Sixty-three, eh? Long time on earth, you juggernaut named India.
Reams of printing material wasted in long droning newspaper articles. Some singing hymns in the might of the elephant, some 'critically analysing' where we stand today. Yet others (the coloured pages) breaking the news about how did our national lady M.Sherawat celebrate I-Day this year.
Tons of flowers plucked for gigantic garlands for our 'leaders'. The remaining plucked to be wrapped in the Tricolour before the hoisting ceremony by the most corrupt blood-sucking parasite of the locality in the capability of the 'chief guest'.
TV journalists going to inaccessible military locations once a year to show the rest of India how the 'sons of India' celebrate this day there. Empathy converts into TRPs. It's either Siachen or Shit Rukh Khan - what this day means to him and when is his new movie releasing.
A twenty-4 hour patriotism that spills over to the status messages. SMSes with flags made of hyphens, dots, asterisks and slashes. Universal, hollow wishes of "Happy I-Day".
A holiday for the whole of India.
It's a day of spin doctors. Of speeches and promises and hidden agendas. Of parades and shenanigans and hooplas.
Of shit.
My friend the hypocrisy that you speak of pervades almost every aspect of our "civilized" society. So why single out I-day? :D Live your life and move on, I daresay. All this has been there for centuries before us and will remain long after we're gone. However, I will always remember MAdshuks mail: "What a day it must have been to have lived in!! (refering to 15/8/47)". Lets just PEACEFULLY celebrate that memory, even if it be for only once a year...
ReplyDeleted whole freedom day speech ceremony n blah blah luks to me like a wildlife activist commenting on which type of chicken n fish he would luv for dinner.....
ReplyDeleten ya d link was real nic...i think today i read it for d second tym....
I agree with the sentiment of this post. And I agree with the 1st comment on this post. I conform. I do...
ReplyDeletewanted to say the same thing as choco :-)
ReplyDeleteAgreed in totality. Just another day for the blood suckers of our motherland to relish in the TRP's of their villainous interests.
ReplyDeleteexcellent way of putting it! i love the second last statement. :P
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sakya...hypocrisy is like the spoilt, prodigal son of civilisation (ok maybe its a poor analogy)...it'll always come back to bite at its source, but will be welcomed with open arms...we need to leave with it to stay politically correct, to prevent any upheaval to destroy the fake sense of order...
ReplyDeleteits too naive to think "rang de basanti" can happen
at every corner...the system will prevent it
But, then again, isn't it better that we remember it for at least 1 day, rather than give up the belief completely...
@ Sakya: Well, probably yes. But considering the fact that I was real high on weed, rationality wasn't much of an available commodity.
ReplyDeleteIdealism today is totally irrational, I guess, as exemplified by your capitalization of 'peacefully'.
@ Raj: Thanks, man!
ReplyDelete@ Choco: Well, thanks! I totally understand. We're all alike here.
ReplyDelete@ vicious: then, the same reply as that to choco (:
ReplyDelete@ shourav: totally! let's make our contibutions in out own little ways possible!
ReplyDelete@ Mehak: Thanks! (: Second last? "If not this, then what" or "of shit'" ? :P
ReplyDeleteThanks, my chinese mate!
ReplyDelete@ pathikrit: loved the "fake sense of order"!
ReplyDeletewho's asking you to give up the memory or whatever it is. all i want is that people contribute to the motherland in little ways possible without making it a hoopla. and not for just a day!
Why? Why only on days like 26th Jan & 15th of Aug we talk about India,feel about India.
ReplyDeleteAab nahi chalega..
Dare to be 'Indian' everyday.
(Thats quiet a speech..hehe)
After the jaag post ..
I'm actually carrying a plastic bag with me and using it as a dustbin, if I can't find one on the roads :)
Sooper speech!! :D
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I appreciate it! (: Nice!
Agreed, aakhir boond boond se hi sagar banta hai !
ReplyDeleteyakeenan!
ReplyDelete**Going back to sleep until all losers put their flags back in their closets, and then simply, forget all about I-day until the next I-day!**
ReplyDeletePS: Reminded me of - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpP_FnGns0o
More the cannabis, the more connection with oneself....bahut hi barhiya...ek din ke hindustani hi hain sab!
ReplyDeletePretty harsh for celebrating our own independence day but I appreciate the sentiment in you, as always. :-)
ReplyDelete@中国先生：谷歌翻译失败，男人！
ReplyDelete@ Arijit: That's actually better than a one-day show!
ReplyDelete@ akshhar: bahot connection ho raha hai aajkal bete lagta hai. aaram se. thanks!!
ReplyDelete@ nila: and i appreciate your comment, as usual!
ReplyDeleteAwe-fuckin-some video, Arijit! What would we do without Carlin!!
ReplyDeleteHehe.. :P :D..It happens only in India
ReplyDeleteActually itna sochne ka time kiske paas hai. Ab sab cannabis to pi nai sakte na...
ReplyDeleteWell said, but more in disgust than in concern..
ReplyDelete@ Ana_treek: Probably!
ReplyDelete@ Abhishek: Haan bhai, yehi toh problem hai. Khud tak pahuchne wali sabhi lines busy hain!
ReplyDelete@ Sapna: 40% disgust 60% concern. And I aint here to prove it!
ReplyDeleteIt's just like celebrating a birthday and being happy about our independence. Reflection surely gives perspectives but I don't want any change in the way we celebrate the day. Striking post, though.
ReplyDeleteI'm like a typical Indian. Somewhere relating to what you wrote but also believeing in the comment above. Thoughful!
ReplyDelete@ Shyam Sir: That's pretty much my intention as well. To make people think. Who doesn't want to celebrate the day. It's just a cynic's nay!
ReplyDeleteJyada charh gayi hai lagta hai. Itna mat socho bhai. Some things are mere traditions. Let them be what they are.
ReplyDeleteProbably! But whats wrong with a little bit of idealism??
ReplyDeleteVery true...Its reduced to shenanigans and hoopla...the tricolours and the songs...bloody hypocrites.
ReplyDeletevery well said brother...
Thanks bro! Glad you could relate!
ReplyDeleteWell, true no doubt but the feel of the celebrations aren't to show off, probably. Or they are. Who knows. The media sure exploits this to full effect. Nicely written.
ReplyDelete@ DP: Thanks.
ReplyDelete