Happy Independence Day

India to Indians

India is a land of festivals, whosoever attributed this tag to the India might have been spend enormous time in India or grown with the times in India. Festivals are the integral part of our life, we cannot imagine life without fairs and festivals as round the year 365 days we will be celebrating festivals, anniversaries, days and reasons to celebrate.

While I was traveling back to my place I met a Japanese co-traveler in train, we were anonymous for a while to each other but became soon good friends and started conversation about India and Japan. I was fortunate my friend was knowing English, and equally unfortunate I had not learn the ‘J’ of the Japanese language. I was happy to reckon the curiosity of my co-traveler to know more about my country from me, my Japanese friend asked me about my nation while explaining the Incredible India, I could see the joy of excitement in the eyes of my friend. After the conclusion of my narration about India, he asked me to describe Indian people with India into three roman words, This gave me a buzz to my mind to describe such a big nation and diversified people in three words, I felt little bemused but it was prerogative of courtesy to oblige the guest on the tracks of my country. I answered ‘Dance, Music, and Food’. which are the attire of people of my nation you cannot find an Indian detached from these three belongings anywhere in any part of the world. This answer was well taken by my friend but I couldn’t gaze his real expression of satisfaction to my answer. I with the same anxiety asked him the similar question to define his people with his country in three words he got little elated and changing his body language and with sheer proud voice answered Patriotism, Honesty and Hard-work. I failed to collect the expression of my friend but my friend easily recognized my embarrassment with his answer which was out standing to my answer.
The knowledge and time we shared was meaningful as my destination arrived I have to bid him good bye, but I was engrossed in his answer thinking about my answer and to resemble similarity of his answer as attire to the diversified individuals of Indian civil society. I thought to give a break for the introspection from the indo-Japanese conversation and land into rest from the tiredness of journey. It was luxurious irony I had a dream in my sleep about the conversation and the three words hounding to teach me something nevertheless I possess and enamor the spirit and letter of these three words but I venture to experiment these valuable words and their value among my friends.

My friends where as usual were happy to meet me after a gap but more than me, they were excited to know something interesting happened with me while my boarding and arriving during my journey. It was disappointment to their eagerness to know that I had a safe journey and no accidents of crushes took place but the worst resentment they showed was when I told I traveled in the company of senior citizens and a foreigner, the instant reply ‘HOW BORING’ I can’t understand the apprehensions of the people to looking for some miracle take place while traveling, they feel pleasant to travel in the company of gurls so do I but it is destiny ’s choice, than they should better take the tickets in the ladies compartment or check the board-list and travel. I narrated them my conversation with my Japanese friend and nobody where really showed any enthusiasm to learn about what I learned from my journey, we dispersed after a casual get-together and exchanging dialogues about some thing which is important to us gurls, movies, and gadgets etc.

I came back my home and saw my younger niece practicing some drawing on the plain papers I asked her about what she is indulge in she replied she is preparing for the independence day painting competition which is organized on the eve of independence day in her school. I asked her what is the subject she said I have to draw ‘colorful India’. it instantly reminded me six words during my journey dance, music, food - patriotism, honesty, hard work. I was surprised seeing the patriotic spirit in my niece which has come for the competition to win she was doing her honest hard-work.I than turn to the television their was saga of hypocrisy going on in every channel the season of 15th august Indian independence day, week probably also month which come for a week on every year. The media print, electronic were running polls, features , exclusive features such as what unites India, Indian youth today, history for independence etc you can participate in the polls, contest, and opinions by using your mobiles, mails and land-phones. The texture of colors were have exhausted living only the three colors orange of joy, white of peace, and green of nature. Everywhere around me these colors were furling, my vision was blurred to see other colors.I was joined by my friends in college next day, it was 13th august, the teachers were also in the mood of freedom and under-preparation of independence day celebrations hence classes were virtually turned into chatting and celebrating halls. My friends were remarking their observations among them ‘are yaar ye independence day ek hafta phele ata tu kitna acha tha nahi hum friendship aur freedom week ek saath mana the aur ek hafta college ko chuti marte’ I had no answer to the intellectual question of my friend. I just said great observation and reminded him he was not seen for pre and post friendship day celebration week, my friend quickly replied to my taunt yaar I did planned many things for the eve and I was executing them. Asking on what are the plans for the independence day everyone unanimously echoed movie chalte hain, hotel chalengae aur shaam par disco mein independence day ka koi partner ko dundete hue dance karengae. I feel proud to myself for a moment for the answer I gave to my Japanese friend describing my people of dance, music and food. later I felt ashamed to remember his answer none of my friends said we’ll come to college or we’ll go to stadium to host flag and sing national anthem. I understood we are worst, freedom means nothing for us except dance music and food. at least we should get inspiration from media which are also nothing but seasonal hypocrites.

My niece had won a place in her competition and she was anxiously waiting for the day to arrive for she being the recipient of the prize for her hard-work, and honesty at least no matters for the spirit of patriotism. My niece was chatting and informing me about her competition and colors she used orange white and green in drawing her picture. She suddenly started counting her fingers on something I asked her what she is doing she replied I am calculating we celebrate so many festivals, days, events like friendship-day, independence-day, teachers day, children’s day, happy new years day valentines day, Rakhi, Diwali, Holi, Ramzan Christmas. If I won all the competitions in this festivals how many prizes I will be having, I smiled at her and asked than when you will be studying on examination day, she said jokingly on the study day.I for a while keeping jokes apart thought that we are so busy the whole year in fairs, anniversaries, festivals and days and going for vacations, there is virtually time to work and study but still we manage to do it in our residue time.
August 15th I had washed and ironed my white Nehru kurta which is the dress code everyone wear for at least a day in mark of projection of self than respect to nation, I thought of going to the stadium and furl the national flag and watch the colorful dances by college students’ tap my feets too and get the sweets. But all my hard-work patriotic thoughts were washed away, I was assigned the undesired responsibility to accompany my niece to her school early by our family peers, I had my plans but once an order made by elders it is very difficult to over-ruled and I obeyed with all my honesty because the blood of king honest was flowing in my veins

The later evening I and my friends met at our adda (meeting place of friends) I was the first to tell them about my day how mixed it was similarly everyone contributed their day activity, yaar it was so boring 1.yaar mummy ne jaldi jaga diya as she had to go office to chanda chadene ke liye and I have to drop her sari neend karab hogi, sapna tutgaya I was with Malika sherawat watching movie with her. We were about to go for dinner water rain on my face. Aur kya tha mummy ko chod aya aur mp3 player par shakira ke gane sun tha raha aur ghar-par dance kiya. 2. I overslept and wake up at 12p.m. and had breakfast and lunch together thoda sa digestion problem hogya soda piya aur teak hogaya 3. Another friend repiled sare cable ke channeloe par azadi ka rang chada hain ek bi masala movie nahi dale sari pakavu flime chal rahe the so I was playing computer game whole day. at the last but not the least I was optimistic to hear some one might have been to celebrate the independence day and asked my last friend about his day, his answer was unbelieving 4. mere din Papa mere liye kal ek kitab laye hain ‘how to learn English in 30 days’ half day tak who padta raha, aur papa apne liye ek cool book laye hain 101 ways of making love. half day who padta raha sara din padaye mein nikal gaye aur shamm pe tumare saath baita hoonIdiots no one went for flag hosting asking nahi yaar, bhul gaye agle saal phir aagaya agle saal chale jayange. I felt ashamed of myself and embarrassed to recall three words of my Japanese friend Patriotism, Honesty, Hard-work does these words have any relevance meaning in front of today’s powerful words Dance, Music and Food. The irony is that my friends didn’t forget in stocking their belly at the right time.When I came to my home I read the famous lines from paper lying on a table of Rabindranath Tagore’s, I regret to the poet feelings and said, sir your country is sleeping and people dreaming I shall be only proud when I will reply to my Japanese friend in Japan India to Indian people means to patriotism, honesty and hard work.
Jai Hind