyed Nariman House was purchased in 2006 from the funds raised by the couple to house the Chabad and their private residence. The top two floors would be transformed into a museum while keeping intact the bullet-ridden interiors.
"The museum and memorial to the Mumbai terror attacks will be reflecting the horrors of terrorism and remembering those who fallen as victims of terrorist," said Nick Appelbaum, who is in-charge of the Museum and Memorial design at Nariman House. The fourth floor houses the library, meeting and guest room, while the fifth floor was the residence of Rabbi Gabi and his wife Rivky who were directors of Mumbai Chabad.
The residence of Holtzberg on the fifth floor of Nariman would be recreated while retaining the marks left behind by the terrorists. There also plans to build the first memorial dedicated to the memory of all those who were killed in 26/11 terrorist attacks on the rooftop of Nariman house.
"There would be commemorative prismatic cube on each of the names," said Appelbaum. The 26/11 Mumbai terrorists attacks had resulted in the death of 154 people.