What is it about regional divides, feelings of country and kin, patriotism and sacrifice for the land, that lead people to be inspired, to be larger than themselves, to extend their horizons beyond what they thought was possible?
I know that all these arbitrary lines drawn on maps are but human creation, made by a group of men to guard their gold over thousands of years, but is there something within all of us more primitive, a deep urge to guard what we mark as our territory, our home? Animals have it. Maybe, despite all the evolution we cannot change some things.
I have days when I sit back and think that the country I live in is in fact not one that I can relate to. I have problems understanding cultures I feel are outdated, politics I feel is a gangsters' front, praying to 300 gods that I do not have faith in, and millions of people going about their lives everyday with a passing remark or two about how they would make India a better land if given the chance. I have difficulty coping with the feeling that everyones' palms have to be greased for the reason that life is not possible without.
There are more things we have that we can and deserve to complain about than to feel proud of.
I guess then that it would only be natural for me to distance myself from these problems. If I thought about them and give my feelings a chance to be involved, I would be afraid there is too much to fight against, too much to lose with little achieved. Who am I to question or change a system that has, in our co-conspiratorial minds, a facade of normalcy. What can i do alone?
Then I have days when I feel strong, that I can change something, that my education, my ability can be put to use, not planning the first million I want to make, but, the first life I can change for the better. I feel a young voice can make a difference in a country of condescending octagenarians, jaded by life's cruelty, cushioned by convenient morality. On those days, I feel the inherent goodness of all people, waiting for a chance for doing things a better way.
Not all of us can be politicians, not all of us can be leaders, not all of us may believe that this country can the best in the world, not all of us may subscribe to this 'pipe dream'.
But, if, somewhere at the back of our minds, we can keep the thought alive that we can make a difference, no matter how intangible, if we only recognise our love of this land despite all our differences, despite all the difficulties, instead of pushing it away, then we would have found our identity in this world. I truly believe every one of us loves our home and those who feel they do not, spend life times trying to fit in, when the truth is here for all to see that we are undeniably, delightfully INDIAN. In its acceptance with all its frailties lies a better future.
I wish such days for every single one of us out there, where ever we are. JAI HIND.
p.s: outlook magazine puts 54% of india's population to be 25 or less years of age. This is our time to take a stand.
I understand what you're saying aloque. Weeding out the problems in my society and bettering it with any and every thing I can do is something I can identify with. Hope more of the young people out there get the message. :)