Mera Bharat Mahan

patriotism is a strange thing.ask an indian.he will count days and tell you exactly when he feels "patriotic".it will vary anywhere between five and ten.
though,i suspect that many people might consider ogling at sania and her assets as major "patriotism"!
independence day seemed big this year.we apparently had completed 60 years of 'independence' and thus the jubilation.the honourable PM saab gave illustrious examples of how much progress the nation had made in all these years.while he indulged his eloquence,half the populace slaved away in call centres,banks,IT firms et al.it is mandatory to work on the independence day.the country needs your labour.and thus SLAVE YOU MUST!
it is sheer irony if you come to think of it.would-be johnsons and jessicas clad in kurta pajama/saree selling cheap labour,speaking chaste english so that you doubt if 'george mackenzie' is actually the same old ramachandra krishnamurthy hailing from the remote village in kerala.
patriotism sells.films with super-deshbhakti-mush hit the jackpot at box office.its the safest bet.it projects the new age india-the coming of time india.with her youth standing up against injustice.boy oh boy!if that is not a good plot,what is?
its incredible how we have come so far and yet somewhere it seems as if we never advanced.like as if india has been stuck in this time warp all this while.
the intelligentsia might ponder over debates as to whether the colonialists did us any good.
my point is,have we?
have we really progressed in all these 60 years?what we call economic boom or india shining for that matter is nothing but a repitition of colonialism .ofcourse this time 'they' coined a diplomatic term and called it globalisation.so super malls and multiplexes come flood the country,thereby driving the entire indegenous market out of business.its a brandised nation.this.but major illitearcy prevails.so does poverty.while a meagre 10% feeds on big mac burgers and fried chickens,lakhs go unfed for days.
india still boasts of such malpractises as dowry.and sati continues in some nooks and crannies of Rajasthan,U.P and the like.
you tell me stories about women's empowerment.about girls working and standing on "their own feet".and i will tell you stories of rape,female infanticide,child abuse,eve teasing and casting couches.
the girl next door might work in a big-weeg multinational company but coax her and she will relate how she had to walk/sing/dance/undo her hair/skin before her would be in-laws finalised the marriage.
the science teacher in your college might propound a hell lot of scientific bullshit and yet you will find him wearing that shiny silver amulet around the arm.
a country which proclaims herself "secular" and yet is most vulnerable in matters related to religion.while a pious muslim prays five times a day and indulges in violence all in the name of the holy koran,hindu ladies line up infront of the mandir on shivaratri to worship what is nothing short of a phallus!
a fanatic nation caught up between cricket and bollywood,the country unanimously mourns the conviction of munnabhai as also rejoices the triumph against england.
a country that remains immersed in flood half the year and threatened by the evil forces of terrorism the other.
a country where politicians crossvote,conspire,corrupt and exploit their posts all in the name of the 'janta'.

i came across an article where the author voiced genuine concern regarding indian state of affairs.
"if we are to believe India achieves 60 years of independence this year",the author quipped,"should we assume that the country will retire soon?"

worth a thought.eh,gentlemen?