......and apparently we got it. On the 15th of August. In 1947. India won her freedom from the rule of the Raj..........& we have been celebrating this day ever since...........
But even today, as i wake up in the morning to strains of some patriotic song coming from the neighbors', open the newspapers to find the colors of the Indian flag liberally splashed across the pages, switch on the TV to see the national anthem being made into special videos to be played all day long...........I feel as if I'm just a part of some big, country-wide marketing gimmick.
I mean, what happens on the other 364 days of the year??? Why can we only hear the popular item numbers playing everywhere, instead of the patriotic songs? Why are saffron, white & green not in the list of the in colors of the season? Why doesn't anyone do anything special with the national anthem then?
They say India is a free country...........but free from what? Is what I say!
Maybe it is free from the monarchy & rule of some other more powerful country.........but is it really FREE??? In the true sense of the term?
Are we free from corruption? Are we free from superstitions?? Are we free from terror???
If so, then how come we need a brand of Tea to awaken the younger generation against a corrupted government..........why do we still read about remote parts of the country where people's lives are ruined by superstitious acts..............why can't we save the hundreds of innocent victims falling prey to inhuman acts of terror???........
So today.......even as the whole country celebrates the 64th year of Independence...........even as I spend a lazy Monday morning at home (national holidays should always fall on Mondays, I say!)..............these questions & more keep hurling themselves at me............and I say, "No! I'm not free!! Not yet....... But I'm waiting for the day when I will be! And I'm working towards it........"
Well.......enough of the tough talks for now.............
Going on to the pictures, I thought, what it being I-day & all, I'll be sharing some snaps from my latest photography sojourn with you all..............here's a glimpse of a small part of the country I call home..............I'll let the few thousand words do the talking.........
But even today, as i wake up in the morning to strains of some patriotic song coming from the neighbors', open the newspapers to find the colors of the Indian flag liberally splashed across the pages, switch on the TV to see the national anthem being made into special videos to be played all day long...........I feel as if I'm just a part of some big, country-wide marketing gimmick.
I mean, what happens on the other 364 days of the year??? Why can we only hear the popular item numbers playing everywhere, instead of the patriotic songs? Why are saffron, white & green not in the list of the in colors of the season? Why doesn't anyone do anything special with the national anthem then?
They say India is a free country...........but free from what? Is what I say!
Maybe it is free from the monarchy & rule of some other more powerful country.........but is it really FREE??? In the true sense of the term?
Are we free from corruption? Are we free from superstitions?? Are we free from terror???
If so, then how come we need a brand of Tea to awaken the younger generation against a corrupted government..........why do we still read about remote parts of the country where people's lives are ruined by superstitious acts..............why can't we save the hundreds of innocent victims falling prey to inhuman acts of terror???........
So today.......even as the whole country celebrates the 64th year of Independence...........even as I spend a lazy Monday morning at home (national holidays should always fall on Mondays, I say!)..............these questions & more keep hurling themselves at me............and I say, "No! I'm not free!! Not yet....... But I'm waiting for the day when I will be! And I'm working towards it........"
Well.......enough of the tough talks for now.............
Going on to the pictures, I thought, what it being I-day & all, I'll be sharing some snaps from my latest photography sojourn with you all..............here's a glimpse of a small part of the country I call home..............I'll let the few thousand words do the talking.........
And NO! My above ranting does not mean that I don't love my country................I'm absolutely proud as a peacock to be an Indian.............and would love to be one till my last breath! I'd never ever want to leave this country for anything in the world & go stay in any other place (I'd love to visit places all over the world, but stay - no, thanks!!) On this 64th year of Independence of India, I can list 64000 things about my country that I admire & adore!!!
But at the same time, I, as an Indian, want to face the drawbacks that are plaguing the nation & stopping her in her progress towards development............I want to do my duty as a citizen of this beautiful country & free her of the shackles of terror, illiteracy, corruption, superstition, poverty etc. and make her into one of the best, most beautiful & developed countries of the world!
After all, when we sing "Saare jahan se achha..........Hindustan hamara......." (Best among the whole world......is our India), we want to mean it & believe in it.....don't we???
Happy Independence Day to all the Indians out there!!!
Am raring to face another week ahead, after a prolonged weekend............hope you all had a rocking start to the week!!! :)
Last, but not the least, I'm sure all of you have noticed the makeover I've given my blog! Tell me what you think of it!
Much love,
Polka Princess