INDIA
India as I have known and loved has always been a land of diversity. Finding its beauty in colors, folks, traditions, languages, cultures, food and yes God. Today India celebrated its 75th Republic day with lot of galore and pride. I felt immense pride in watching the whole parade, my first ever. Before that have watched but mere glimpses not sitting and completing it. I am not sure what made me do that. The irk of 22nd Jan, the saffron flags, the lonely Ram, or the small and arrogant rioters of my country.
Politics is well served with a tadka of religion, and pleasure of business. No it doesn’t matter how well educated you are, or well placed in society. I have seen logic dying cold death, when arguing with someone who sees a Messiah in a religious bigot. Extreme views I don’t enjoy. Making someone or something bigger than someone else, I don’t enjoy. Fighting over Gods, I find pathetic, and an embarassment to humanity.
I am a Hindu. A comfortable one. I celebrate almost all festivals whether Rakhi or Holi. Dussehra or Diwali. Ours was never a hard core religious house. Whatever little I have learnt maybe was by observing my Biji. My parents always busy, unaware of festivities. Well not my mother so much, she founded joy in various celebrations. I believe it is more to do with her curious personality than faith. My father intolerant to even an agarbatti smoke.
I studied in a Christian school, so well Christmas became important. Funnily my mother shifted us to DAV school when she found us singing way to many hymn of This land is your land, this land is my land… I and my sister learnt Gyatri mantra, various other mantras, they were sung in our prayer, and it never crossed my mind until now how would Mohammed my class fellow would be feeling? I still don’t know. I believe as a child this is not you are worried about.
I grew up to find solace in dargahs, gurudwaras, treks of Vaishno devi, a puja or a havan here or there. But a daily prayer is what I do in my home temple. And I ask Alexa to sing bhajans depending on what day is it. If Monday that Shiva, Tuesday of course Hanuman, Wednesday- Krishna, Thursday- Sai, Friday- Durga, Sat I keep for dohas of Rahim, Kabir, and Sundays I usually listen to Gyatri mantra.
What was so special about today’s republic day parade which is making me write this post. Well it was all women led, I found that something to feel proud of. The various jhankis showed such cultural diversity of my beautiful country, and the dance performed by more than 1100 dancers showcasing 30 art forms breath taking!
Showing a veteran soldier brought a few tears. Our defense forces should receive our biggest respect. They perform the supreme sacrifice and keep us safe, the least we can do is, respect the gesture. Being grand daughter of freedom fighter, instills the pride. Being married to someone whose Tayaji was a captain in Army, his brother was in Army as well, and the younger one — an inspector in Delhi Police. My father’s mamajis were in Air force. My cousin Commander in Navy. So well I feel the pride of being in this family who have had, and are serving the nation.
The part which I was eagerly awating for today was, the Bikers. They perform gravity defying antics, and the one done today by all women was sheer grace!
Their balance, their strength, the calmness was nerving. How do they get it so right is best left to imagination and I believe lot of hardwork and practice. I salute them all!
2023 for India, was a signinficant year of achievements, and yes shame. We did land on the south end of moon, but couldn’t fight for our Manipur fellows. Our women wrestlers are still fighting their lonely fight but we did manage to send the Bilki Bano rapist to jail. The LGBTQ community didn’t get their justice from the supreme court of India, but it did make a lot of noise to maybe now discussed in Parliament. It is a sheer spectacle how leaders of all religion who otherwise are on each other necks find a common ground in opposing the right to love someone. Well someday these so called godmen and godwomen I hope find their way to God, and let the mere mortals live in peace.
I come from a country where we take pride in our constitution. We take pride in our culture, our diversity, and yes we have a lot we can improve upon, but we are resilient, and open to change.
I come from a country, where some fools are finding their selves first time Hindus, and a few intellectuals who are way to intelligent for any discussions. I come from a country where farmers went on a year long protest and ensured the draconians bills were taken back, where students came to street against the Citizenship Amendment Act. I come from a country of bootlickers, but again people with spine who have the courage to keep their held high against all odds. I come from a country like yours maybe, and I take pride in being from here, India. Every now and then when I feel despair, to where my country is heading, i have found solace in the lines of Tagore-
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
{Rabindranath Tagore}
May our India, overcomes all hate mongering.
May our India find her pride with grace
May our India be a beacon of peace and balance
May our India remain the country envisioned by our freedom fighters!
Happy 75th Republic Day My India. Jai Hind!
