Saturday, August 15, 2009

Honour thy freedom!!

I have never been able to dance to any body's tune! I am a bad dancer (leave that apart), but even figuratively, I cant make myself dance to any body's tune. As a child when I was ordered to do something my mind plummeted me in the opposite direction. Its like a reflex.. The moment I am told to do something, I don't want to do it. I think most of us are like that. We hate being ordered around, bossed around. But not many of us realise the value of this freedom. I don't. I feel its my right. Do you?

India might have many ills, but its strongest virtue is that it lets us be just as we are. We praise other nations, we leave India and settle abroad, we joke about our leaders, we rally, we march, we don't have to send our boys to the army at the age of 21, they are free to go to the USA or wherever they please. We have free press, A Tianamen Square does not happen in India. That's freedom, I think. Weather or not we honour that freedom is a different story. Read on friends and feel as proud as I do of our beautiful homeland...

(A Repost)

I had no idea that there was a panel that judged National Anthems..but something like that does exist, and its in the headlines these days that the Indian National Anthem has been judged the best. As Indians we are all proud of this fact..but am sure we don't need a panel to tell this to us. I might not be an authority on National Anthems but I can say without a doubt in my mind that each time the first notes of Jana Gana Mana float through the air, every Indian's heart soars with love, respect, pride and bonding to the motherland, such is the beauty of the composition. As a child it was just a song that had to be sung at the beginning of each day in the school assembly..we, most of the times never got the words right..but the tune even then kept us glued to the spot.

Now as I see my children singing it along with their peers, I often wonder do they feel what we felt while we sang the anthem? Does their heart surge with pride at the ebb and tide of each note? Do they picture the beauty of each state as visualized by the poet? Can they see the lofty peaks, the beautiful rivers, the bounty of nature..or do they just see a land which has lost its way? Ravaged by internal wars and terrorism, ever changing heads of state, Corruption and immoral politics, underpaid masses, record breaking inflation rates, a land which even their parents have given up on!!

We travel abroad and take our kids to the Swiss Alps for the summers, The USA, and The UK fight with The South East Asian countries for enlisting themselves into our travel plans..but as parents we never somehow plan a trip to Kaziranga, or say the temples of the south, we even keep the Taj Mahal on the back burner..saying.."Ohh we can do that any day" But does that day ever come? Definitely our children are citizens of the world..they need exposure, they need to know the different cultures all around the globe..but before that don't they need to know their country better? why not take them to Gujarat and show them how Amul revolutionized the milk industry? Why don't we give them a chance of being proud of their heritage by showing them the robust farms of Punjab..Why don't we have the courage to take them to Kashmir and show them that this land is worth protecting with your life!! Each soldier standing in attention at the LOC definitely deserves a salute form each of our kids.

Left to the news channels all they will ever hear about our country is negativity, its up to us, their parents, to point out the beauty of a nation that's still too young to be given up on.. Let them feel the splendour of our nation, to be able to feel proud of the National Anthem, to be able to relate to it, to willingly stand up in salute to a song they sing everyday at the beginning of an assembly.

71 comments:

Shivangi Shaily said...

Its becoming difficult day by day to sustain that "Indian spark". Truely written!

Kavi said...

Freedom is more than being just free. Freedom comes with responsibility. Thats often taken for granted !

And i guess independence day and such other days, must not become rituals of some kind. But a time to introspect and pledge a better future. By beginning with us !

And ofcourse, our land has beautiful sights and wonderful stories of courage and life. And i know of many families that consciously explores India !

It gladdens me that you have this within your sight !

Anonymous said...

Happy Independence Day! Love what you have done with your blog!

My hubby thinks we should cover the whole of India before venturing out for vacations. Now I am not too sure that decision is entirely based on Patriotism, but I'd like to think of it like that ;-). I have been to the Taj Mahal, and to most of the temples of the south. Looking forward to visiting Kashmir someday!!

Each time I hear a Song on Patriotism, my eyes fill up. I was brought up in the UAE. So I have no worries to the fact that my kids too will learn to have the same respect for their flag and anthem as all Indians do. Its inbuilt in us...

Jai Hind!

mark said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
NR said...

We should know that nothing is free in this world n the freedom that we have in India is all because of the great sacrifice given by the freedom fighters. Yup sometimes we take freedom for granted...but when i look around n compare my freedom with many other countries in the world...believe me we are lucky ones. India has given freedom of everything to its citizens..i am proud to be born in this beautiful country and proud of our national anthem.
Happy Independence Day!!

ZB said...

thank you. happy independence day to you too. We all feel proud of our nations and India is great, though its greatness is yet to come in open to the world.

But i feel its alright to criticize our nation in a creative way. Not blind criticism. I criticize my country out of love for it, like a mother criticize its child( or the other way). And people who have settled abroad have indeed contributed greatly to the nation. There are several examples. We realize our love more when we live outside of it.

And blind love, just in words can be worthless too. I have started to love my country more since i have started living outside of it.

We all dont have to join army, or start a revolution.We can contribute by being cultured , law abiding citizens. We can contribute by paying tax, not making a clutter out on roads, starting businesses, donating for relief funds, Voting for the right candidate, being aware of the fundamental rights, not sponsor terrorism, not fight in the name of religion and caste, and many other ways. One billion educated population alone means a lot of difference to the country. Jai hind.:)

ZB said...

But i dont agree on saying India is the greatest nation on earth. I am sad and hurt by a large part of whats happening in our country.

We have a lot to go before we become GREAT.

No great nation will have policemen, who strip women in public. No great nation will have killing in the name of dowry.

We still are largely narrow minded. and 63rd Independence day should bring hope. But you post was well written. :)

Sucharita Sarkar said...

Loved the deshbhakt colours of your blog. And you are right, the national anthem brings tears of pride everytime I hear it sung, usually at the beginning of a movie in a multiplex (as per Govt of Maharashtra rules). However banal the setting, the grandeur of the anthem rises above it all.

anamika said...

I liked your template...Its freedom only which let us express our thoughts through various medium.We all are proud of India and though criticize it equally but in our heart we wish its best no matter where we stay .

anamika said...

I liked your template...Its freedom only which let us express our thoughts through various medium.We all are proud of India and though criticize it equally but in our heart we wish its best no matter where we stay .

SJ said...

Few months ago there was desi-blogger who visited Bangalore after 18 yrs. She came back and said, "Diabetes and ashtma is rampant. Everyone is coughing n sneezing. I don't know how people live there" My heart died I tell u, its so unfair of someone to say that. So Sakshi and I being the crazies that we are made a huge post about there is good and bad in every country and one should just take if you can't make it better than just don't crib. Cos nothing is going to change just by cribbing. (You may want to read Sakshi's post in my blog and hers, the woman did a brilliant job) So all the bloggers wrote in 'haan haan what u say is right, we shouldn't criticize India etc" ONce they came to know it was about the blogger OMG all hell broke loose. Suddenly, it was "There is no harm in stating facts' saying- god knows how people even live there is apparently stating facts!
Even last week, some blogger told me I made a big issue for nothing, everyone has the right to voice their view and I am nobody to oppose anyones opinion. I just don't get it, half the desi crowd is home sick here, they just stay on because they don't want to leave the luxury but they want the family so most of them are miserable. And there is nothing shiny and sparkly here- the heath care system sucks big time, to get an appointment with a gyn I had to wait 20 days -by that time the problem had solved by itself. I just get it with these people.

Oh yes, someone called me a hypocrite, being in the USa you write abt India. Sigh is it my fault that my husband is stuck here? We do want to move back in March and we are doing everything...some people sigh...

I love the template. And I love the pride. I bet Sakshi will go gaga over this post and template!

Gayathri said...

very well written..i was wondering why i didnt stumble upon anyone writing on i-day.!!
not just national anthem..even the tone of vande mataram makes goosebumps..and India for sure gives a lot more liberty to its citizens than any of those so called great democracies or super powers,in terms of freedom to expression as well as religion..just like shelter,food and water,liberty is a fundamental need..and we must not take the painstaking efforts of those great people for granted,for the liberty we enjoy today :)
cheers:)
Happy Independence Day :)

ZB said...

the song *aye mere pyare watan* makes me very emotional and nostalgic. came back to listen to you music widget...I wish i could live in India all my life.

I wish 5 years could move fast and i am back to where i belong. theres no place like India, and only place to feel truly at home and i could make a difference to it by whatever small way i can, by my mere contribution to its economy.

BK Chowla, said...

I know freedom means being free.But what is being free?To me it is freedom from corruption, cast ism,regionalism etc.I suppose we are in the right direction,but will take some more time.Happy independence day to you and your readers.
Sujata,incidentally,haven't seen on my posts for quite sometime?

Ire said...

I totally agree with the first para. My mom is so fed up of me that now she suggests otherwise so that I end up doing the right thing.

Love post. Freedom is the most misunderstood word I feel. Freedom comes with self real and most of us don't even know how to spell it!

sujata sengupta said...

@Shivi The spark is within us and how we portray our country to the rest of the world. I think the generation now is very good, much better and much willing than what our generation was. Things are going to turn around very soon.

@Kavi Freedom is not having to give a thumb print for visa renewal.Each year that I do it, I shout my head off at the husband, I feel violated. Freedom is being innocent till proven guilty, we dont realise what India gives us, until we have lived as NRIs.

@Jyothi I think your hubby thinks absolutely right. My hubby thinks absolutely the other way..ghar ki murgi hain baad mein dekh lenge, I am sounding crude I know, but I think its unfair, As soon as my son is 10 years old and ready to grasp and has some sort of a permanent memory, I intend to take them to all the states. Most of the country has been visited by me, but I look forward to exploring again with them.

@NR I think my generation was the most disillusioned, yours and the coming generations are renewing their faith in the country, really makes me happy. Happy Independence day to you.

@ZB The anthen has always brought a lump to my throat irrespective of weather I was in or out of the country. There is patriotism in all of us, its just that we get disillusioned to fast, we give up too fast. Its our country, good or bad, its ours right? The only place we can call home, just that is I think a great thing. My husband said 2 years to me when he took up this offer, its already almost 5 years. I am not debating anything ZB, I have enough debates at home, the latest being , I will take the kids and stay in India..lets see..I have always loved the song aye mere pyare watan..happy listening!

@Sucharita watched Gandhi today with the kids at home, daughter got some of it, the son just made one comment..while watching the Jaliaan Walah Baug scene..he said,"They closed all doors but thats unfair!! Thats cheating!

@Anamika very rightly said. I have come to value the freedom of press even more since my stay in Muscat. There is no freedom of press here, Its pointless weather you read a paper or not.

@SJ hahahah hypocrite, I am sure people think of me as one too, what to do..cant blame them can we? But I would love to read that post, just send me the link soon. Health system here is a complete goner, for everything more serious than the common cold people fly to India, you dont have to wait maybe, but the doctors are tauba tauba.I believe its totally up to us to spread the tru value of our country esp to the world outside and we can do that convincingly only if we have the faith.

@Gayathri yah, we dont have a statue of liberty, maybe thats why we have taken this for granted.

@BK Chowla, Sir the last post of yours i read was about taking things slowly and living life to the fullest, I loved that post, it was extremely heartfelt and I esp had a lot to learn from it. Will chk your latest post today itself. I also believe that this generation unlike mine is not disillusioned with the country, brain drain is less, and a lot of vices of the west are out in the open, am sure things will turn around for India soon.

@nikki its a bong thing, the reflex to just do a 180 degree on anything told.

Nona said...

Nice post. You are right! We go looking for vacation ideas outside India while India has so much to offer!

Gymnast said...

Hey sujatha..

I did major part of my schooling abroad , and i know some of my schoolmates who thought of india, their own homeland as dirty and uncivilised.

Yes , indeed it is time that we did a little more introspection and brushed upon that Indian-ness in us.

Happy independence day

ZB said...

Humm, we have similar debate almost everyday. My wife hates it here and never wants to live anywhere outside. She tells me to live alone But i cant and wont survive without seeing my family. Esp. daughter. Seeing your kid grow before you is priceless.TC:))

Sumandebray said...

Most of us still love our country... Even now when I hear the one of the 3 songs.. jana gana .. Or saare jahan se ... or Bande Mataram.... I have a lump in my throat.
I am also fortunate to visit almost all the states of the country at least once. It needs to be seen if I can take my daughter to an India tours like my father did with us.
India has her problem... Everyone does have. That does not make it any lesser than any other nation!
Mera Bharat Mahan…. Jai Hind!

Sakshi said...

Sujata can I go mad here please please? I so want to after listening to all those love songs you have put up here and the layout OMG I feel like a 10 year old kid again. One who went berserk celebrating Independence day in a Dubai school making her friends hope that it's a one day screw loose day in a year.

I was an out and out rebel in the family and never ever danced to anyone's tune. They did try hard and the harder they tried the more stubborn I became...sigh! Freedom definitely for me was something I always cherished and fought for be it that as a daughter, sister or a wife.

India..hmmm...you know that one name is enough to stir up so much love in my heart. I won't say am patriotic and all that but I know how it feels to yearn for the warmth of your country, the smile and hugs of your own people. As a kid who grew up in Dubai India was summer and fun for me, the two months summer vacation in Kerala which I dreamed about for the rest of the 10 months. I am one of those people whose heart becomes heavy and eyes get unexpected monsoons listening to the song chak de India or any song that has the name Hindustan mentioned it. I have never sat and analysed why I behave this way. I just know that I feel a certain pride in my heart and my eyes twinkle with joy when I talk about my India. Maybe I am madly in love with the land that I was born in, the culture I inherited, with my granddad who himself was one of the freedom fighters, who told me stories about this beautiful land, it's great people, everything that was good and bad about it. I wish we NRI's could also tell our American Citizen kids that there is nothing to be ashamed off to say where our roots come from. My blood boils when I see NRI's who think they acquire the right to defame my land when they get a citizenship here. (yes SJ and me went all over waging war on this).

Like you said some of us Indians don't need any kind of panel to tell us that our national anthem is the best or that our country is the greatest. We can just feel it in our blood and heart no? (ok now I am crying)! My granddad always said that if you love your country unconditionally you will always spread a spark of joy and gain respect where ever you go.

PS My husband thinks I married him so that I can get a free Guide to travel all over North India coz that is just what I did the day after we got married :).

Sakshi said...

OMG that was one long comment sheesh...but India has that effect on me u see. Love your songs, it's blaring from my laptop making my son and husband stay away from me coz they fear if they try to shut it off I might scream murder. Yup today I exercise my right to be the boss. Happy Independence day fellow Indians..

Sakshi said...

Hey SJ you went to the gynaec? what yaar any plans of producing ABCD kid or what?

sujata sengupta said...

@Nona Yes there is I am waiting a couple of more years and when my boy is of age we travel through India. Thats my wish list

@Gymnast I agree, and coming from you who has grown up abroad, it makes me really happy.

@ZB certains things are like rail roads..they never meet just go on and on and then on some more..thats debates between a husband and a wife!!

@SumanDebRay everybody has problems, but theres a lot of good things too which we can focus on, atleast today, the entire year we just crib..I hope you can take your daughter to all those places you visited as a child. theres nothing better than being able to do that.

@Sakshi what do i say to your comment apart from the fact that I love your madness! I hope you remain mad always!! wish I had those emoticons that rush has..so useful na? What your grandfather said is absolutely true, we portray our country by how we behave, and the greatest respect for our nation , I think, is by doing that. The love for the country is like any other love, it cant be hidden, it shines in the eyes! And if you dont have it..you cant fake it either..that shows too. I would love to read the post that you and sj wrote, pls send me the link. The gyn prob cured in 20 days by itself SJ says...I dont think its ABCD time yet!!

Sakshi said...

Here you asked for it ok? SJ's best post yet http://masalavade.blogspot.com/search/label/Jai%20Hind

G S Pillai said...

I am afraid I have become a bit cynical of late, perhaps thats why What I loved most was your line about our country being too young to be given up on. Personally I yearn to see the day when national identities would become irrelevant, just like imperial aspirations went out of fashion in the later half of the 20th century. But while we are here, let us celebrate our nation-state.

Sakshi said...

Just saw the Indian Flag painting and your caption Do we deserve this beauty? Awesome! I am camping on your blog today :)

nsiyer said...

Brilliant SUJATA. I have often found if as parents we have not laid emphasis on what a great country ours is and have not told them stories of the freedom struggle and also of our great epics, it is we who have to be blamed.My father told us stories of his participationin the freedom struggle and also passed it on to my children. They atleast understand and show rspect to how the country has been built. We should end our cynicism.

Aparna said...

Every time I read a book on some country which has denied its citizens some basic rights, I feel I am so fortunate to be born here.
We make sure we take the kids to some spot in India every year so that they know about their country and their heritage.
I feel I really would be so lost if I have to stay somewhere else. Though there are so many things that get on my nerve, these things are my own. Cant ever leave India.

Shrinath Vashishtha said...

Here's wishing Sujata and all of Sujata's friends and fans a mighty HAPPY & REJUVENATING 62nd INDEPENDENCE DAY from ANDAMAN & NICOBAR THE HISTORIC INDIAN CORAL ISLANDS.
This is where the Indian Tricolor was hoisted for the very first time by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at the Gymkhana ground, Port Blair on 30th December, 1943 (Yesss... Well before the 15th August, 1947) and our ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS were the first Indian territory to be declared free from the shackles of the British imperialism by Netaji, the real Hero, heralding the complete Independence for the whole Indian nation.

Rush said...

ur blog makes me wanna take some action, take that first step towards doing something and feeling proud this day. U truly inspire.

SJ said...

What?!!?? Sujata I am glad you liked the post but a repost!! I will be lynched for sure!! REad what poeple had to say for what Sakshi n I had written,
1)http://indosungod.blogspot.com/2009/06/opinion-police-anyone.html
2) http://indosungod.blogspot.com/2009/06/spicy-sweet-and-sour-chickpeas-and-blog.html

And apparently there is something called blog etiquette, so you have no right to oppose anyones views or anything ok? To think that someone who lives in the USA , where everyday people on national TV make fun of the president and the congress, comes up with something as dumb as blog etiquette (its total BS by the way) is just mind numbing.

So Sakshi n me are not going to offend any f these mahans by reposting our posts.

SJ said...

This is Sakshi's masterpiece http://fourseasonsoflove.blogspot.com/2009/06/little-of-hindustan-in-mine-and-your.html

which somepeople consider crap...yeah I am looking for a good pschyotherapist for those people.

ZB said...

Sujata: Sorry for bombarding comments, but being a public platform and being a patriot, i dont agree with some comments.

I love my country and my love for it makes me cynical about it. If we say our nation has largest number of Diabetic and heart patients, its nothing but truth and if peoples blood boils it should be for the condition of nation and not on people who said that. we get angry at people who point out , then we are want to live an Ostrich and cover our heads to believe the world is not seeing us.

We have to be cynical and critical of our nation when we have to. Our love for it shouldnt be blind like that of Dhrithrashtra had for Duryodhan.We need thinkers like Dickens, Raja Ram Manohar roy, Toni Morrison , Leo Tolstoy, Destoyevsky, Martin Luther, who wrote about and came in open about the negativity of the society.TC

ZB said...

and i think cribbing is the first step towards doing a thing. If 100 people crib, there are chances that at least 5 will do something about it.

Cribbing is better than not cribbing at all. I think so. :)

May be i should keep quiet and not preach so much.Sorry again. :)

sujata sengupta said...

@Bluebird, I will let you in on a tiny secret, as a teenager I was really inspired by mother teresa and being the dimwit that I am I told my father I want to become a nun, I was 14then so bear with me ok. He just told me one thing..its not easy to love the whole world equally, its the most difficult thing to do. I realise that now..its so difficult not to relate to a few set of things and call them your own and love them more than the others, a few of us have a larger boundary, but boundaries are still there..I dont know weather we are beyond boundaries. I love to identify with my country.

@nsiyer, i agree completely.

@Aparna I relate to that,better our hut than the ivory towers of the neighbour, comparison is valid only till it makes us better, beyond that it just begets negetivity.

@Shrinath Vashistha thank you for wishing us all. Happy Independence day to you too.

@Rush you are an inspirational person yourself. Am happy the post inspired you. Thank you.

@SJ point noted. will go to your and sakshi's blog to read the links.

@ZB its a public platform and you are welcome to say your mind. I have nothing against people who crib and complain about the ills of our country staying in it, because i feel they are going through it, they are voicing their opinions, in some way they are making a change, just by being vocal. But if people go to visit and come back saying such stuff, its difficult to take in. Imagine a fellow Indian who goes to home for the summers has yum food there, gets all the love thats possible only at home,shops till he and his wife drop and when he lands in bahrain he opens his mouth and the first thing that he says is.."Godd, I hate India, such lousy weather, such filth" wont that upset you? say good,and do something about the bad, we all have ills in us, does that mean we keep focusing on those, or do we focus on the positives and gather strength to overcome the ills?

अनिल कान्त said...

देशभक्ति का जज्बा खुद आता है...हाँ वो माहौल और परवरिश भी जरूरी है...
स्वतंत्रता मिलना और उसे सही दिशा में लेना और उसे बनाये रखना ...बहुत बड़ा काम है

हाँ बहुत से भारतीय हैं जो अपना देश छोड़ कर विदेश चले गए हैं...कारण चाहे जो भी हो....लेकिन अपने घर...अपने वतन की याद तो आती ही है

आपकी पोस्ट मुझे बहुत पसंद आई

ZB said...

**Raja Ram Mohan Roy**- sorry for the typo.hehe:))

Thanks Sujata. I doubt if any NRI will complain about Warmth of relationships you get in India, The food, The sense of homeliness and richness of tradition.

I know of NRI's who only complaint about Politics, lack of basics, Chalta hein attitudes...which i feel is largely true.

And also this attitude ** if we cant change it dont crib about it **...

Probably the greatest thing these great people i mentioned in my previous comment was to crib.And write about it.

aquariius said...

even in a "free" country like the USA there is rampant racial and religous profiling, case in point SRK's detention.

India is more free in my opinion than any place on Earth - sure, we all have a lot of responsibility and work to do to make India even better, but we can take pride for the ideals our democracy (the largest in the world) stands for.

cheers :)

SJ said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
SJ said...

Aaj Sunday hai mommy!! Chuttiii....

But since I respect you immensely, won't give you any headache :D deleted it!

pradipwritenow said...

How many of us not only hum the tune of our national song but tried to catch and follow some words of the song.

deeps said...

sorry for the late appearance ... been kinda busy ...
wow, wow and again wow!!!
this is so very colorful ... not just the post but whole blog ...


and thank you for taking time to bloghop..

के सी said...

सुजाता जी पोस्ट बहुत सुंदर हैं
घंटा भर से आपका रंग संयोजन देख रहा हूँ
दो घंटे से प्लेलिस्ट सुन रहा हूँ
तीन घंटे पहले से अपर्णा जी के ब्लॉग का भी असर है
आपको नमस्ते करने को जी चाह रहा है .... तो स्वीकार कर लीजिये.
आजादी के अवसर पर हम वही गिनती के पचास गीत प्रसारित करते हैं कई सालों से पर कभी ऊब नहीं हुई. इसका कारण आज आपकी पोस्ट को पढ़ के समझ आया है आपकी प्लेलिस्ट को सुन के समझ आया है कि मैं उस देश में हूँ जिसके अभिमान में सुजाता और अपर्णा जैसे नाम भी जुड़ते हैं. अपनी माटी से स्नेह अपनी माटी पर अधिकार... हमारा गणतंत्र स्वाधीन और अमर रहे !!!!!

R. Ramesh said...

thanksss a tonne friend...

2Shaye ♪♫ said...

Oh wow, Sujata! I totally get this. You know, I don't keep up with what other countries are reporting about their own country. But it seems, in general, that negativity wins over every media outlet. They tend to thrive on the shocking, the horrible, and on pointing out all that's gone wrong. This seems to be true of all countries.

You really make me want to come to your homeland. I've been on one real vacation outside my own country and it was such an educational and healing travel. I think we leave our own homelands to learn about other cultures and have a deeper understanding of the world as a whole. Many have never been anywhere other than their own town. But as we know, seeing something in a magazine or on a movie about another culture just doesn't give the full picture like being there.

Love this.

Suraj said...

I am a very different person i sometimes do things for the sake of it or just to make people happy...but lately some incidents & people in my life has taught me the value of doing things for yourself above all enjoying the freedom !!! Thanks to those people !!

Urmi said...

Very well written with lovely pictures.Wish you a very Happy Independence Day.

Meira said...

Happy Independence Day :)

sujata sengupta said...

@Anil thanks a ton.

@ZB NRIS dont complain about the warmth, they generalize the complaints. I have heard ladies who are in MUscat for more than 20 years and also ladies who are in Muscat for just over an year, they complain how difficult it is for their kids to be in India for the summers without AC, how the pollution makes their noses burn, how the actual vacation starts once they reach the shores of Muscat, also how they just go to India so that the relatives dont crib about them having turned videshi completely, and also its so difficult to do without their whiskeys for those two months. I fail to understand why they bother to go at all?

@Aquarius thanks for writing in again. Yes its a huge task for the government to move forward a nation that has so many divides in terms of races, language, religion. this is not the case in any other democracy, the majorly speak the same language, follow the same religion, and so obviously there is a natural bonding.

@SJ thanks, but now I miss that comment of yours..am I wierd or what??

@Pradipda I think we all love our national anthem.

@Deeps thansk for dropping by.

@Kishore I am honoured. Thank you very much.

@Ramesh thanks

@Shaye You must visit India. Its much much more than what the media says about it. Like always it feels great to bond with you.

@Suraj enjoy your freedom!

@babli thansk

@Meira thanks and same to you

Tall Guy said...

That was a nice way to put it.

BTW, regarding the Indian national anthem being judged best, if you are referring to the UNSECO award its a hoax.

Nice way of blending the colors of the Indian flag in your template :)

Deeps said...

every time,Sujata,every time I come here to read your posts,you make me feel at awe of you!

A panel for national anthems??really?
you know,sujata whenever I hear the anthem,out of reflex,whereever I am I stand up and start singing along...thats the effect our anthem has on me.It just makes me keep my head high.And I sincerely hope I'm able to inculcate that feeling of pride in Namnam too!

Great post as always :)

BTW,hows my Oman doing??I miss it so much,especially the coming months of the year...the country looks heavenly in that pleasant climate isnt it??

eye-in-sty-in said...

Lovely post! Belated happy Independence day!

eye-in-sty-in said...

best anthem? really??? Wow!

Kavita Saharia said...

SUJATA...what a wonderful post...i think you are just like me....madly in love with APNA BHARAT DESH..some very important family matter(we lost someone recently plus daughter's weekly tests,guests etc) is keeping me very busy,hope to be back by next week...i miss you all so much and yes thanks for being such a wonderful friend.

Indrani said...

Great thoughts shared! You are missing India, it is obvious. :)
Greetings to you too.

sujata sengupta said...

@Survivor my nephew said that too, about the hoax..but it was doing a lot of rounds on the net those days..anyways as I say, we dont need a panel, we know our anthem is the best!

@deeps hhahahah, wow thats something, you are making me feel all good about myself!! Yah the panel thing was doing a lot of rounds a few monthe back, but then after this post a lot of people said it was a hoax, but thats besides the point, our anthem is the best!! Oman is doing fine. Gearing up for ramadhan and I am hopeful that I will clear my road test and also looking fwd to yummy sadhya lunch. Here quite a few hotels also make it. you must be aware.

@Eye-in-sty-in same to you!and dont read so much..not good for the eyes..

@Kavita good to hear from you, am sorry about the loss in the family, really was missing your presence so knocked!Take care and get back soon

@Indrani missing India a lot! But I keep visiting your blog to get a nice trip through all that our country has to offer!!

kochuthresiamma p .j said...

what a beautiful post, Sujatha.i think all parents should read it.and news channels too, in order to effect a shift from their negativity.
beautiful lay out!

Pesto Sauce said...

That was so patriotic

I get goose bumps every time I hear title song of Karma

Deeps said...

hey,you're learning driving too..I recently got mine.do you still have the drum,slope and road or have they changed the levels there?
Here I had the 'L',straight parking and then road

Good luck for your test,Sujata:)

Bhavya.B said...

Nice post....

Arun Meethale Chirakkal said...

Once again it’s that time of the year to be patriotic, feel proud to be an Indian and blah blah blah…sorry for being cynical, and the anger, definitely, is not directed against your post. Good writing indeed.

SG said...

Nice post. Very well written.

Destiny's child... said...

Wonderful piece. You just spoke my mind. We never realize what we have until we lose it. Let's count our blessings and thank our nation for it! :)

sujata sengupta said...

@kochuthresiamma p.j thank you.

@pesto Sauce thank you

@Deeps thanks, I need all the luck!!

@Bhavya thank you

@Arun Meethale Chirakkal thanks for dropping by,can not be cynical even if i try..so have given up trying. Am happy being blindly in love with India.

@SG thank you

@Destiny's Child welcome to this page..we never do do we? just like a hindi ghazal says..tum chale jaoge toh sochenge..humne kya khoya..humne kya paaya..the stress ofcourse is on kya payaa.Hope to see you again here.

Oceana said...

yes our anthem, but somehow that anthem reminds me about all those Communal riots which happened in the past & the cold truth that it can happen again . What to say, eyes fills up..when i listen to it I think abt those ppl & yes thats how it should be right....feeling for our fellow indians.

R. Ramesh said...

Su, thanks yar..so also dint get paid for your articles??? well, well..join the queue..hehe..take care dear friend..cheers

mathew said...

albeit late to read it..i think it was a heartfelt post....it seems that staying abroad has made me fonder of my country...something which i never felt as passionately as now..

2Shaye ♪♫ said...

Oh you are too kind, my friend. I would love to come. And if we ever did, I'd want to let you know in advance on the off chance that I could meet you somewhere. What a DREAM that would be!

By the way, I'm impressed at the continual blog comment replies you do within your own comment section. I've been struggled to find a better system. Everyone's so different in their approach and I'm trying to meet everyone in the best place possible. By the way, I gave you a hard time today (joking, of course) in my post. You know, the whole "I won't mention any names..." and then listing some of my friends' names. :GRIN:

Ah, time to get some supper on. Have a beautiful day!

~2Shaye

Rajesh said...

Very lovely post. Yes, there may be short comings in India. But, we should realize that we ourselves are responsible for them. Unless we correct our self, there is no point in blaming the nation.

I love my India

sujata sengupta said...

@Oc agree completely to your view. Cheers to our country!

@Ramesh yah no pay..sucked big time!!

@Mathew you are in good company..whenever Tagore visited abroad or stayed out of India for a long duration he wrote most of his passionate songs in love for the country, I think you get a bigger picture only from a distance.

@Shaye you dont have to explain to me..you have full liberty..what are friends for?? right!!

@Rajesh your blog is my window to the parts of India I am yet to see.