Thursday, August 15, 2013

Are we 67 years old? Wait. No.

It is not just confusing for erudite(s) but equally heart-rendering for the people in general, to accept India as 67 years old. Isn't it similar to calling a 60 year-old, who went into coma, at 48, a 12 year old? What sanctity would such a baseless claim hold to the conscience of the 60 year-old, grey-haired, wise retiree?
Bharatvarsha 

India isn't like the Americas, which were cut off from the known, progressive world till the end of 15th century. We were visibly existing, doing almost 1/4th the world trade, increasing our exploratory, contemplative wisdom on logic and reason, embracing life with ever expanding arts and infrastructure. Just because a fairly recent World-Order expects maximum countries to have emerged from the colonial womb of Britons and French, would be accept our true definition? Are we Indians, so out-flawed with this new western gimmick, that we would bury our historic ubiquitous presence which has given this world three religions and numerous languages? If we are Sovereign in true sense then who are others to define us, christen us? Let others have their own thoughts but its our duty and in our national interest to not allow others for righteously defining us. It hits our conscience (if at all there is some left).
It is high time that we define India holistically, broadly, keeping all our contributions and golden periods markedly above this brief stint of servile and communal fall out.
I don't imply not to celebrate 15th of August but to realize that it can be given a little less impetus, keeping India's 5-millennium long history. Just think, of all India ever was, who is called the father of nation? Someone who came 100 generations after the nation was born? (not talking about Gandhi as character and instead have very high regards for him, its about how we are looking back that is being argued here). Going a step further, India should should immediately shed its Commonwealth-tag for it is more of a grim reminder of its subservient fall for a ruthless, self interested, clan of travelers-turned-rulers. Whats the point in honoring defeat?  
So should be stop celebrating 15th of August 1947 now?
Absolutely not! But rather celebrate with far more holistic, better claims of togetherness, achievements and and impeccable history. Lets re-scale 'Indianess'. Nobody else will.

PS: With full regards to what Nehru remarked that generations to come won't understand the ture meaning of freedom and would consider it for granted, here, I might have hurted the sentiments attached with freedom struggle (and the people who gave their lives) but now that we are free, our thoughts should be free in true sense, allowing us to go back deep into what India was and how has it fared since inception. Also, with India having found this newer world-order identity so all-pervasive with this generation of ours I had little to stop myself to express, a bit broadly. Amen. 

For further readings, 
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_India
2. India Unbound by Gurcharan Dad
3. The Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen