Right now,my prep holidays are going on ( which are more like holidays and less of preparation).As usual,my exams start after the rest of the world completes theirs ( yes,I know my university is a stupid one,but that’s another topic;lets not deviate from the original point.) and are getting ready for their training( or have probably joined in their training).And,as though it is the latest fashion or something,everyone’s going abroad!!I just spoke to friend of mine who was going to Switzerland for a student exchange programme,and would,in that process,get to go to Italy,France and where not!!I could practically hear my mind whizzing:see the Castel Sant Angelo(n if that’s the right spellin),the Eiffel Tower,take the Da Vinci and Angel and Demon tour ( the former is definitely available,but I have no idea about the latter!),go to Nice,Tuscany,lounge on the beach in Cannes(if u go in time for the Cannes Film Festival,u miht also get to see Aishwarya Rai shopping in D&G or any such hsop)and even La Aquila( just to see how the earthquake victims have recovered);dine on French cheese and wine ( u have many more options if u are a non vegetarian and/or love seafood),on Italian pizzas,spaghetti,pastas,gelato and whatnot.With great difficulty I restrained and waited for her chats,in which she asked about my GPA and fussed about hers and asked about DE and EMT( as if!!However interesting I find electronics,it loses its shine in front of say,Louvre and the Colosseum.Whatever.) .I must admit,I was sort of envious,for I was desperate to visit all those places about which I apparently knew more than her.( I hope that she isnt reading this;bt den,how will she??I havent given her the site!!!)
Well,my mood ( as if there was one) was ruined and I sat frustratingly with my mp3 player in hand,watching the maid mop the floor,and tried to solve my problem.What was my problem?I asked myself as I heard the 50 second song play.It wasn’t that I hated India.No.Never.I couldn’t.I wouldn’t.Then what?I was jealous,I reached the conclusion,as the faint tunes of the next sound started to play..I was jealous she was going there alone,without any parental supervision.I was jealous that she was going through her college. I was jealous as she would get to go to all the places I wanted to go.I was---
The strains of ‘ I love my India’ ( cheesy,I know,but yet very true) interrupted my flow of thought.Or rather it silenced me.For a moment I remained silent,and then smiled at my reflection in the mirror.Go where she might,she’ll also never find another India.She cannot.Yes,she’ll probably be roaming in the posh areas of Paris and Rome,but she’ll never find the satisfaction of being here,roaming around in SN market.In which country will you find a place where,once upon a long time, when Tansen sang the Deepak Raag,he set water on fire??Or where,Lord Rama was the perfect example of an ideal son,and followed the wish of his father ( or rather mother,bt…well,you gt d pt) and went for 14 yrs to live the life of an ascetic in the forest?Or a place with the world’s largest pool of scientists,doctors and engineers?Or a place where you find color and happiness and ,most importantly,chaos everywhere??Try as she might,she’ll never find a place like this.There’s only one place in the world where all the above happen,and that’s where I am,in
There’s more to India than just colour,doctors and snake charmers.India is probably synonymous to culture.It is one of those few places in the world which follows its age old traditions.Even today,in North India,in the month of October, a married woman fast a whole day to pray for the long life of her husband.Down South,whenever its someone’s birthday or anniversary or for any special occasion(even the advent of exam results!!),before going to the cake shop to order a cake,they visit a temple and pray to God to remove all obstacles in life.In some parts,sweet curd(dahi shakkar) is fed to the perso going for some good work,like a business trip,or for an important exam,as this is considered auspicious.Most importantly,its only in India that we touch our parent’s feet before going anywhere and after coming back..It is the only place where we find heaven in the lap of our grandmother,where we feel that any gourmet cooking is tasteless when compared with mom’s aloo ke paraanthe with achaar or/and vada-sambaar or masala dosa or even Dal dhokli,where our father is honored and respected as the head of the family,where our Guru ( not to be confused with teacher) is our second God ( the first being mom),and where we see every living thing ( in some cases even non living things-like books) as an embodiment of God.Where modern day lovers are compared not to Romeo and Juliet( God knows whether they actually existed or not),but to Heer and Ranjha,Soni-Mahiwal and Laila Majnu,who actually existed and became immortal because of their love for each other,where some lovers still wait for their love,instead of hooking up someone else.In which country does all this happen?India.
I will not give you the ‘ 80 percent hindus led by a sikh PM with catholic woman as head of the ruling party bakwaas.I trust you have had enough of that in forwarded emails.I ,for my part,receive these mails on Independence Day and Republic day.
Yes India’s not all that perfect.Well its not perfect at all.We still face high poverty,unemployment and of course,corruption.In some places we have security issues.Also women related crimes are rampant.Not a week passes without news of murder,rape,theft or honour killings.The court takes a minimum of 5 years to solve a case of murder,even with a few eyewitnesses,and where cricket is a separate religion altogether.
Still,you cant help but love
Well,,,m not getting a proper ending for this blog....so let it be an open ended post....as for me I love my country,whatever it is,or however it is and will always love it.No Matter What…..
