Today the maid in our PG wanted to know why my roommate was not going for work. My roommate explained to her that it is a holiday since it is Republic Day.
A woman in in her fifties, who had got her granddaughter also married and who still depends on us to know the time as she doesn’t know what the hands and numbers in a clock means, she didn’t understand what my friend told her.
She asked: “What is that?”
My friend explained: “It is a festival when our ministers hoist flag and cultural programmes are held...”
She asked again: “Is it Gandhi jhanda (flag)?”
My friend burst into laughter and said: “We have only one jhanda.”
She got confused and asked: “That was held recently, right? Just 4-5 months back?”
My friend who understood she was referring to Independence Day, told her: “We celebrate it twice a year.”
With a sigh, she said: “I don’t know why the government is giving holiday every now and then...” and carried on with her work.
We celebrated the 60th Republic Day. Anniversary of the day when our Constitution, with its preamble proclaiming the country to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic, came into being.
For the salaried class, the joy of the day comes as a holiday. For many, it is a day to express their patriotism. For the government, it is a day to remember the nation's heroes. For people like this poor woman, it still means nothing.
After all, for those who don’t know what their fundamental rights are, who have never enjoyed the fruits of it, how does it matter that a Constitution does exist!
Jai Ho!
5 comments:
Thanks for stopping by my blog and I do hope you come by again.I think you have a nice blog here.
Good one Yamini... what an interesting observation! Just shows how much as a country we need to move ahead.
Ya very well said. But to tell you the truth I also belong to those salaried class. And the joy of the day comes as a holiday after those hectic long journeys to office all week.
i had watched the republic day 2009 celebrations on tv, and was thinking of the pomp on display, and rot on the roads. india is lovely in its extreme disparities. i am hazarding a guess that if you make a random survey on what a republic is, the correct responses would be few.
Njnum ethupole orale knditunde.orikal avarodu samsarikumbol ...avr paryunathu avr ela masavum swathatriya dinathil Indiayku vendi archana nadathumena....(Avr veruthe thaliyathano or lack of knowledge),ketapol njn parchu " elarkum ee manasudayirunakil ennu" - avr Happy.....
Akhil
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