The Big Day is Round the Corner...

This morning I was making a call to one of my friends for the usual chattering. To my surprise I was greeted with an automated voice as a caller tune. It was a part of “Har Ghar Triranga”, a campaign to celebrate the 77^th Independence day. It suggested every Indian to take a selfie with the triranga (Tricolour flag) and post it on the website concerned to participate in Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, (a government-initiated programme celebrating the 75th or diamond jubilee year of Indian Independence Day. It emphasises future growth while highlighting India's accomplishments during the previous 75 years. The initiative marks goals to be achieved by 2047 when India will complete 100 years of independence.)

The voice note made me annoyingly self-reflexive. It all sounded whimsical and made no sense. I am not an armchair critic who finds faults with ruling party. Being a bystander, I couldn’t connect the dots as to why such futile steps to flaunt? The voice also led me to some existential questions. “Is that an appreciable way to celebrate such an occasion? Are we all really independent?”   When I was still lost in my thoughts, my friend picked the call. I couldn’t help telling her about the automated voice and the reflections it stirred in me. She, being a political enthusiast went on and on about her views on the ruling party and even the ulterior motives behind such pomps and shows. The usual chitchat thus turned out to become an engaging political discourse.

Even after hanging up, those questions were reverberating in my mind. It then occurred to me that my concept of independence was an abstract one. Whereas these people are into the civil one which marks the groundbreaking incident of the British raj’s signing of India’s emancipation proclamation in 1947. It was hard-earned with people’s blood and sweat. “That sacrifice deserves to be remembered at least once in a year!”, a part of me agreed.   

But how? By taking selfies and updating status and DPs on social media platforms? By distributing flags and sweets, all the while dressed in tricolor to match it? Can there be more futile ways other than these? I remember one of my teachers, sharing his views on celebrating Independence day, “Our predecessors ensured that the people become independent of slavery and it is our duty to ensure that they become independent of hundred different cruelties – poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, violence, inequality, etc., etc.," It makes sense now. Though it is not so easy and fun filling as taking selfies, it can heighten our Dopamine when we take even a baby step to make others’ lives better. I have one of my pals, having the habit of providing refreshments to the scavengers and street hawkers during scorching summer days. Another guy, buying things from small scale workers, whenever it is possible and my mom, avoiding plastic bags, if not possible at least reusing them instead of throwing them away after using once. All these people teach me one thing – wherever they are, they all want to leave behind some spark; to make people’s lives an inch better. And the most beautiful aspect of that is, they do it unconditionally.      

There are thousands of such individuals amidst us. Let us all follow them on the way they paved. Let us make days more eventful by uplifting one another. A Happy and meaningful INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!