Ever pondered on this?
Why is it that only as Independence/Republic Day is approaching, do most of us:
- Start spamming each other's inboxes with forwards about Azaadi, Hamaara Bharath Mahan, etc?
- Buy and pin flags to ourselves?
- Wear clothes that contain the tri-color(Is that not disrespect to wrap the flag around)?
- Telecast and watch so to speak Patriotic movies and Jai Jawan?
- Recite the National Anthem(while we don't stand in attention and respect the anthem)?
The list is endless. It seems more like a forced ritual than something that comes from within. Why don't we otherwise think of the soldiers who pledge their life for the nation? Why does the government award them much lesser than software geeks when it comes to monetary benefits. There is no comparison to there services. Why does not the Indian government make it mandatory for every boy and girl to serve the nation for a minimum period of at least two years?
I believe there is no profession that can match the Forces(with all due to respect to them), be it Pride or Dignity.I understand, empathize and have great regard, as I come from a Defence family and always, wanted to join the Forces. Call it Fate, Destiny or Luck was not with me. :-(
13 comments:
sorry but absolutely not agreed. I dont play with colors all year, but still I cherish Lord Ram's homecoming. I dont burst crackers or light diyas whole year long but still I believe in the Holy Ramayan. My sister doesnt tie me rakhi every sunday, but she loves me all year long.
It is the season, the mood and the celebration... if you dont do it everyday doesnt mean you dont have that feeling. I dont think it is a forced ritual. Some of us dont even stand for our anthem at home but most of us do.
but yes, one observation about the national anthem. I dont know the real practice, I have not read the constitution, but my teacher in school used to say that the national anthem should only be recited under open sky. It is a disgrace to the anthem to recite it under a closed roof. That is why we never recited it in our class rooms but only in the school ground. But now, I see every TV show showing anthem at the end. if my teacher was right, then I think the Ministry of I&B should ban it immediately.
I don't agree with everything you said too though I agree with the flavor of your post. And the problem is that now its very stylish to make these kinda posts/mails towards Indie/Rep day.
Points I don't agree with:
1) Jain Jawan is aired throughout the air - once every month I think.
2) National Anthem is made compulsory to be played in Theatres and Fame LIDO actually does that. And yes people do stand up when it is played. One beautiful thing is that they play Bharat Bala and AR Rehman's "Jana gana mana" featuring India's best singers and that's a wonderful gesture.
3) Its disrespectful to wrap the flag around, NOT to wear clothes that contain the tri-color colors.
4) Government does provide the best faciliies to the armed forces. There is more budget for defence than education in India.
btw if u r thinking I'm disrespecting the armed forces with my last point, I beg to differ.
I respect the sacrifices that the armed forces make for us but deny the fact that defence personnel are not taken care of well or that they don't get enough monetary and other benefits.
I'm saying an ideal situation will be where our government should spend more on education than on defence; to build a better India but its obviously not practical considering the terrorisim scares that we have.
@ashish - Yes it is a season agreed but to stand for the national anthem? Does that also require a season? It's mere respect that's needed and is missing. The idea of reciting the anthem under the open sky is new to me. So I can't comment on that.
@Hrish - Well let me clarify it's not cause of style that I am making this post, nor cos it's the in thing did I want to join the forces, nor was that the reason why my folks served the nation.
1)I knew that was coming, agreed that Jai Jawan is aired more than once a year, a filmstar might entertain the soldiers for a while but that I don't believe is a big contribution from his/her end.
2)People stand up, but how many of them are attendding to mobile phones, whispering to each other, etc at the same time?
3)I strongly believe to wear the tri-color is a disrespect as is wrapping the flag around oneself.
4) As for the Armed Forces being taken care of, let me clarify that no matter how much is done it is STLL LESS. The soldier gives his life for the nation, and LIFE can't be measured in terms of money. If he is given medical and other benefits he MORE THAN DESERVES it.
Would you even dream of sacrificing your life for the Nation? Talking of expenses on Defence Equipment, what else do you expect with terrorism? Mind you every pie spent on the Defence Forces is to defend the Country, the Public, You.
The Naval Chief used to get a mere 30K before the 6th pay commission and an approx of
90K(if I am not wrong) after the 6th Pay commission, as against a Software chap(graduate) who earns the same amount with 4-5yrs of work experience. I don't think the two can or should be compared.
The audience of my blog is free to post and share their respective views but I for one strongly support the ARMED FORCES, any day and beleive there is no pride like serving the nation and no better place than the forces. Your opinions may differ and each of us are of free will but this is my OPINION that I will SCREAM ALOUD whenever asked. I did not make it to the forces but am HAPPY and PROUD that I atleast belong to a family from the Forces.
i dont do any of the items listed. no fwd. no badges. no nothing. for me the ideal patriot at this point is one who simply works hard at his job(pref outside the country) to generate more forex for us ;) )and helps make the country economically better. that's all the patriotism we need at the moment.
hmm...well..
...now even on these 2 days..ppl dont do the above mentioned things,its just another holiday 2 catch up with frnds or relax at home
i studied in army school and the coolest ting about my school choir was - we learnt a patriotic song in a different indian language every fortnight - it as awesome. and since i learn them as a kid, i got the accent right too!
only, when someone like me who loves singing songs, is caught singing a patriotic song, (or a carnatic keerthana) out of the blue - ppl raise eyebrows. if i were sitting in the cab and asked u, dhruvvie to start singing patriotic songs with me on any given day - u guys would be the first to tell me to shut up.
so this 'supposed hyprocisy' exists everywehre - except it probably has nothing to do with hypocrisy - but our mood. if i feel like singing, and u dont join me - it gives me no right to assume ur 'un-patriotic'. same way - if you dont wear a tri color badge all yr thru, nothing is wrong.
about the national anthem - we all agree.
nice thought...nice post as well...
Excerpt : "It seems more like a forced ritual than something that comes from within"
- I disagree. I also don't think you really mean that. Do you?
And "Why don't we otherwise think of the soldiers who pledge their life for the nation? Why does the government award them much lesser than software geeks when it comes to monetary benefits. There is no comparison to there services. Why does not the Indian government make it mandatory for every boy and girl to serve the nation for a minimum period of at least two years?"
-Sans the last line, I TOTALLY agree.
I guess the current pay commission is considering all of these.. and you can't compare soldier's salary to that of a software engineer (make no mistake govt. doesn't pay the software folks (pvt. sector)), its like comparing apples and oranges....
The defense forces have their own charm and the soldiers are not meant to think much, they just execute orders of their superiors and that is what they are trained for.. with due respect to their integrity....
and unfortunately we are in a democratic setup so we can't ask everyone to serve in the Army .. you need to be in China to really understand how true our democratic rights are.... Some countries have it mandatory because of a very small armed forces and imminent threat from their neighbours (like Israel and Thailand because of Monarchy) ...
And as regards to flag, because of our conservative outlook and some penal codes we cannot wear our flag as they way Americans or the Brits drape it (like their undergarment etc.)...
The spirit of India is here to stay and has a long way to travel....
Balu.
Nice thoughts with sincere genuineness....but i am afraid i dont agree with the thought of todays soldiers pride or if i am not wrong in using the word their self conceit or egotism for that...today, its all the manifestations by the superior to literally rule the juniors existence and if the senior has a virtuous cause to his acts..then the junior is LUCKYY....anything where power dominates the freedom then its nothing more than a lounge of dead bodies breathing and responding to someone elses mere hypocritic cause...ALthough a lot of my family members are in armed forces serving the nation with what they are trained in..but i think if the training is designed to add meaning in there acts...nothin cud compare to that...eg. Israel army is said to be number 1 army of world...its not the technology...its the virtues which distinguish them from others in world...they are trained for a purpose..and the purpose is of there own....not of somebody elsee...
A renewed sense of patriotism towards independence day or republic somehow reminds me of Xmas..(anyway it's xmas time now!!). As xmas eve approaches people speak of love and charity and true meaning, etc, etc... where's all this talk the rest of the year.Seems like we always need an event to remember something. Man's memory is rather short.
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