The Month of August

First half of the month and entire nation becomes patriotic and patriotism rising towards the peak as 15 August comes closer. Deciding and planning on what to do to make this Independence Day special. Hoardings on the roadside also represent something similar, colleges and schools preparing for the parade and sports event, cleaning the play grounds and chalk powder marking representing race tracks. Newspapers dedicating an entire page to the country and mange to advertise a product related to independence and making money out of it. Every source of communication is used to spread the love and affection towards India. Private sector offices celebrating the Independence Day in advance. Sharing photos and posting on FB, forwarded messages through texts, whatsapp, bbm, viber, Independence Day special TV shows and Vendors selling plastic flags of India on roadside, traffic signals and stationary shops are the glimpse which actually makes you feel that YES the day is really important for Indians. News and Music channels reporters shoving microphones in the mouth of selected people asking them, “aap kya karne wale hai is 15 August ko?”. The Prime Minister of India also prepares to pay his tribute to leaders of the freedom struggle, Jawans who laid their life, people who were killed during bomb blasts, through a nationally televised speech, after memorizing it for a week and keeping a copy while delivering the speech.

15^th Aug – Early morning TV telecasting parade and patriotic songs. News channels showing who all are celebrating independence day, especially the actors. People wearing three colors in different traditional ways to show their love, respect and patriotism towards the country. Flag hoisting throughout the nation, government offices, schools and colleges. People posing for the pictures. Sweets distribution for school children. National holiday for most of the private sector employees. All the TV channels, especially TV News channel flooded with “Desh Bhakti” songs and clips of wars and great Indian leaders. Messaging each other “Jai Hind” and “Vande Mataram” is our only responsibility and duty left! We even get some messages about making difference and changing the system. Quotes like “Thousands laid down their lives so that our country is breathing this day never forget their sacrifice” AND “No nation is perfect, it needs to be made perfect” are exchanged through message, whatsapp, bbm, viber and emails. All the online and retail stores offering heavy discounts on apparels quoting “Independence Day Special”.

But the reality comes back on 16^th of August. Entire population back to their normal life, “Desh Bhakti” message changes to same funny jokes about marriage and politicians.

Traditional dress are washed and goes back to the closet where they belong to, they will come out again in the month of January. TV News and Music channels showing the same kind of telecast on bollywood, corruption and crime. Roadside hoardings are all about products and movies. Facebook post and shares coming back to love problems and funny posts. Sales would still exist but the reason changes, from “Independence Day Special” to “End of season Sale”. Flags lying on the roads, play grounds and most of the flags even reach the dustbins, only few people manage to respect the country’s pride instead of throwing it in bins. Olympic season this year, labels the medal winners as “real heroes” of India, forgetting the national army who is still keeping an eye on the border which allows you to celebrate the occasion without any fear.

As the days passes the priority, importance and the concentration gets diverted from nation to other various things which are also equally important.

On eve of independence, August 15 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru quoted “We end today a period of ill fortune and India discovers herself again. The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?” Even after 65 years of independence we don’t have any answer to the question, we might have added few more question to the existing one.