Some 10yrs back it would have been an exciting day for me. Waking up early in the morning, fresh up and get ready with white clothes and neatly polished white shoes. When time permits rehearsing the moves that was practiced repeatedly over last week. And Finally head off to the school where the flag will be hoisted and all singing the Anthem and then wait for the cadets group leaders to serve sweets. It wasn't the end, in fact it was when we start to the City Stadium to perform mass PT. And the excitement never came down till the end of the show and when we were dispersed, we used to run to open field to find a empty pitch to mark our ownership to play cricket till we tire off!!! Damn I miss those days so much!
Yes, It was August 15th, our Independence Day and It was exciting then because of my ignorance of what is happening across the country!!!
But today I wonder where all that excitement has gone? There is a dejection to celebrate the essence of Freedom. That day and today I have many unanswered questions, Are we really free?
I had read that before independence there was a deathly struggle between the Khaki and the common man. Even after 63yrs of Independence this struggle is there.
I had read Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaqulla Khan were more than blood brothers during freedom struggle and even sacrificed their lives to get us freedom, then Why are we divided now with colors of saffron and Green? I felt so pity on that day for the situation we are in.
I had my coffee and left the bed to look up for the day's news paper. As I was reading it a picture on one of the page caught my immediate attention.
It was the picture that worth to be put on a Large billboard across the nation. The simple picture which tells most touching story of humanity, Nationality and Religious respect!
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words.. But this picture worth a Billion Hearts!!!
A muslim mother dressed in her religious Hijab and Burkha walking with her little son dressed as Little Krishna!!!
That picture gave me some relief, No it was not just a relief but a great hope. Hope that there are still people who Never Give Up on their religion nor Hesitate to respect others!
This one picture gave meaning to the Independence day I was sulking on. It reminded me of Akshay Kumar's dialogue from Namastey London
"...We come from a Nation where we allow
a Lady of CathoIic origin...
to step aside for a Sikh
to be sworn in as Prime Minister...
to a Muslim President to govern
a nation of over 80 percent Hindus..."
and so did Rahman's Jaya Hai song brought back the lost spirit in me to remember the Martyrs who sacrificed their lives to release us from British Oppression. But I'm damn sure that the Martyrs would be greatly disappointed to see the divided people, country and the unreasonable hatred against each other!
Nevertheless, we shall never give up, nor forget and let these tiny actions produce the most required Butterfly effect to fulfill the dream of Martyrs!
