62 and counting

We all know what day it is today – Yup Independence day.

So we all chirp(and tweet) , Sing(and eat) and finally watch a movie! Jai hind! Another holiday , shops closed(ya right , tell that to Saravana Stores , Pothys etc) , low traffic.

We sing Jana Gana Mana , feel all patriotic , for once forget about our politicians , nod our heads in satisfaction on how the day progresses and again nod our heads in dismay, when we hear terrorists have blow up something ,somewhere.

School kids go marching , Parents go watching, Chief guests go on talking , Impatient vagabonds computer/T.V. addicts they are , wait for the new Rs.1 / Rs.5 only chocolate. Its all really nice , except for the few hours you have the entire day free(and if you bunk , the whole day free).

The country my friend , is something which we have read in the textbooks! All we can see is our school , our friends(and enemies) all with neatly polished shoes(oh! and that girl looks really cute ,dressed up like that to sing , wah! I love her voice…) , Left , right , left..ya we have no clue what the left is or the right is..who cares,we are here, we have this stupid education system , we had stupid people and a few clever ones in between in the past – its all really inspiring to listen to the Chief Guest talk but sir the T.V. beckons – we need to see our Indian brands wish us happy Independence day , we need to see actors talk and maybe we might catch up with how our money was wasted(ya we are cynical , oh! the ruthless heartless bourgeoisie).

Ya I dream of being a politician , removing corruption etc. Mam’ says it can be done and I believe in it. Unwrapping the chocolate, if you are one of those ‘caring’ fellow you search for a dustbin or put in your pocket(otherwise you drop it , along with the national flag). The good boy that you are you go pick up a couple of national flags and feel angry(and happy that you are such a good boy). There , there I have done my bit.

Sometimes things can be misleading – In dependence ? Quite misleading.

But well at least we see one day two days  in a year  where everyone talks about a great nation. Ya! For once we united! India United! Unity in diversity– for one we are united at something other than going at each others throats(its going to be easier to choke people with the masks on!) . None of the reservation nonsense , how can we ! We sing Our Flag song , Nation song , This song , that song , oh! we are pickled in nationalism!

Yes I am kinda nostalgic, for by the time I woke up , our PM had finished his speech(and even if I was awake, I would have understood very little of it , because my hindi is not there yet :O ). But the news channels have got it all wrong , no we are not turning 62 , the country is older than that, a quick history lesson –  the British left us in 1947 , they didn’t create India as a state , nope tried to destroy whatever little was there , by drawing two little lines when they were drunk on the map(forgive me for being so crude , but watching Gandhi, the movie and reading about it does make you feel sick ).

Yes we have recovered , we are one of the largest economies and also the second most populace country in the world. I have the habit of telling people – “yes we got freedom at midnight but now we need to wake up”.

And if we wake up, we will find a few good things and a few bad things-that of course is inevitable. But end of the day , we need to take stock and see if we have moved forward or backward – not in terms of sustainable development or technology(which we sure have) but in terms of social morality and in trying to uphold the principles of equality , equity and comradeship.

The idea of fraternity is of course threatened  by our other more local identities which seem to take a grip of us. But no that is not we dream about is it?  We dream about a nation , which the world is in awe of. We dream of azure forests and tall I.T. parks , we dream of flamboyant places of worship and Ancient architectural marvels. We dream more or less of a nation which will give a sense of security and peace and let us live free.

We know the evils , corruption , vote bank politics , education system which needs updating etc , but somewhere in between all that , most of us hold our identity. People from different parts of the country , might prefer to see themselves as something else first , but days like today vouch for the fact that , we are still a country.

Its not just people in India but Indians through out the world , revere this day. Yes the reason why we have to differentiate is because a lot of Indians have moved away from here, thanks to  many reasons/factors. But today is supposed to be a bright day, where we display our nationalistic view- we are grateful amongst our bickering and trashing to those women , men and children who fought for India. I am grateful that I can write this. I am grateful that I can sit here and write.

From zero to today’s heroes in various field , we have come a long way. How much ever we are aggrieved by the sheer ignorance(and the indignation when faced with any sort of questioning) , our culture has been the backbone. And this culture is not one which is predominated by religion/caste, I mean the methods through which a sense of oneness is created. Our culture includes our lands and terrains , our very spirit – this is what the vote bank politicians of today are trying to break. ‘We’ are being pushed into a narrower lane, so that we fail to see the highways.

But at the same time, we have spread through out the world , our influence can be seen in every field. Many of us feel the responsibility to take this nation forward and it is we together who can ensure that we progress , that we run over and around the problems whatever they may be.

Let me finish with an extract from a poem which I wrote about a year and a half back..

Our land is our religion,
India is our passion,
together we can help in the creation,
of peace
and help in the mitigation,
of violence and aggression.
peace is our mantra,
unity is our goal,
poverty will be a dream,
happiness will be our theme.

When in depression-
we turn to things which gave us salvation,
things which are based on discretion
our roots,our culture which will-
see the greatest amalgamation,
in the future will cause the greatest revolution.
the land of more than a billion
will do the herculean.

India- a name which inspires,
a name which nationalizes,
a name which dominates,
a name which Induces,
the symbol of alacrity,
a name which we salute
and which we will unmute,
through our flute,
the power of youth.

Jai hind!