Happy Republic Day...
Good morning my dear fellow readers..Happy Republic day to all.
Today is 26th of January, Republic day, as it is known or called all over this beautiful country, India. Long before or not so long before (as one would like to view time and history) in 1950 India became a sovereign, democratic,secular and republic country on this particular day through the constitution and stepped on the journey of becoming a nation.
Almost 56 years have passed till date and we are still a developing country. I don't know the starting point of our journey and to minimize our combined embarrassment would love to believe that we have really progressed in these years. There are questions unanswered, problems galore and remarkable aplomb in the political and academic fraternity of our motherland. Rape, riot, resurgence of divisive power, child mortality and sponsored or unintentional social clash are daily dosage dished out of all news makers (be it news channel, newspaper or intellectual discussion), good enough to force citizens think about their future more than living in the present. With the help of technology (in this we are called the backbone or back end processing center of the world) the world has shrunk into our drawing rooms and sensitized souls start agitation even at the disturbing news out of bedroom of some foreign celebrity. We now live in a globalized, wireless ,ruthless and professional world where even every step of an innocent child can lead to death.
As we are stepping more into the uncertain future and enjoying neglecting past,we are pushing our social and emotional boundary to the hilt. Retaliation, as and when it comes would not be a pleasing battle. As my immature and slightest brain (if I have any) suggests - education, social thread, political maturity and cultural vibrancy are the four pillars on which progression of a nation lies. Economics, as most of us would suggest, could be the greatest force iffy politics allows it a level playing field. Alas ! like most of the other cases, theory and application differ widely and economics remain a drunkard servant of national and international politics.Enough paper had been wasted about the horrendous state of our national and regional politics and its impact on our country. Hence, I wouldn't repeat those. Instead I would focus on the other three which remain in the realm of common citizen of India.
Education, as of today is a mockery of what it was envisioned by our great forefathers and anybody trying to extract anything other than money out of this would face a doom's day. Such brutal and inhuman has been the battle for earning money,sometimes I think RBI could fall short while printing them. An education devoid of character, without connection to the root of the society is churning out efficient money making intellectuals to compound the already disturbed country. But, as most of us would say, its happening worldwide and in a globalized era how can we shield ourselves? If with a history of more than 3000 years and independence of more than 50 years we are not able to defend our backbone then are we strong enough to survive?
The other two pillars are interconnected and hence could be discussed in a single span.In a wirelessly connected village, the urge of reaching out has narrowed down and technology has ensured our paralysis - both physically and mentally. Since we are technologically advanced we require less of human touch and more of money to have exclusive access to better technology. We have annual riots and monthly anniversary of mass killings (we have devised innovative ways in this - starting from stampede in a fair to recent example of Nithari), we concentrate more on fashion and celebrities than suicide of farmers and we take pride in the fact that we have a colourful and ethnic "Bollywood" combined with a national alcohol called cricket. Its a debate that if the money power is taken out of these professions then would India die out of starvation or innovate itself to some other national past time. We know our competitors better than our friends, spend more time in devising strategy to outperform our neighbor on materialistic scale and if unsuccessful, blame everybody else to conspire a defeat of a just and meritorious human being. We fear riot only if it happens in our city and discuss about famine and poverty till we enjoy the luxury to watch a massala at the nearest multiplex. Not knowing the latest chart hits on MTV is a shame and discussing old hindi or regional songs are hallmark of a backdated, narrow minded person. It's not a problem if we don't know the details of our literature but would be a catastrophe if we can't keep our self updated with "current affairs". We strongly believe that we are the best as long as the theory is not challenged and at the slightest suspicion board an outbound flight for better future.
May be, this is what they call "Better than the best".
Am I a cynic who always hides in the negatives and fears that even slight optimism could wash away all of the theories and beliefs of our great past? Am I being too idealistic and nonsensical in my demand of a reflective society?
I am weak in both mathematics and accounting to understand the cost-benefit analysis of progression vis-a-vis respect for humanity, both in theory and practice.
I hope, the next Republic Day ushers a foundation for a better and poised India.
Labels: Confused soul
