This time last year, almost to the very day, I was in the building pictured above. And while today’s tragedy in India is quite horrifying, the (possible) destruction of the Taj Hotel in Mumbai is hard to ignore. Located at the historic Gateway of India, legend has it that the hotel’s founder Jamsetji Tata built the hotel as a reaction to being snubbed for the color of his skin:
From The Independent:
At the time, the best hotels in Bombay were run by the British – and did not accept Indian guests. Legend has it that Jamsetji decided to build a hotel when, already a seriously wealthy man, he was refused entry to a local hotel where whites far less rich were lording it over him because of the colour of his skin. Jamsetji decided he would own the best hotel in India – and it would be open to Indians.
The result was the Taj. Which, before it was attacked, was a majestic sight that looked like this:
Torched by psychopathic hate machines bent on killing Britons and Americans. The irony.
Link, Ezra. Link.