Life in India is complex, to say the least. We're loud, brash, crass but at the same time have discernible features like being welcoming, hospitable and sympathetic. Paradoxical, I realise, but if you think about it, you will too. In a land that boasts of being rich in resources, our most holy of water bodies lies in a detrimental state, and the Ganges know I'm just being polite. Hypocritically, we believe in the idiom, " Mera Bharat Mahaan" and then inconspicuously ( or conspicuously, depending on how open your are) aspire to go abroad,study, settle in and lead the life you believe you will never be able to have in India. And yet, there's a part of you that tugs at your heartstrings, telling you to go back "home" to the place that your "truly belong to" and other such sentiments like that. I may be generalising here, and I'll admit, I'm not too fond of the action that I'm obviously setting into play, but I can't help but see life here for what it is.
Through several phases of being colonised, our country has sprung forth from the debris of an inferiority complex, naivety and the idea of " we are toh like this only", much like the springs that gushed from the hooves of Pegasus, ushering an age of awakening, awareness and acceptance for the people that we are. Despite our many incidents of fumbles, stumbles, mishaps and plain old ignorance, we've certainly come a long way without much help. Kudos to that, and I mean it with all sincerity!
However, I've realised through quite observance and reasoning that at this junction of time where we aspire to forge ahead with gusto, the crossroads that we are met with are unsettling. On one hand we have a certain section of society that believes in proving to the Western World that we are just as good as them, if not better, and thus this section marches to a different beat, ploughing their way through this Western concept of perfection by being mimetic of their customs and lifestyle. I'm sure I can say we've all been part of that bandwagon, if not for the fact that we still are. I believe that our television shows are proof.
On the other hand however, is the section of society, deeply rooted in its Indian-ness. Beginning with Gandhi, through the Tagore's, the Nehru's and the many clans of politicians that we have today, all dressed in various shades of "purity", "sacrifice and salvation" and "unity", our leaders ( or so we have named them) have been creating a didactic sense of nationality and patriotism. Unfortunately, I don't believe that they've truly succeeded. When asked to name our National Song, I know many people who would draw a blank and say "Jana Gana Mana". For the record, that is our National Anthem and our National Song is "Vande Mataram". Most people don't even stand up for the National Anthem. Almost our entire population is ignorant of the fact that the National Flag BY LAW, is supposed to be made of Khadi, and usage of any other material is a punishable offence with imprisonment and a fine. No sort of lettering is supposed to be inscribed on the flag and the flag CANNOT be used on any vehicle other than those of the President, Vice President, Prime Ministers, Governors and Lieutenant Governors of the States, Chief Ministers, Union Ministers, Members of Parliament and State Legislatures, Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts of India and ultimately Flag Officers of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. But then again, most people don't even know the number of spokes on the Chakra. Again, for the record, it is 24.
As proof of our ignorance and blatant disrespect for any form of nationalist sentiments or patriotism, I remember an incident that both disturbed and enraged. As a part of the Independence Day Celebrations at a particular school, ( I shall not name it, obviously) a group of mothers were waiting outside the gate, busy chattering. A small skit was being performed after which the National Anthem was supposed to be sung. Let's choose to turn a blind eye to the pitiful rendering of the Anthem, after all, "their only kids". However, what brought my blood to a rolling boil was the fact that the women standing outside blatantly chose to ignore the fact that everyone else in the gathering stopped what they were doing and stood to at least a semblance of what the posture of attention should look like. Despite my profoundly strong intuition to tell these women off, I did not. I realised that sometimes things are just left alone because most often, words on etiquette fall on deaf ears. After all, everyone wants to believe that they portray the epitome of culture and good behaviour.
Despite all of this, I prefer to have a positive outlook towards our situation. At this point of time when most of us are at this juncture, we've created a safe little niched and named it the "Indo-Western" approach to social congruence and aggregation. Our mindsets are tuned to be open to everything from live-in relationships to vastushaastra. How long will this utopian bubble last? Only time will tell. Till then, hopefully, our Indo-Western tendencies don't contaminate our patriotism.
"Yeh jo des hai tera, swades hai tera, tujhe hai pukaara, yeh woh bandhan hai jo kabhi toot nahin sakta..."
Through several phases of being colonised, our country has sprung forth from the debris of an inferiority complex, naivety and the idea of " we are toh like this only", much like the springs that gushed from the hooves of Pegasus, ushering an age of awakening, awareness and acceptance for the people that we are. Despite our many incidents of fumbles, stumbles, mishaps and plain old ignorance, we've certainly come a long way without much help. Kudos to that, and I mean it with all sincerity!
However, I've realised through quite observance and reasoning that at this junction of time where we aspire to forge ahead with gusto, the crossroads that we are met with are unsettling. On one hand we have a certain section of society that believes in proving to the Western World that we are just as good as them, if not better, and thus this section marches to a different beat, ploughing their way through this Western concept of perfection by being mimetic of their customs and lifestyle. I'm sure I can say we've all been part of that bandwagon, if not for the fact that we still are. I believe that our television shows are proof.
On the other hand however, is the section of society, deeply rooted in its Indian-ness. Beginning with Gandhi, through the Tagore's, the Nehru's and the many clans of politicians that we have today, all dressed in various shades of "purity", "sacrifice and salvation" and "unity", our leaders ( or so we have named them) have been creating a didactic sense of nationality and patriotism. Unfortunately, I don't believe that they've truly succeeded. When asked to name our National Song, I know many people who would draw a blank and say "Jana Gana Mana". For the record, that is our National Anthem and our National Song is "Vande Mataram". Most people don't even stand up for the National Anthem. Almost our entire population is ignorant of the fact that the National Flag BY LAW, is supposed to be made of Khadi, and usage of any other material is a punishable offence with imprisonment and a fine. No sort of lettering is supposed to be inscribed on the flag and the flag CANNOT be used on any vehicle other than those of the President, Vice President, Prime Ministers, Governors and Lieutenant Governors of the States, Chief Ministers, Union Ministers, Members of Parliament and State Legislatures, Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts of India and ultimately Flag Officers of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. But then again, most people don't even know the number of spokes on the Chakra. Again, for the record, it is 24.
As proof of our ignorance and blatant disrespect for any form of nationalist sentiments or patriotism, I remember an incident that both disturbed and enraged. As a part of the Independence Day Celebrations at a particular school, ( I shall not name it, obviously) a group of mothers were waiting outside the gate, busy chattering. A small skit was being performed after which the National Anthem was supposed to be sung. Let's choose to turn a blind eye to the pitiful rendering of the Anthem, after all, "their only kids". However, what brought my blood to a rolling boil was the fact that the women standing outside blatantly chose to ignore the fact that everyone else in the gathering stopped what they were doing and stood to at least a semblance of what the posture of attention should look like. Despite my profoundly strong intuition to tell these women off, I did not. I realised that sometimes things are just left alone because most often, words on etiquette fall on deaf ears. After all, everyone wants to believe that they portray the epitome of culture and good behaviour.
Despite all of this, I prefer to have a positive outlook towards our situation. At this point of time when most of us are at this juncture, we've created a safe little niched and named it the "Indo-Western" approach to social congruence and aggregation. Our mindsets are tuned to be open to everything from live-in relationships to vastushaastra. How long will this utopian bubble last? Only time will tell. Till then, hopefully, our Indo-Western tendencies don't contaminate our patriotism.
"Yeh jo des hai tera, swades hai tera, tujhe hai pukaara, yeh woh bandhan hai jo kabhi toot nahin sakta..."
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