This was the same window through which, a few years later, Abdul Ahmad Kasab’s accomplice Abu Shoaib would look out. He wanted to keep staring at the beautiful scene but he had to complete his task. He then took out a hand grenade and threw it at the Gateway of India. Then he turned to the teak table in front of him and poured water into a glass. While staring at his image in the mirror, many thoughts came rushing to his mind, but he realized that the connection between his heart and head had been snapped! Allama Jawed, aka Iqbal Rashid Turrabi, was sharing the room with him. He sipped water and turned to him and said, ‘The water here tastes exactly like it does in Al-Muridikum.’

‘The water and air of both the nations are the same but the future will be different,’ replied Allama Jawed. He had heard this line from Maulana Abu Hamza Lashkari at Muridikum. Maulana Abu Hamza Lashkari had a great gift of giving inflammatory speeches in front of the youth and firing up in them the desire to live in an ideal society dating back to 1400 years. He would take control of their brains and light the desire for that society in their heads. Because of this skill, he was called the leader of leaders at Muridikum. Turrabi and Abu Shoaib were killed after two days. Their souls stayed at the Taj hotel for some time and left to wander off. They were amazed to see the grandeur of the Gateway and impressed by the pleasant lifestyle around. The spirits realized that the gate of the Barzakh had been shut for them now. The homeless spirits decided to reside on the arches of the Gateway.

Yusuf and Burashid were having a great conversation and transcended the topics of just perfumes and scents. They decided to meet in the café of the Jehangir Art Gallery the next day. In the café, they again talked a lot including about their personal lives. They ate food together and then, while walking on the seashore, Burhashid gave him Rs 50,000 as advance payment and said that he would buy perfumes worth two or three lakh per year. Yusuf could not contain his happiness. This relationship was changing into friendship. Yusuf invited Burashid to his house for dinner one day. While eating, he told everyone that he was also known as a famous antique expert in his homeland, Algeria.

Burashid returned home. He came to Mumbai again after a month accompanied by his wife and daughter. He told Yusuf that his family wanted to spend some time around natural scenic landscapes. They were planning to rent a bungalow in some hilly area. ‘Would you suggest Khandala?’