After our lunch this noon, we sat down to see Rang De Basanti .For me it was 3rd Time but I didnt get bored to see this particular movie, though every scene in it has been into my heart the very first time itself. As the movie slowly went on, the nerve of the movie - feel of the essence - creeped into my thoughts not just for first time but also at very third time.What is that this movie is trying to put into every one of us?Do we need to follow their food steps - reform our nation - kill the corrupted people and say "Im trying to reform my nation?" or Is It trying to put a question in each of us WHAT IS PATRIOTISM??Thoughts ran across as I was washing my plates - What am I doing here ? - Working in USA , earning in $s and eating half cooked tasteless food and see a patriotic movie once in a while and finally say "Gosh .We havent done anything for our country". My dear friend who saw this movie didnt tell anything and went to bed.Was wondering am I addicated to just being affected by any movie or am I provoked by this movie as such?Even when I saw the movie first time, 1000s of question prompted up leading to 1 single question - "Am I Patriotic or not? If I'm not then who is a patriot??". My other roomie was mentioning about the new youth group of 3 IIT-ians forming up a political party to take the FIRST STEP and they should be doing things to reform our country. I know we all do feel the same thing but why does none of the soul who can feel that responsibility take that??. I know even I wont stand up to take it up but why is that?Does that mean that if we are not to take up responsibility to reform something , then we are not patriotic?
This Q is always there in each and everyone's mind and no-one can deny that.If they deny it, then for sure buddy you are fooling urself.Of course all we can do is expresss our views to reform but not put it into action.But I would say I am a patriot.Wanna know why? Well atleast I have this feeling inside me that something should be done to my country from my side. Aint this feeling a trigger for my patriotism? Is it not the initiative that MIGHT (stressing MIGHT and not WILL because still im a typical patriot - tell things but might not end up putting them into action ) make me do something to my country. May be I cant do any reformation in the political side?May be I cannot stand up in elections, represent people and do reformations from my side to my nation? But does only these things count up to show up your patriotism?Well not for me guyz. For me, doing anything thats going to be benefitial to every other living soul on this nation is being patriotic.Social services, helping poor, donations towards orphanages and old homes - trying every little thing towards the benefit of some soul in this nation is what that counts for me. Well I know this might not sound logical to many. But atleast I know What Patriotism is for me?? How many of you can atleast say this?
Well its not questioning each other do you know what patriotism is?Its questioning yourself asking what have I or atleast what am I going to do for the betterment of my nation and its people. If you could answer that, then you might feel just the way I feel. Many say "Something is better than nothing". That might also suit this scenario.Thinking of the nation is better than just sitting and wondering - Am i Patriot or not ?? Every action starts up with a spark of thought - a pinch of emotional attachment to it .Nothing comes out just like that. An instinct - a thought is needed for it.
For those who are reading this , It might be just another blog questioning U again and again finally making you say "Its all in words and we cant put into action" .Well I would say one thing to you - allow this thought to get planted into your mind - let it grow up - let it then reep into some action which might be something benefitial to our nation - to a human being . Who knows what might happen?
But then as putting an end to anything - trying to put an end to this blog - I have to say this might be a forcible ending to this thought in this section - but not for sure THE END to the thoughts that has been deep-rooted within ME. This END might be the very beginning of making me feel that Im planning somethign to be done to prove myself patriot to my nation . It might happen to you too.If it does so- then my blog has done its work and now its U to do ur work. This might not sound real PATRIOTISM - but as we all say each 1 has their own versions of everything . This is my version - might suit you or not. If it makes you feel for something, then "GO AHEAD , PLAN AND DO SOMETHING for YOUR NATION" and let me know what you felt abt ur own version of PATRIOTISM.
6 comments:
GK,
I am not sure, but I guess my views are a bit different here.
Firstly to me patriotism is a very subjective thing. What if I was born on the other side of the border where people express their patriotism by holding guns? Will I still be urged to feel patriotic? Or what if TN was a nation by itself? What would then be my emotions against warring neighbours like karnataka. I guess I am tired of people trying to be patriotic and creating a ruckus in our nation. The time now is for peace, internal harmony and that is why patriotism to me means something else.
It is a grass-root thingy for me. Things like keeping to the left side of the road, keeping my house clean, keepings my surroundings clean, being cordial to people around, disposing away the garbage at the right place, just the day to day stuff.
Well ya buddy I accept :)
But then in this blog I have tried to represent my version of PATRIOTISM and it might not suit all of the readers.Its just a try to share my opinions sir :)
Hope I did make some sense in this.
If only u wud allow me to substitute the word 'patriotic' with 'Love & passion'...
When I studied in my college, I always had that special patriotism towards people from my colony - patriotism? - when I worked outside the city that special bond with people from Coimbatore.. When I worked in Kerala - that special liking towards tamilians.. now am working in America & I preach 'All Indians are my brothers and sisters' - I was juz wondering where the hell is this love towards Indians when I was looking keralites as aliens? where is the love for tamilians when I was looking at chennai walas as aliens? so on & so forth... We stop here at Indians & start saying good things UNTIL WE START LIVING IN ANOTHER PLANET - THEN, WE WOULD SEE AT FELLOW BEINGS FROM EARTH AND SAY 'MY UNIVERSE', 'MY WORLD'.. until this search for patriotism will be a never ending storey..
GK, if you give me a chance, I appreciate ur concern for poor & needy. I would also love to go another step forward and commend ur sense of compassionate nature (and not patriotism)!
for all a single line of sayings would suffice i guess..
its in tamil.."Ikkaraiku Akkarai Pachai."
One more to add up, "Veyilin Arumai Nizhalil Theriyum".
Hi friends,
First, hats off to GK for his blogs.
To those who do not know, I am Sriram, Raghas' Friend and X-colleague.
It was nice to see ya guys talking Patriotism!! I was also very patriotic till i was in my college I wanted to join army, airforce, infact was in NCC for some years and attended all possible camps.
But that was 3 years back when completed by engineering degree and was in desperate search for a job. (It took me 7 months, 33 interviews to get my first dream IT job thanks to Covansys.) Now, I see the world differently. Every thing begin and end revolving my family, my parents, my job... so on & so forth. I dont have time to think about my Country, my nation, my flag, my citizens and my fellow beings.
I dont say that I am not patriotic. I too sit before TV, coming early from office giving false reasons to my manager (ofcourse he too knows that), when there is cricket match and my country is playing in it. I would go out with my family when India wins / would be upset when India loses the match.
I too had the same feelings just like GK, not only after seeing the film RangDeBasanti, but also when I saw Swades, Border, Lakshya.. etc...
Most of us would have seen the movie DDLJ, and the caption for the movie is "A film to fall in love with." if I am not wrong, after which I was seriously behind a girl in my schooling(ok. by then i was too young).
All these happened for GK & me(sorry to mention you name here GK), coz, we live in complex society, where people who have won will only be recognised by the fellow citizens. Here I would like to link another article of GK, where he was talking about arranged marriages. We are totally controlled by our family, ethics, family status, family principles, which tie us fully from which it becomes an herculean task to come out of that. We are bound to acheive that and so we are behind that, (here I am behind that). We try to imagine ourself (here its my, as it is revolving around the word MY) when we go for a movie and the hero is punishing the villain, have we ever thought of being very much patriotic to pakistan after seeing the film Border, (i won't because I am Indian and My conutry in India). We try to be happy (feel patriotic)after films like, RangDeBasanti, Swades, and other films like that which are knit behind a very strong subject called emotions.
Ok, how should i be patriotic, just see the film in theatre, instead of seeing it in DVDs, VCDs. It really makes a huge difference when a movie is watched in a cinema hall that in our hall.
Even though i a tamilian, I do good to karnataka by living in karnata, and the same holds true where ever you go. we are many's livelihood and we make them live by buying things from them, a derivative of patriotism.
People living in other countries should show there patriotism by coming back to our country, sending US currencies to India, and for NRI's invest in india (my version of patriotism).
Hope I am not hitting any one.
Hi Sri
Thats so nice of U to man to read my blogs.Hope u read some of them also :d other than thsi topic.
Well thanx for ur reviews man.do keep ur comments for my upcoming ones too..
Thanks again
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