The sun rises to another beautiful day on this glorious nation that is India. And somewhere along this bountiful country which is the epitome of DIVERSITY, I rise in my corner of my house to a highly anticipated day in the Indian Calender. THE INDEPENDENCE DAY (August 15, 1947)
We all know the story of how India attained independence from the the various well documented history books. Whether the History books do justice to everyone who contributed to the struggle for independence or whether its just a narrative of the winning side (read the Indian National Congress) is a discussion for another day. Before we further deviate from the topic, let me ask you this " What does the independence mean to you?". Though i cannot speak for my generation of Indians, i can fairly say with authority that it has always meant to be day where OPTIMISM is at its best.
Initially, I was tempted to write an opinionated piece on what the Independence day means to a lot of my generation (middle/upper middle/rich/filthy rich and internet savvy). Then i realised that it would not be fair to you since there are always a lot of opinionated pieces out there.
So let me take you through the Independence Day through the eyes of
1. An Average Indian's Independence day Celebrations -- Mine
2. Ghosts of Independence days past. (1947 - 2011) -- In the form of Mamta didi.
3. A Third party observer - A non-Indian (Control/Placebo to check what a reasonable man would think under the facts presented). Let us call him John Doe for familiarities sake.
So here it goes. Cock-a-doodle-do and cue...
(Curtain rises)
ME --- I get out of the bed with my chest swollen with Indian pride. Looking at the clock, I curse myself for missing the reveille on this important day (though nothing to do with the fact that it is an holiday). After making myself presentable for company, i start the day with the customary greeting to my friends and to all those whom i meet or even pass by. The medium of greeting has varied over the years. It used to be an usual face to face greeting in the yesteryears, then there was the time when we discovered the novelty of mobile phones and now the social networking sites. This has helped me extend the radius of my wishes across continents without me having to get up from bed. Technology at its best.
(Interrupting the narration)
JD -- Dude. Does it being a holiday have any thing to with you waking up late?? And, what technology are you talking about man?? There are still places in your country where there is no Electricity and if it has, Its not available for most of the day due to load shedding... So what Technology man??
ME -- No thank you, i do not want such negativity on this day sir. Its Independence Day.
JD -- Ok, ok... Chill dude.
(Continuing my narration)
ME -- I have many a lively discussion on Facebook/Twitter/Orkut (take a pick) on how lucky we are to be indian or how proud we should be to be an indian or what we should do to be more indian.... I am sure you get the gist of what our other disucssions might have been about too...
(Interrupting again)
JD -- I gotta say dude, the discussions and the statistics/facts mentioned seem to be repeating year after year. Sounds like a bunch of my new year resolutions...
ME -- Being Positive is the key to a happy life. No Negativity on this day please.
(Continuing my narration)
I am sure the rest of the you decide to check out the news in the papers/tube. And today's is laden with the customary greetings of leaders/celebrities wishing us common folk with messages of peace and love and how our nation can reach the pinnacles of glory...etc.
JD -- (Sarcastically) However tucked in between are reports of violence and crime against humanity.
ME -- This needn't dampen our mood cause it is in another part of the country.
JD -- I know, i know... NO NEGATIVITY.
ME -- (Deciding to ignore JD completely. Continues the narration)
As has been the custom for long, i decide to venture outside to join the national wave of patriotic fervour. I meet up with friends of like mind and we decide to visit places of national importance to celebrate. As you walk along the roads, you are sure to be flooded by the sea of smiling/happy faces than the usual grumpy faces you see on an office day. It sure is contagious and i decide to further celebrate by treating my friends to lunch. We stop at a nearby Dhaba to snack on some of the savories. The kid cleaning the tables beams at us and wishes us on this wonderful day. We return the greeting and make the owner's day by ordering some of the day's specialities. We also leave a large tip to the cleaning kid. After all its the day we cherish our independence.
JD -- WHAT?? A kid cleaning the table?? Child Labour ?? In Gandhi's India??
ME -- (trying to save face ) But i gave him extra tip. It will help him eat. Maybe he likes to work and not go to school. Moreover, its a holiday today.... (failing to impress JD, i look dejectedly away)
JD -- Yeah dude.. Like which kid likes going to school... So long for your Optimism.
ME -- Look Johm, I am as patriotic as one can expect from any Indian. I cheer the indian team whenever they represent india in an international event. I cheer every indian who acheives excellence in his field. I even go a step further to cheer any alien ( i use the term "Alien" in a legal sense to indicate a person who is not an Indian Citizen) of Indian origin when he/she achieves excellence. I am sure he/she succeeded because of his/her Indian genes and that the nourishment of his/her host country has anything to do with it is an HOAX.
JD -- Whatever Dude... If you say so...
MAMTA DIDI -- John saab, i have been silent so far.. But, i will bear with it no more... You Sir, are a Maoist. Yes, you heard me right. You are a MAOIST.... MAOIST... MAOIST
The ghost has spoken. The End.
<Curtain closes>
We all know the story of how India attained independence from the the various well documented history books. Whether the History books do justice to everyone who contributed to the struggle for independence or whether its just a narrative of the winning side (read the Indian National Congress) is a discussion for another day. Before we further deviate from the topic, let me ask you this " What does the independence mean to you?". Though i cannot speak for my generation of Indians, i can fairly say with authority that it has always meant to be day where OPTIMISM is at its best.
Initially, I was tempted to write an opinionated piece on what the Independence day means to a lot of my generation (middle/upper middle/rich/filthy rich and internet savvy). Then i realised that it would not be fair to you since there are always a lot of opinionated pieces out there.
So let me take you through the Independence Day through the eyes of
1. An Average Indian's Independence day Celebrations -- Mine
2. Ghosts of Independence days past. (1947 - 2011) -- In the form of Mamta didi.
3. A Third party observer - A non-Indian (Control/Placebo to check what a reasonable man would think under the facts presented). Let us call him John Doe for familiarities sake.
So here it goes. Cock-a-doodle-do and cue...
(Curtain rises)
ME --- I get out of the bed with my chest swollen with Indian pride. Looking at the clock, I curse myself for missing the reveille on this important day (though nothing to do with the fact that it is an holiday). After making myself presentable for company, i start the day with the customary greeting to my friends and to all those whom i meet or even pass by. The medium of greeting has varied over the years. It used to be an usual face to face greeting in the yesteryears, then there was the time when we discovered the novelty of mobile phones and now the social networking sites. This has helped me extend the radius of my wishes across continents without me having to get up from bed. Technology at its best.
(Interrupting the narration)
JD -- Dude. Does it being a holiday have any thing to with you waking up late?? And, what technology are you talking about man?? There are still places in your country where there is no Electricity and if it has, Its not available for most of the day due to load shedding... So what Technology man??
ME -- No thank you, i do not want such negativity on this day sir. Its Independence Day.
JD -- Ok, ok... Chill dude.
(Continuing my narration)
ME -- I have many a lively discussion on Facebook/Twitter/Orkut (take a pick) on how lucky we are to be indian or how proud we should be to be an indian or what we should do to be more indian.... I am sure you get the gist of what our other disucssions might have been about too...
(Interrupting again)
JD -- I gotta say dude, the discussions and the statistics/facts mentioned seem to be repeating year after year. Sounds like a bunch of my new year resolutions...
ME -- Being Positive is the key to a happy life. No Negativity on this day please.
(Continuing my narration)
I am sure the rest of the you decide to check out the news in the papers/tube. And today's is laden with the customary greetings of leaders/celebrities wishing us common folk with messages of peace and love and how our nation can reach the pinnacles of glory...etc.
JD -- (Sarcastically) However tucked in between are reports of violence and crime against humanity.
ME -- This needn't dampen our mood cause it is in another part of the country.
JD -- I know, i know... NO NEGATIVITY.
ME -- (Deciding to ignore JD completely. Continues the narration)
As has been the custom for long, i decide to venture outside to join the national wave of patriotic fervour. I meet up with friends of like mind and we decide to visit places of national importance to celebrate. As you walk along the roads, you are sure to be flooded by the sea of smiling/happy faces than the usual grumpy faces you see on an office day. It sure is contagious and i decide to further celebrate by treating my friends to lunch. We stop at a nearby Dhaba to snack on some of the savories. The kid cleaning the tables beams at us and wishes us on this wonderful day. We return the greeting and make the owner's day by ordering some of the day's specialities. We also leave a large tip to the cleaning kid. After all its the day we cherish our independence.
JD -- WHAT?? A kid cleaning the table?? Child Labour ?? In Gandhi's India??
ME -- (trying to save face ) But i gave him extra tip. It will help him eat. Maybe he likes to work and not go to school. Moreover, its a holiday today.... (failing to impress JD, i look dejectedly away)
JD -- Yeah dude.. Like which kid likes going to school... So long for your Optimism.
ME -- Look Johm, I am as patriotic as one can expect from any Indian. I cheer the indian team whenever they represent india in an international event. I cheer every indian who acheives excellence in his field. I even go a step further to cheer any alien ( i use the term "Alien" in a legal sense to indicate a person who is not an Indian Citizen) of Indian origin when he/she achieves excellence. I am sure he/she succeeded because of his/her Indian genes and that the nourishment of his/her host country has anything to do with it is an HOAX.
JD -- Whatever Dude... If you say so...
MAMTA DIDI -- John saab, i have been silent so far.. But, i will bear with it no more... You Sir, are a Maoist. Yes, you heard me right. You are a MAOIST.... MAOIST... MAOIST
The ghost has spoken. The End.
<Curtain closes>
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