Defining images of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks

In this December 1, 2008 photo, customers begin revisiting Cafe Leopold after the 26/11 terrorist attack. Leopold Cafe was among the first places to be attacked by the ten terrorists. Express Photo/Pradip Das

Eight years ago, ten young men stormed into Mumbai with the aim of create havoc. Over the next three days, the city of Mumbai was gripped by terror. Till November 26, 2008, terror was something that happened to others. But that day it became very real for people across all social classes, to everyone in Mumbai. But as the city has shown time and again, it was back within hours going about its daily business as India’s financial capital.  Here are some defining images the show the horror of the attacks and the resilience with with Mumbai fought back.

A look at Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus after the carnage of 26/11 Mumbai attacks. This photo was taken on the morning of November 27, 2008 while the attacks were still underway at the Taj Mahal Hotel Palace in Colaba and Trident Hotel at Nariman Point. Express Photo/Pradeep Kocharekar Commuters and eyewitnesses, many of whose stories you can read in our Stories of Strength section, were shell shocked at the indiscriminate firing that took place at what is one of Mumbai’s busiest train terminus. Express Photo/Pradeep Kocharekar This photo, shot exactly a month after the 26/11 attacks, shows a wall at Nariman House ridden with bullet marks. Mumbaikars, affected by the attacks, continue to move on even as memories of those three fateful days, when the city was held to ransom by terrorists, still continue to haunt them. Express Photo/Prashant Nadkar In this November 2008 file photo, a wreath is seen laid at the spot where Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar were gunned down, near Cama Hospital in Mumbai. Express Photo/Prashant Nadkar Bullet marks on the glass at Cafe Leopold in Colaba. Express Photo/Vasant Prabhu Rabbi Israel Kozlovsky, who now runs Nariman House, put up a brave face post the attacks.The rebuilt six-story Nariman House now houses a Jewish Museum, a memorial for those who lost their lives as well as a Jewish learning centre. Express Photo/Prashant Nadkar. In this November 2008 photo, a soldier is seen running to take cover in front of the Taj Mahal Palace hotel as security personnel and terrorists exchange fire, in Mumbai. AP Photo/David Guttenfelder Black commandos outside the Taj Mahal Palace hotel taking pictures from their cell phones after their rescue operation. Express Photo/Ganesh Shirsekar Forensic experts and anti-terror squad officials are seen inspecting the  ground floor of the Taj Mahal Hotel after it was burnt to ashes by terrorists, which took the hotel hostage for 60 horrific hours. Express Photo/Ganesh Shirsekar On November 30, 2008, a day after security forces declared the operation complete, the Taj Mahal Hotel hoisted the Tricolour at its entrance. Express Photo/Ganesh Shirsekar