The freedom to work where I want to, live and travel how and where I want to, wear what I choose to, say what I think, surf the websites I want to, read what I like, eat where I like, choose to have faith or not. That is what freedom means to me. I am free to have an opinion, useless or not, and I do. I can be politically incorrect in my country and still get away with it. But I would be a hypocrite to endlessly crib about the government until I cast my vote at least once.
India to me means Chandani Chowk - with a gurudwaara, a temple, and a masjid in very close quarters of each other. Freedom to me means never feeling obliged to enter even one of them. Or choosing to visit all three, metaphorically speaking, if I want to. Being an Indian means having a house full of Madhubani paintings, a kitchen full of Kerala spices, commuting in local trains in Bombay, and dealing with auto drivers in Bangalore.
No shrill patriotism for me. I am just glad I am a middle class Indian in India. There is nothing holding back my freedom and my opinion. How and whether I use it, is my choice.
Happy Independence Day!
Image courtesy: http://brontides.com/
6 comments:
You've said it all so well! I'd thought of writing a post too, but I'm not good at writing such serious stuff. So I'll leave that to people who write really well.. eg. you :D
We take our freedom for granted, and don't really realise what a blessing it is. You post brought that out very well.
Wishing you a very Happy Independence day too :)
my sentiments exactly. Haffy to be middle class indian :)
Happy Independence day!
And awesomely written piece! :D Loved it! And totally agree with Piyu, I cannot write well meaning stuff like this!
Same pinch for everything you said!
Glad to be a middle class Indian, who cribs about everything Indian, but is more Indian than she can ever imagine! That's us!
:-)
Salaam!
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