When was the last time you saw the Independence day flag hoisting or Republic day parade, live, or on TV?
Me: I seriously don’t even remember seeing it in the news – later in the evening – for the last few years. 🙁
When was the last time you sung (or even hummed on) the national anthem?
Me: Well, the last time I tried to – I forgot/mispronounced a couple of words. 🙁 This was something we used to sing *daily* during the school & college prayer-time/assembly. Growing old, eh? 😉
Though these were a couple of the “symptoms” we used to proudly show-off to demonstrate our “patriotic fever” towards our motherland, they seem to have faded away in our past – drowned in our current life-style. We used to love pinning/sticking the Indian Tricolour on our shirts, T-Shirts, bikes, cars, doors, etc.; running & cycling around with the flag held high; and wishing everyone a “Happy Independence Day” or a “Happy Republic Day”. Nostalgic, aah!
These “symptoms” used to get us a “high” and were on “display” only a couple of days before the 15th Aug and the 26th Jan — Hence, I’d coined it as “One Day, Maa Tere Hum“… (Read it like: Vande Mataram!).
Sujalam Sufalam Malayaja Shitalam Shasya Shyamalam Maataram Vande! (Note: I didn’t Google for the lyrics; these were verbatim from my memory! Aaah!)
सुजलां सुफलां मलयजशीतलाम् शस्यशामलां मातरम् वन्दे ।
Visit here and read it with its English meaning, I recommend. (Googled only now!)
The fever has lost its fervor and here we are, still high on patriotism, but bogged down with other things in life. A PH – public holiday – to relax, travel, shop, have fun; that’s what the Independence days or Republic days are meant for now. 😐
With the country completing 62 years of independence, what’s on your to-do list for this 15th Aug 2009?
Me: I plan to get up early and watch the Independence day flag hoisting with my 5 yr. old daughter, Stuti. It will probably be her first Independence day “celebration” – the reasons for which, she’s yet to learn & understand. 😀
Chak De… Chak De… Chak De India!
Jai Hind! 😀
Visit: http://india.gov.in/myindia/myindia.php
