MONDAY MUSE (16 August 2010) AUGUST, 16th!
In India, the Independence Day is celebrated on 15 August by wearing patriotism on our sleeves. Our clothes, our facebook status, our group SMS and everything possible, proudly declares our pride in being an Indian. Almost all such publicly stated sentiments of patriotic pride are genuine and sincere. However, it is pertinent to notice the same sentiment in the same people on the subsequent day – 16 August! Some years back, on the day after Independence Day, ace lensman Rajtilak Naik captured a plastic tricolour flag lying amidst similarly discarded garbage irresponsibly thrown along the sides of a road. Surely, on Independence Day that same flag must have been held firmly by a patriotically charged person. The best of words and the grandest of posturing mean nothing. Plastic patriotism is nothing but a superficial mask that is worn on convenient occasions. In fact, posturing through only superficial symbols pushes us away from the earnestness of our real sentiments. Real patriotism is not about feeling proud, rather it is about doing our country proud through responsible and responsive deeds. What we do or say on Independence Day is an occasional emotion. What we do or say on 16 August, and the other days, is of greater importance. If we want to be better at real patriotism, let’s be better at saying and doing whatever it takes for everyone to equally reap the benefits of real freedom, dignity and opportunity! Plastic patriotism is nothing, but just an occasional emotion… Let’s BE BETTER at backing intention with consistent action! - Pravin
