Hare Krishna Temple leader Watchs Attacks in India, from Maryland

Sarva gattah · November 29, 2008

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INDIA'S 9/11

<NYT_HEADLINE version="1.0" type=>A Day of Reckoning as India Toll Tops 190 </NYT_HEADLINE>

Fire in a window of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, India, November 27, 2008. The hotel was one of several places attacked on November 26th. The attacks have left at least 190 dead. (CNN)

Many people in the Baltimore area have ties to India, and they’re keeping a close eye on news from that country where terrorists attacked the city of Mumbai this week.

The leader of a local Hare Krishna temple says he’s been trying to stay in contact with loved ones, but it hasn’t been easy. Communication out of India has been difficult ever since the attacks happened. Dr. Jagadish Patel grew up in India, but he's lived in the Baltimore area since the late 1960's. He has watched with horror this week -- as gunmen stormed into India's largest city. ‘This is fanaticism; if a person is religious he wouldn't do it,’ he said.

The Indian government has not officially determined who the attackers are; Dr. Patel believes they're Muslim extremists from Pakistan. His wife is in India -- and she was in Mumbai on the day of the attack. ‘She was in actually that area, right there,’ he said.

But her flight to another part of the country departed a few hours before the chaos began. ‘She just left, luckily, that same day. Her flight was like 6:30 or so and this thing happened at like midnight.’

As he waits to hear from more friends and family members, he worries that whoever struck Mumbai, may be preparing for more attacks. ‘This is like a hectic thing, we are worried, but nothing we can do anything except pray,’ he said.

Dr. Patel's Hare Krishna Temple on Bloomsbury Avenue in Catonsville will hold a special service in response to the terror attacks on Friday morning at 9:30. They will also pray for those killed and injured at their regular service this Sunday.

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Sarva gattah · November 29, 2008

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Patita pavana Sri Caitanya

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Patita Pavana Gaura Hari!

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