1> some pandemonium woke me up early in the morning. I was about to plunge inside my thick blanket when a chorus started singing 'Jana Gana Mana'-our National anthem Now, I had 2 choices 1. to ignore it, after all nobody was observing and 2. Stand upright rapt attention in my sparse clothing exposed to the cold air, which ultimately i did.
It reminded me of the good old days, when republic day meant march-past and mass-drills and flag hoisting and sweet distribution, and when 'Republic Day' was not just another holiday.
2> I went through the newspaper, read the innumerous 'Happy Republic Day' advertisements with the company logos bigger than the national flag. Sheer marketing.
Before folding it up, I went through the movies section.”OK….Alice in wonderland @2100hrs, Trishul @2000 hrs and ..And O MG repeat of Bourne Identity @10.30 hrs, that is just half an hours later. I rushed to do my groceries and return back before the movie starts. After all it's from my favorite trilogy. I managed all well within time and just when I was returning, I heard our security guard tuning his radio to All India Radio, which was airing the republic day parade, Live.
I ambled, reminiscing the day’s when my family and I used to see the ‘Republic day celebrations’ on DD national, fixated to the minutest exhibition.
And now Bourne Identity has taken priority.Huh!!
3> No I did not, or rather could not watch the movie. Later in the afternoon, I logged into my networking profile. There were scores of ‘Happy Republic day’ embedded on the common wall, and I could not help but wonder, how many of them actually meant it and how many of them experienced the patriotic melancholy like myself. Some I personally knew could not distinguish the difference between the national anthem and the national song.
4> I was on my way to the bus-stand. It was almost evening. I passed by the auto-rickshaw stoppage and was approaching the cycle-rickshaw stand when I noticed something strange. Almost all these vehicles, the LPG guzzling and the manual both, had a small flag hoisted upon its rear view mirror. To my eyes the vehicles seemed to be squeaky clean, maybe for today’s special celebration.
I have noticed this since childhood, the poor working class of India celebrate the national days more zestfully than their blessed country mates, whom the republic nation gives more reasons to do so.
5> At night my sister surprised me with a phonecall.I told her about my patriotic reawakening, to which she congratulated me, disinterestedly. I asked “so how was your day?” With a sigh of relief she replied “By your newly acquired definition of patriotism, I was a jerk. I was so glad that this time republic day did not clash with a weekend holiday. I needed a break”.
This brought me to another realization, a more pragmatic and rational one. We don’t need a day to show our patriotism. We don't need to watch the celebrations or hoist a flag or sing the anthem on this day. Patriotism can be as small and silly as joining Indian anti-hatred forums on social networking site. When we pray for our country during the short commercial breaks between the overs in a match of cricket featuring India, we exude patriotism. When we take pride in the fact that TATA acquired Corus, we were all proud Indians and we are typically proud Indians when we celebrate the success of a foreign film based on India, the slumdog millionaire.
I thought I needed a patriotic redemption, but now I think I don't. Patriotism need not be marred with hypocrisy. I think our ministers are doing it with unfailingly for us, and we have enough of them to worry about.
