Am I Patriotic?

twinsmom · Sep 13, 2008

There is a general feeling among people that if you are an NRI, you are not very patriotic… Really? What is patriotism? Is it all about living in <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION><ST1LACE><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:country-region><st1lace>India</st1lace></st1:country-region>? Is it about dying for one’s country? If yes, will I do it?
A few years back, my sons asked me if I liked the UAE more than <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION><ST1LACE><st1:country-region><st1lace>India</st1lace></st1:country-region>. I hemmed and hawed, not wanting to get trapped into giving them an answer they didn’t want to hear. But they were insistent. They needed an answer in black or white…no greys. I said, I liked the safety, comforts and the security of UAE but home would always be <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION><ST1LACE><st1:country-region><st1lace>India</st1lace></st1:country-region>. Oh, so you are patriotic, one said.
How does one express one’s patriotism? I think it is the way you grow up…rather, the way you are brought up. At home, in my childhood, it was compulsory for everyone to stand in attention whenever or wherever we heard the national anthem. In the theatres, after a movie, we kept standing still in the cramped aisles watching the tricolor flutter in 70mm while people noisily walked to the nearest exit…Even then something used to stir in my heart…maybe a seed of patriotism was germinating somewhere in the recesses of my heart…
After marriage when I stood up in the living room, while watching the flag hoisting on TV, I was laughed at. Not necessary, I was told. So to avoid looking ridiculous ( or to prevent others from looking ridiculous sitting down while I stood in respect…) I stopped my habit reluctantly…till my kids started school and I started the practice again, setting an example to them. So do I do it now? Watching Republic Day parade itself is not in vogue…When I told my students, a few years back, to watch the live telecast, they just laughed it off. My nephew and niece here, have never bothered…because their parents don’t watch it… Whereas, for RP and me, it is a ritual we don’t like to miss if we can help. I remember even taping the show… twice or thrice.
But is that what patriotism is all about? Is it all about standing up when you hear the national anthem?
No…love for one’s country goes beyond all that. I don’t agree that the older the generation the more patriotic they are… I know people a generation or two removed from me declaring that the <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION><ST1LACE><st1:country-region><st1lace>India</st1lace></st1:country-region> </ST1LACE></ST1:COUNTRY-REGION>‘they’ freed from the British is going to the dogs, and people aren’t patriotic anymore. For all their patriotic feelings, they keep foul mouthing everything that is happening around them… My feelings of patriotism don’t declare that only old is gold… For me the concept behind ‘Swadesh’ and ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’ are as laudable as ‘Shahid’ or ‘Kranti’ if they succeed in making you feel proud that you are an Indian!
Butthen, patriotism is not just about freedom struggle either…
I am proud of my roots, my country…my culture. I still feel all choked up when I see hear and sense things Indian…It can be a picture, a scene, a song…
Some people get branded as sentimental fools…I am one of them. I have felt tears welling up in my eyes each time I hear the song created for Doordarshan called ‘Mile Sur Mera Tumhara…’ It tugs at my heartstrings…the simple two lined lyrics have such depth of meaning… the visuals make you feel awed that you are a part of such grandiose example of unity in diversity… In fact, I envy the actors, actresses, artistes and sportspersons in that presentation for that chance to represent the nation. They represent you…and me…and <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION><ST1LACE><st1:country-region><st1lace>India</st1lace></st1:country-region>. I used to quietly flick my tears away but a few would threaten to flood my nose and I’d be forced to blow my nose, evoking pitying and mocking looks, all around. I cared two hoots! Then one day I saw it! My six year old twin sons were watching the same rendition on TV and I saw tears flowing down their cheeks…and <ST1LACE>K2 </ST1LACE>turned and saw my own wet eyes and asked me, ‘Mummy why are we crying?’ I tearfully and joyfully hugged them both and choked out the words…’Because it is beautiful, the words are lovely…and because we love being Indian…!”
I unashamedly sowed the same seeds of patriotism in their hearts… Those seeds were nurtured by the Swamijis and the tutors in the Ramakrishna Vidhyashala in <ST1:CITY><ST1LACE><st1:City><st1lace>Mysore</st1lace></st1:City> </ST1LACE></ST1:CITY>, where they spent 5 years…five crucial years of their teenage years when they learnt to absorb and adsorb pride for their culture and tradition without being fanatically religious!
I feel emotional when I sing Jana Gana Mana or Vande Matharam or even Jhanda Ooncha Rahe Hamara… The words and their meanings appeal to me… mean so much to me. For the same reason, I feel all emotional while singing or listening to Jaya Bharatha Jananiya Thanu Jaathe, Jaya he Karnataka Maathe…’ the Kannada anthem written by Mahakavi Kuvempu. My knowledge of Kannada is limited…but that is one piece of verse that really touches me…
My feelings of patriotism are rather peculiar. I don’t rant and rave when Team <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION><ST1LACE><st1:country-region><st1lace>India</st1lace></st1:country-region> </ST1LACE></ST1:COUNTRY-REGION>is pathetic in its performance… I don’t think it is treason to lose out on the World Cup. I don’t feel India is selling out to the West if there are Pizza Huts and McDonalds in the metropolitan areas…But I feel enraged when national monuments are defaced, when public property is destroyed during strikes and hartaals…when national resources like rivers and dams become political bones of contention…I feel anger as I watch religious intolerance being preached and practised so much…unlike in my childhood…I feel anger when bureaucracy and corrupt officialdom hinder normal progress in the country… when good politicians ( if that is not an oxymoron) either die young or are thrown out by cabals…when non resident Indians ridicule India when they are on visits…
No… I don’t feel that the people in the armed services are more patriotic than an average Indian… Of course, theirs is a more demanding profession, a highly risky one and very noble one… But a good and sincere doctor…or a dedicated teacher is as patriotic, in my view, as is a soldier…
Sensationalizing patriotism is, in my opinion, the most despicable scam anyone can indulge in…and our media are getting better at it day by day… And people have thrown their reasoning power away and react with ‘mob sentiment’ biting the bait thrown by the media.
I am proud to be an Indian… and if I have to return to <ST1:COUNTRY-REGION><ST1LACE><st1:country-region><st1lace>India</st1lace></st1:country-region> </ST1LACE></ST1:COUNTRY-REGION>tomorrow, I shall…Life will definitely be different from the one I lead here…cocooned in the trappings of material comforts… I shall probably meet up with more stumbling blocks in my day to day life… Life may be different without the creature comforts that I take for granted here…
But I am certain I shall continue to unashamedly wipe tears off my cheeks when things essentially Indian, touch my heart… It may be the tri-colour fluttering in the air, it may be a version of Vande Mataram a la Rehman, Lata Mangeshkar…or All India Radio, it may be the grandness of the Agumbe Ghat section …or the sound of Suprabhatham, church bell or even a muezzin’s call…or the sound of school children singing Saare Jahaan Se Accha …or the sight of a Monsoon-ridden Kerala in varied hues of green; it may be the mudra depicted by a dancer’s expressive hands or the Desh raag coming out of a flautist's lips…it may be a kolam drawn on the floor… an aged relative’s smile of recognition; a pair of hands that touch the head of a prostrating youngster, in blessing; the rare sight of a youngster, standing up in respect when an adult enters the room…
…it may be any of those innumerable values my land and my family have instilled in me… It is a very personal feeling…a private experience of one’s soul! And, that is the sum total of my patriotic feelings!
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jaishree9 · Sep 13, 2008

Dear Twinsmom
A very well expressed & thought provoking writing.
No living in india doesnot just lebel one as patroitic.
Being in high chairs or netas also does not autoamtically get this lebel .
It is feeling of oneness with our roots ,culture, the faith,progrees of nation,sadness on any division.Eyes filling when hear the news of bomb balsts ,innocent killings.
THe people today who are dividing this feeling of oneness by caste, creed,regions; they call themselves Neta ,are they patroitic? not at all.
I feel very sad when I watch such news dividing as north south ,Kashmiri,asami, our land ,our city ,our community your state ,your city and all.
People who did or tries to do even a very small work/change towords betterment of Nation are real patriotic people.
Hey Every time When I hear A mere Vatan ke logo my eyes welled up.
When I read the histroy about Subashbose ,Rani laxmi bai, Bhagatsingh my voice stuck up in my throat I thought that only I was a emotional fool ,glad to learn about you.
I think the genral public is more patroitic than people in high places deciding the fate of our country.
Regards

vase · Sep 13, 2008

Hi Twinsmom!

That was a wonderful piece from you! Not sure as to what triggered you to write on this topic since August 15 had gone by a month back!

Yes. The simple gesture of standing-up when the national flag is raised or the national anthem is played gives immense sense of "patriotism" to me. I still do this in my living room with my sons! I never miss an opportunity to be present for the flag-hoisting in the neighbourhood on Aug 15 / Jan 26! Reason - a chance to sing the national anthem!

Nice to know that you have instilled this in your sons in spite of living abroad!

Enjoyed reading the write up!

Cheers!

Kamalji · Sep 13, 2008

Dear Viju,

I am very moved by this blog of yours

I have just nominated it for Sept nominations, and have included it in my Favourties.

Yes that song on Doordarshan which u mentioned, still makes my hair stand.Dil mile hamara Tumhara is it ?

Your blog is superb, and makes us think too.We keep talking about the west, and their cleaniness and their malls, but they have no relations there.

You see yr mother on Mother’s Day, other 364 days u don’t even care for her.Is that what we want.

Sorry for me ,just like u, <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:country-region><st1lace>India</st1lace></st1:country-region> is the best.

Regards.kamal

twinsmom · Sep 13, 2008

Hi Jaishree,

Sigh! Ae Mere Vatan Ke Logo is one of the many songs that I can not singh, though I know the whole lyrics... My eyes become watery and my throat chokes up... Heh...heh...heh... we are sentimental ol' fools in the eyes of the world..eh? I don't mind... Though many may not admit it, they are like us too!

twinsmom · Sep 13, 2008

Hello Vase,

Yes....it is a bit late... but as the saying goes...better late than never...eh? It is a topic very close to my heart! Am happy there are others like me who would stand in attention ( wherever they are) when they hear the National Anthem)...it warms my heart. Thank you.
Regards

twinsmom · Sep 13, 2008

Kamalji,

I used to get a feeling that I belong to a generation that is neither here nor there... The generation before us have visual impacts of independence struggle etched in their memories....the one next to us are too bindaas to care... we struggle with two legs in two boats...

And yes....Mile Sur Mera Tumhara....makes one so damn proud of India!

Happy you share my sentiments too... Thank you for the nomination... but your response and those of others actually is the reward!
Regards

Kamalji · Sep 13, 2008

twinsmom said: ↑

Kamalji,

I used to get a feeling that I belong to a generation that is neither here nor there... The generation before us have visual impacts of independence struggle etched in their memories....the one next to us are too bindaas to care... we struggle with two legs in two boats...

And yes....Mile Sur Mera Tumhara....makes one so damn proud of India!

Happy you share my sentiments too... Thank you for the nomination... but your response and those of others actually is the reward!
Regards
Click to expand...

Dear Viju,

I am not bad as i seem to be, am i ?Big Laugh

Chalo i am patriotic at least.HAHA

Yes the main reward is the commentators, and we fell so good if we get comments, and that too positive comments.

See how much we missed ur good blogs in yr absence.

so now stay put over here.these aer my orders.Big Laugh

Regards.kamal

Anandchitra · Sep 13, 2008

Viju
An excellent blog.. Well written.
To me patriotism is living the country you claim to love and cherishing the country for what it is. If one has to choose between 2 countries and chooses one country for safety etc and then say the other I call home that is not real patriotism.. in my humble and different opinion. It is loving your country through and through. One need not die for the country though. Instead one can stay in the country itself and look for job and other things instead of moving to greener pastures and then claiming I am patriotic. Imagining a huge back splash for my post here.. To end I need to add I do live outside of my country. When Vivekananda travelled abroad he was extraordinarily torn in mind to undertake the travel abroad and only did so when he sought and got permission from his Guru, who was not alive at that time.

Ansuya · Sep 14, 2008

Hello, Twinsmom, AC and others

This is an interesting thread because I think it applies to everyone, no matter where they are and how they feel about their country. I thought I'd add my opinion, as it's a slightly different perspective - I'm South African.

You're right, AC, in predicting that your comment would cause some controversy. No one wants to hear that in leaving their country, they cannot be truly patriotic. However, I do agree with you. Let me explain...

Many of you may not be familiar with the turbulent history of South Africa. To put it briefly, we as non-white South Africans were not treated as equals during the apartheid (Afrikaans word for separateness) years. When liberation came in 1994, the entire country was seized with a wonderful spirit of euphoria. We were finally able to be patriotic South Africans as we finally had equal rights.

Now, in my opinion, all that patriotism and good feeling has disappeared. Our current government is doing all it can to run the country into the ground. All Nelson Mandela's work (and that of the other freedom fighters) is being disrespected by the new generation of ANC leaders. As such, I have chosen to leave my country and settle elsewhere.

Does this decision cause me confusion, heartache, and loneliness? Yes, I have some of these thoughts and feelings every day. But I refuse to support a government that feels no loyalty to me, and does not value my citizenship. I suppose to some extent, this makes me unpatriotic. As AC has pointed out, perhaps the true patriot would stay and in whatever small measure, try to get the country back on track. But I feel I am not a policeman (one of SA's biggest problems is violent crime that threatens every single South African) nor a politician.

I hope that no one reading this feels it is irrelevant to the Indian situation. I think it is. We need to see things from both perspectives. We must be respectful to the people who choose to stay behind and do something (and also the people who choose to stay behind and do nothing but complain!). Similarly, the people who have remained in their home country should understand that for the emmigrant, many hard choices have been made, and we live with the consequences of those choices every day.

Deep in my heart, I still have a lot of good feeling for South Africa and its people (who are my people). But I cannot and will not completely belong to a country that shows so little regard for the welfare of its citizens. Maybe Indians leave India for slightly different reasons, but the underlying principles are the same.

At the end of the day, patriotism, like religion, is a deeply personal issue, and I don't think anyone has the right to tell me that I'm unpatriotic. Only I will know, by looking within, whether I am a patriot or not.

Ansuya