Independence. What does that mean to you? For me, it’s something I can't live without. A few years earlier, I wouldn’t have said something like that. Back then I was carefree and nothing in the world bothered me. I did what I thought fit.
I realize now that was what independence was all about. No curtailing of thought, any dogma to follow, freedom to express my thoughts. And thankful I am for being born in such a country. I pity the poor souls caught in countries where oppressive regimes try to control and enforce their line of thinking or way of life. I used to think, as a kid, that the grass was greener on the other side. But now, oo boy... the greenest is at home. I have traveled far, I wouldn’t say wide because I still have to go there, and understood that the basic requirement to thrive as an individual and as a community was independence.
As the 59th year of India's independence goes by, this little and rather warm memory comes to my mind. I don’t remember when, but I think the year was between 1992 and 1995. I was at Nagahole, a wildlife preserve on the Karnataka/Kerala border in southern India. It was the rainy season and monsoon was in full force. The forest had come alive with renewed life and vigor. With bustling green and the smell of rain & earth filled in the air, it was a treat to the eye.
We went up to the road next to the main building of the forest department. It was noting big and elegant. But for the board and the flag pole, you would not have been able to differentiate it from any of the other building there. There was a small crowd of people assembled there including the IFS (Indian Forest Service) official, the one who is the head official of the forest. Before we could proceed on the ceremony, a small group of tribal kids who were from the local school chugged along to watch the flag hoisting ceremony and sing the national anthem. This was one of the most amazing sights I saw there. Here are these children, who unfortunately are at the far end of the development ladder, but were still participating in celebrating our country's tryst with destiny.
People might question if they really intended to be there celebrating or do they know the significance of independence, because they are still oppressed in their own country. There is no place on this earth where there has not been some form of oppression. Be it the rich oppressing the poor, one religion/caste against the other. Operession stems from inaction and ignorance. People have to stand up and make it felt that this sort of behaviour cannot go on. And what best place to do it in but a free and independent country.
I only hope that those kids realize their full potential and make the most that our country has to offer and in turn do us proud.Independence is something that we don’t realize we had till we loose it. My experiences in the past as well as present have proved one thing: Not to take what I have for granted.
