What is it being an Indian? What is this thing which I call my mother land... my nation. Why am I told to respect it and love it. What does it represents? Is it just a block of land where I was born , a place whose culture and history shaped my thinking , whose laws and forces protected me and whose system allowed me to be able to write this up here the way I want to..
In Discovery of India Nehru explains that a country is the sum total of the aspirations of its inhabitants. A nation is build by all the social, political ,economic and environmental forces which shapes its behavior and belief systems and thus forms the backbone of its culture. Long ago when Man started his journey from the heartland of Africa he was looking for new places to support the growing population. The humans in next thousands of years spread across the nook and corner of this planet and formed the basis of the nation states as we saw them today. This brings us to the question of Why do we need nations in first place?
The answer is simple its the best humans can thought of given that humans growing in huge numbers and the rate of which the resources grow is mush less. Nation states allow human civilization to stabilize and grow in a better environment safely within a framework of rules , regulations and norms. Peaceful coexistence is the best way forward for the nation states. But as we all know its hardly the case and in this unfair world things don't work always the way they should be. But still we as humanity are trying to live peacefully within our defined boundaries.
Now when I say I am an Indian..what does this word "Indian" signify. Do I really understand what it is saying. Is it just a collective noun or does it hold some meaning that is subtle and deep. India does not just refer to a land mass surrounded by seas down south, guarded by mountains on the north, glowing as a desert in the west and washed by the givers in the east but it reflects thousands of years of history of glory, defeat, persecution and triumph. It idolizes the freedom of faith, misery of poverty, respect of the old, spirit of the young, hollowness of politics, pervasiveness of the corrupt, bravery of the forces and the labor of the worker. It symbolizes the belief system which accepts and assimilates everything that comes its way..a school of thought which grow young with every passing day, its the mechanism which wants to hold it history tight but looking firmly at the future. Above all it reflects the hope that no matter how corrupt its ruler are and how ruthless its enemies are it will outlast everything and beyond that golden horizon the New Day is waiting for it..Long live India
Comments
Slowly,I'm understanding the neesd of a nation and I only believe that national brotherhood must only help in bridging the 'Universal Brotherhood'!:)
Everyone says they are an Indian but how much do you believe in it.
In today's times, you are an Indian only if you are winning honors at a global platform. Otherwise we prefer to live in a myopic world of ours and not care about what happens to others unless it happens to you.
Wish it would have been true... Darn! the confusing and evil monetary systems of the world which comes "free" with a pinch of political corruption drives the norms, rules & regulations and mould the framework of every country (not just the free-India) the way "they" want it to...
As far as answering the question is concern, You're post was significant in describing the pride that any person would take just to be a part of a country with exuberant cultures and so much to learn from...
"Must we not forget, being human before a national...
...Must we not forget, patriotism turning irrational!"
-Yan
PS: Sorry to critically examine the post, I just couldn't stop, no offence intended!
Yan I like what you said and it is interesting to look at things from your perspective. But my point as I said earlier was that my belonging to India is about an Identity of how we as society has formed over the past thousands of years.Humanity will no doubt will come before nationality but nationalism is not about a fascist attitude but is about the love you feel for your roots..