A dark shadow looms over India as the year 2008 nears its end. Sadness and grief grips us all over those who lost their lives, not only in the Mumbai terror attacks recently, but all the other similar attacks that rocked the nation this year killing innocent people.

The situation in India is very tense after the very brutal and cold blooded open attack by the terrorist in Mumbai. People have suddenly realized their vulnerability and the fact that nobody is safe anymore. You may be rich, poor, Hindu, Muslim, or a Christian, it doesn't matter. You are vulnerable.

There have been further threats of possible attacks during New Year's celebrations in Goa, Mumbai and many other places. So, nobody wants to take a chance now. Better safe than sorry! As a result all the big hotels have canceled all their New Year's Programs. No Bipasha Basu, Rakhi Sawant, Katrina Kaif or Mallika Sherawat performances this year. The hotels, of course are suffering huge losses on account of these cancellations.

There is definitely a change this year. Everything is a low key affair. No blaring music, lights, fireworks etc. The place where I stay used to be lit up from one end of the street to the other during Christmas and New Years every year. All the houses too would be lit up right from Diwali onwards till New Year's celebrations before they were taken down. But, this year there are no lights. The houses too are not lit up. No Christmas stars to be seen in the verandas or balconies.

It's sad. This is a Dark New Year's Eve! What will the New Year be like for India and its people? Will there be a war? That is the question that is uppermost on everybody's mind right now. Or, maybe everything will die down as usual. The politicians will see to that. They will shift all the focus to the elections and then maybe we will just be where we always were: More attacks, more people die, and life will go on......