26th January 2012
Enough reason for us to feel patriotic and pround. Enough reason to feel the need to do something for our country. I am no exception. Today i also felt the need to voice out my opinion on the significance of Republic Day. Its a small contribution since I am definitly not planning to get all sentimental and emotional today.
First and foremost, I am writing this only for myself and not to shove it down anybody's mental esophagus.
26th January 1950, the day India became a republic, the day Indian became free in the true sense. We were free to form our own government, choose our own representatives and free to form our own policies and ideology. Many things happened. High strung government tensions, wars were fought, emergencies declared, governments came and went, people were assasinated, population exploded, India became global, naxalites attacked, tsunamis hit us, earthquakes moved us, students went abroad, missiles were made, our country formed associations with the biggest brains and wallets of the world, but people still continued to live.
Yet somethings is missing. There is an abyss, a void which has to be filled. Do you not feel it?
I feel it everytime. While walking on the road I see the big hoardings loudly proclaiming 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'!
I see the processions on the road and the youth screaming their guts out, declaring the glory of their country. And then suddenly I see an overflowing garbage bin and next to it an old, frail man selling flags. He is not celebrating. Ah! Right in the middle of the road a car comes zooming, and the driver spits and rolls of. Yes right in the middle of the road!! A happy Political party waving their flag around and campaining. The sorry sights are not quite over. There by the alcohol shop, a group of youngsters are preparing for tonights party.
And now comes the day after, 27th January. I have seen enough of these days to predict what happens. The banners and the flags are wrapped up and stored for reuse. Else their fate lies in being lumps of paper in which food or other sanitary materials should be disposed off. Or sometimes they are just thrown on the roads finding their way under cars and trucks or a cow might try digesting them. SAD.
If this was not enough here are a few things to ponder on. Why do the cheers of 'Vande Mataram' resonate louder during cricket matches than on such days which we should cherish? Why when everyday the anthem is being sung, there has to be one person in the crowd scratching his back? Why do the rich abuse their responsibilty? Why do riots break out at every 'implied' insult? What went wrong?
There is no use in blaming politics and politcians. I am talking about US. The Citizens. I am not preaching. I am not going to join any demonstrations and I am certainly not joining politics. But yes, there are a few things I will do today. I will give atleast one needy person something to eat. I will buy a flag and stick it on my board and see it everyday and think about the country for a minute. I shall get back to work again because i wish to make my country proud.
Till today our great country has survived everything. It has survived foreign rule, internal violence, wars, terrorism, partition, surviving calamities sent by God and survived calamities created by man. And now its time to stop surviving and start living! Its high time now, INDIA, to live up to the hopes that were placed in u 62 years a ago. We have the strenght, we have the potential and we have the courage to dream.
65 years ago, it was a million tiny drops of blood, a million whispered words and a million hearts that gave us our country. And a million hearts, a million thinking minds and a million proud Indians today can build our country.
Enough reason for us to feel patriotic and pround. Enough reason to feel the need to do something for our country. I am no exception. Today i also felt the need to voice out my opinion on the significance of Republic Day. Its a small contribution since I am definitly not planning to get all sentimental and emotional today.
First and foremost, I am writing this only for myself and not to shove it down anybody's mental esophagus.
26th January 1950, the day India became a republic, the day Indian became free in the true sense. We were free to form our own government, choose our own representatives and free to form our own policies and ideology. Many things happened. High strung government tensions, wars were fought, emergencies declared, governments came and went, people were assasinated, population exploded, India became global, naxalites attacked, tsunamis hit us, earthquakes moved us, students went abroad, missiles were made, our country formed associations with the biggest brains and wallets of the world, but people still continued to live.
Yet somethings is missing. There is an abyss, a void which has to be filled. Do you not feel it?
I feel it everytime. While walking on the road I see the big hoardings loudly proclaiming 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'!
I see the processions on the road and the youth screaming their guts out, declaring the glory of their country. And then suddenly I see an overflowing garbage bin and next to it an old, frail man selling flags. He is not celebrating. Ah! Right in the middle of the road a car comes zooming, and the driver spits and rolls of. Yes right in the middle of the road!! A happy Political party waving their flag around and campaining. The sorry sights are not quite over. There by the alcohol shop, a group of youngsters are preparing for tonights party.
And now comes the day after, 27th January. I have seen enough of these days to predict what happens. The banners and the flags are wrapped up and stored for reuse. Else their fate lies in being lumps of paper in which food or other sanitary materials should be disposed off. Or sometimes they are just thrown on the roads finding their way under cars and trucks or a cow might try digesting them. SAD.
If this was not enough here are a few things to ponder on. Why do the cheers of 'Vande Mataram' resonate louder during cricket matches than on such days which we should cherish? Why when everyday the anthem is being sung, there has to be one person in the crowd scratching his back? Why do the rich abuse their responsibilty? Why do riots break out at every 'implied' insult? What went wrong?
There is no use in blaming politics and politcians. I am talking about US. The Citizens. I am not preaching. I am not going to join any demonstrations and I am certainly not joining politics. But yes, there are a few things I will do today. I will give atleast one needy person something to eat. I will buy a flag and stick it on my board and see it everyday and think about the country for a minute. I shall get back to work again because i wish to make my country proud.
Till today our great country has survived everything. It has survived foreign rule, internal violence, wars, terrorism, partition, surviving calamities sent by God and survived calamities created by man. And now its time to stop surviving and start living! Its high time now, INDIA, to live up to the hopes that were placed in u 62 years a ago. We have the strenght, we have the potential and we have the courage to dream.
65 years ago, it was a million tiny drops of blood, a million whispered words and a million hearts that gave us our country. And a million hearts, a million thinking minds and a million proud Indians today can build our country.
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