Independent to be a better person - Happy Independence Day
Happy Independence Day fellow Indians, living anywhere in the world today. As we enter the 64th year of our independence, I sit and look back to those 21 years I have spent celebrating this day, no not 21 years but may be 20 or 19 years(Lets leave the 1st year of my birth).
What was Independence day to me? Waking up early in the morning, going with father to the quarter's flag hoisting and playing through out the day with other kids. Independence day meant sitting in front of the TV, watching Doordarshan endlessly, years after years, the same thing, over and over. Independence for me as a young kid was what our ancestors had fought to achieve, what the likes of Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji dreamt and hoped about. Independence day for me was hoisting the flag and feeling proud and happy about it.
As I started growing up, Independence day view started changing. I saw Nepali soldiers guarding my father's factory while the Indians made fun of the Nepalis. I saw people looking back to the glorious days of past, how they fought and struggle to make sure, we the kids have a better future. I saw men and women fighting on news channels, discussing the present status of our country, discussing about the corruption and comparing with the past.
And now Independence Day for me is all about hoping for a better future, trying to be a better citizen and doing something in anyway possible for my country. Even though there is much hatred, anger inside me, even though I am frustrated to see my India and my state go nowhere, angry to see people give up, sad to see the blame game, I celebrate this day, at least for the people who fought to free us. Think about countries like Sudan, who still struggle to rise, think about Afghanistan, messed up in their own fight.
Yes we live in a country where the people who are supposed to lead us are themselves corrupt. Yes we live in a country where terrorists roam freely and people are scared to step out after a certain time. Yes we live in a country where more than 50% of our population is homeless and poverty stuck. Yes we live in a country which feeds on false promises. But let me ask you something, would you have preferred to live under the British rule then? Would you have preferred to live being a slave for some Britisher, polishing his/her shoe, while they enjoyed a bright 15th August morning, doing luxurious thing, while we starred at them, admiring? Could you give up this life you live? And prefer to go back living a life without computers, television, Blackberries and Ipods? I really wonder.
Remember the Indian team that won the World Cup wouldn't had been there then, if we weren't independent today, neither you would get the right to point and blame the politicians whom you elect, who is as corrupt as the man who handles your ration shop at your locality.
Why would anyone want to think about some other country? Yes then why worry about the other states or even the other districts in your state? Why care about who is doing what? If you care about your country and countrymen so much, why not stop living where you live, in the most posh area of the city, stop going to mall, stop recharging your cellphone everyday, stop having meals four times a day and share it with the people who can't enjoy any of these.
Every year this day comes, to remind us of what we have done in the past, making me believe that with struggle we can achieve whatever we want to. With struggle we can make India a better place to stay, to live, we can try and make our country a better place for our future citizens. Stop cribbing, complaining, start doing something for your place, state, country.
Its not so easy but who says there is harm in trying. Don't give up until you achieve. This day should remind us the BRAND we are, that we can be.
Had not we achieved Independence, we would had got lost somewhere in the pages of time, a country yet to be independent. And for the corruption, struggle, cribbing and complaining, we are humans, living in a third world country, in a developing country, a little hope and belief will never hurt.
What was Independence day to me? Waking up early in the morning, going with father to the quarter's flag hoisting and playing through out the day with other kids. Independence day meant sitting in front of the TV, watching Doordarshan endlessly, years after years, the same thing, over and over. Independence for me as a young kid was what our ancestors had fought to achieve, what the likes of Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji dreamt and hoped about. Independence day for me was hoisting the flag and feeling proud and happy about it.
As I started growing up, Independence day view started changing. I saw Nepali soldiers guarding my father's factory while the Indians made fun of the Nepalis. I saw people looking back to the glorious days of past, how they fought and struggle to make sure, we the kids have a better future. I saw men and women fighting on news channels, discussing the present status of our country, discussing about the corruption and comparing with the past.
And now Independence Day for me is all about hoping for a better future, trying to be a better citizen and doing something in anyway possible for my country. Even though there is much hatred, anger inside me, even though I am frustrated to see my India and my state go nowhere, angry to see people give up, sad to see the blame game, I celebrate this day, at least for the people who fought to free us. Think about countries like Sudan, who still struggle to rise, think about Afghanistan, messed up in their own fight.
Yes we live in a country where the people who are supposed to lead us are themselves corrupt. Yes we live in a country where terrorists roam freely and people are scared to step out after a certain time. Yes we live in a country where more than 50% of our population is homeless and poverty stuck. Yes we live in a country which feeds on false promises. But let me ask you something, would you have preferred to live under the British rule then? Would you have preferred to live being a slave for some Britisher, polishing his/her shoe, while they enjoyed a bright 15th August morning, doing luxurious thing, while we starred at them, admiring? Could you give up this life you live? And prefer to go back living a life without computers, television, Blackberries and Ipods? I really wonder.
Remember the Indian team that won the World Cup wouldn't had been there then, if we weren't independent today, neither you would get the right to point and blame the politicians whom you elect, who is as corrupt as the man who handles your ration shop at your locality.
Why would anyone want to think about some other country? Yes then why worry about the other states or even the other districts in your state? Why care about who is doing what? If you care about your country and countrymen so much, why not stop living where you live, in the most posh area of the city, stop going to mall, stop recharging your cellphone everyday, stop having meals four times a day and share it with the people who can't enjoy any of these.
Every year this day comes, to remind us of what we have done in the past, making me believe that with struggle we can achieve whatever we want to. With struggle we can make India a better place to stay, to live, we can try and make our country a better place for our future citizens. Stop cribbing, complaining, start doing something for your place, state, country.
Its not so easy but who says there is harm in trying. Don't give up until you achieve. This day should remind us the BRAND we are, that we can be.
Had not we achieved Independence, we would had got lost somewhere in the pages of time, a country yet to be independent. And for the corruption, struggle, cribbing and complaining, we are humans, living in a third world country, in a developing country, a little hope and belief will never hurt.
Always remember good things happen only when you think good.
Independent to be a better person - Happy Independence Day
Reviewed by Sudatta
on
August 15, 2011
Rating: 5
Reviewed by Sudatta
on
August 15, 2011
Rating: 5