In these 60 years of Independence, India has come a long way, showing a lot of promise, to become one of the super powers of the world in the coming future. Though left wanting in some areas, India has done reasonably well in many, considering the short period of her freedom. Of course, 60 years is a very short period, when talking about a country with history of few thousand years. Few days before, Mother India celebrated her 60 years of motherhood. Her children adored her and celebrated her for all that she has bestowed on them. The streets were decorated with festoons of flags. The tricolor was symbolized everywhere. Songs of patriotism breezed into my heart and aroused the spirits within. With heart full of pride and zeal, I wished some of my fellow countrymen through phone, mail and in person. Few messages started their journey from my cell phone to reach a handful of destinations. Few more came forward to reach my mobile from different sources, resting and celebrating at several places on their way. I could see some children going to school in their usual uniforms but with that unusual happiness to hoist the flag and get those chocolates. Some children fancied themselves with the attire of Gandhi, Nehru, Bharathi and leaders of that golden era to enact and revive thoughts of those unforgettable moments of history. Some T.V. channels decided to show their way of devotion to country by interviewing cine stars and airing super hit commercial movies. Of course A.R. Rehman's remix of national anthem, which extended far beyond those 52 seconds, was telecasted every few minutes. The very first time when it was aired, my father stood still emotionally, at the place where he was standing. We all followed suit and showed our due respect to our beloved country. But then again it was aired too often, like any ordinary album, making me change the channel many times, not wanting to disrespect its sanctity by not offering to stand.
As the day passed by, I was high on patriotism, which itself has taken different meanings and forms, right from the era of pre-independence, where it meant fighting for liberation and rights, to the contemporary days, where it is found in the triumphs of our cricket gods (who require the blessings of rain gods at times for that triumph). Suddenly a thought flashed in my mind,“Why is patriotism respected, honored, and treated with high regard, while regionalism, casteism or any other –isms of that sort despised, scorned and disdained by many?” After all, all these are some way of identifying oneself with a group of fellow human beings. Inherently people find comfort in inheriting their identity from things around them, like the place where they come from, or the caste to which they belong to, or the religion they follow or other things which emulate some sort of similarity. Is it because of the fact that patriotism involves more people or area than regionalism or casteism? Then religion should have a upper hand in that case. May be it is the case why some countries provide assistance or hindrance to others, because they officially or unofficially, adhere or not adhere, completely or incompletely to one, many, all or no religion. Or is it because there is a governing body at national level and we directly get rewarded or punished by the decision of that central governing body? Or is it because the highest powerful form of governing body doesn't extend beyond the national level? On a lighter note, may be a day might come, when patriotism might be looked with disdain, when globalism(??)takes precedence under a global government, on an aeon of multiple worlds, where in people of different worlds unite under their own heads (if they have a head) to fight for their worlds. (Am I seeing too many Hollywood movies recently?). Coming back to the question of the discussion, I pondered over it for some time and yet I couldn't arrive at any decisive or definitive answer. But I felt that all isms are good when they promote peace, harmony and oneness and all isms are bad when they support conflict, distress or selfishness.
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3 comments:
Hello Harish, nice original thoughts.
You are very much right when you say patriotism is not much different than regionalism. In fact in the global scenario, patriotism is nothing but regionalism.
One thing you might notice is, when think of patriotism, we think of doing good for our country, celebrating its independence from the British rule, etc. In associate patriotism to things which are good for our nation.
When it comes to regionalism, we think of getting advantages because we are from one region, always keeping to a group of people coming from our region, etc. This feeling is not something that is good. We know that, that's why we term this feeling as "regionalism", with a little disrespect forthe term.
So the context where the terms patriotism and regionalism is different, they they both mean the same.
As an example, Indian independence will be enjoyed by people in US also. It is patriotism for the Indians, without harming sentimentalities or anything of the Americans. But then again, bombing any part of the world, maybe shown as patriotic by the governments, but no common people support it, and is basically regionalism in the international scenario.
Thanks for the well thought comments Arindam. As you said, the context in which patriotism and other isms like regionalism or casteism are used is different and that makes the difference. To me it looks more like a difference in perception. When some people miscomprehend patriotism and try to distort some country to which they don't belong to, then that is consider as terrorism and patriotism is spared from the blame. When people speak of patriotism, they always associate it with good things and of course that is good. I'm happy at least patriotism is spared from the generating disdainful thoughts on utterance. But regionalism, communalism or casteism are mostly associated with abominable things and often cause deleterious and detrimental influence. People who are considered regionalistic are more to be blamed because they mostly use it for selfish cause. May be when regionalistic people start using it for the upliftment or goodness of people their region with realisation that it should not be at the expense of other, then regionalism might also be looked up with some respect.
But one thing that concerns me is that these days patriotism gets associated with certain areas where it is not required. Some people reach the zenith of patriotism when watching sports(particularly cricket) and fail to applaud the excellence from other parts of the world. It would be better if people become patriotic in daily life and rise up when someone asks for/gives bribe or when someone jumps the line or when someone drives on the walkway or when someone throws litter on the public place. We can at least show our patriotism by abstaining from these if not stopping others.
Cool !!! :)
Am impressed ... but at the same time something in this write-up hitches me about the content, me not being contented after reading this content?
I accept we are celebrating Independence .... Lets all cherish about that .. But this is ' Independence from British '. We got to add the clause '.. from Britishers '
We don't enjoy the absolute independencism ( -ism again )I dont have to explain from what are all the elements we are yet to get independence and when are we going to strive for that ???? ( A big question mark that runs all the time )
And you celebrated, India's 60 years of motherhood. A humble question to you -- "Wasn't she a mother to her kids before that ?"
She was, when India had everything that the world needs and when rest of the world was being explored and just started evolving. There were days where we experienced and nourished so many civilizations when the other parts of the world started their lives from deep woods ?
You wished your countrymen on that day ? If you don't mind what did you ? Something like, 'Happy Independence Day' ==> So with that what do you convey to them and when you receive 'Thanks, Wishing you the same' what do you get from them ?
For heaven sake or hell sake or whatever it might be, please don't say we are reminding our Independence or cherishing them and that too everything on a particular day.
Core of the post is good. I doubt whether we would really forget the granularities. The "Ism" saga not only starts with region-ism, street-ism.. right from the orbit levels of the atom.
But thats something to trigger really !!! :)
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