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Ramblings
Vande Mataram!
by Anamika Banerjee
November 6, 2005
 Quarter to one at night and I just finished watching “Lakshya, a movie
that I had been wanting to see for quiet some time, mainly ever since my
visit from Ladakh and yes, they have
captured Ladakh beautifully on screen.
As I write the word ”capture” in the previous line, my pen halts and my
hand shakes a trifle at the intensity of the word (capture). The
Pakistanis captured Tiger Hill and our soldiers had to fight to get it
back (Kargil War 1999). As I write my thoughts down, I am so full of
emotions – Pride, Courage, Awe, Jealousy, Love etc etc.
Pride
I know it is wrong to be proud…. My ethics tell me so. But you know what
- with all its faults and all its goodness, I am proud to be an Indian.
I am proud to be a part of this heritage called India. And thousand
times and more, I am proud, extremely proud of the country and every
single citizen who contributes to its welfare directly or indirectly.
Courage and Awe
Our mountainous ranges are undoubtedly very very harsh and the rigorous
terrain can put one off very easily. Yet our country’s defense tolls on
them, survives on them, fights on them and yes, at times, attains
martyrdom on them. I am full of admiration, awe and respect for that
every single Indian who has been posted there, who has been on guard
there for each 2-3 years of his life, staying endlessly in a bunker,
exposed to harsh climate of freezing winds, melting snow, waist deep
glaciers, temperature dipping to –50 degree C, alert, on guard for the
slightest action from the enemy.
As I watched the movie, I was in awe for the passion our soldiers have
on front for their country. They are fanatics driven by the motive of
keeping our country free, so that every citizen sleeps soundly at night.
Ah! I wish sincerely – if even an iota of this fanaticism existed in our
civilians, our country wouldn’t be so renowned for its corruption. It
would gain newer heights.
I respect every single jawan for his contribution, his courage, his
fanaticism, for giving his life to such a noble cause. I bow down to
them a 1000 times.
Jealous
Like pride, jealousy is a wrong emotion – I am very much aware of it.
But this one time, I am jealous of the entire male creed, for they have
been bestowed with the blessing to march forward to the front ….
I am jealous of them because I am not a man and am in no position to do
the same. I am jealous of that person who meets me in the eyes and says,
“I am the country’s vigil.”
I am sure each soldier is full of apprehensions when going to war and
the only apprehension that I can relate to as per to their mental
conflicts is that whether they will survive this fight for the next one
or not?? But how can the fear of death deter my brave soldiers – even as
they die, their lips sing – Vande Mataram! Oh! My chest swells in
pride for my warriors.
I am not saying that every man has to be a soldier and go to the front
to do his /her country proud. You Men, have been given the opportunity
to do your country and your parents proud. You have been blessed with
your gender to do something eternal. Don’t waste it on ogling girls and
eve teasing; don’t waste it in playing internal office politics or any
such pettiness. Just don’t waste being MEN.
And ladies, you are the creator of generations, the nurturer of your
family, of your society, of your country. Help your country to raise a
soldier in every family in any relation be it – father, brother, husband
or son, even friends. Have the heart to pledge your son to the country.
Remember, you invest your moral values to your family, so rise above the
shallow gossips of film industry and back bitching of your neighbors and
invest yourself in the training of a new generation. If you cant give a
soldier to the country – give a soldier to the community in the shape of
an ethical, moral human being, for, with millions of such beings, who
can stop my country, your country, our country from being the best, in
every positive sphere !!
Sounds crazy, eh?? Yes, I am. For my nation, no matter what it is, with
all its flaws and all its goodness. For once, see it from my eyes (so
what if I have weak vision and wear specs !!!) – you will love this
fanaticism.
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Ramblings
The Week of November 6, 2005
Clearance Sale: Politicians Going Cheap! by Rajinder Puri
Indian Governments Soft-Kneed Counter-Terrorism Approaches by Dr. Subhash
Kapila
Varga Chakras (Kundalis) in Jyotish Classics?
by Rohiniranjan
Chanchala Lakshmi: The Restless One! by Aparna
Chatterjee
The Map is NOT the Territory by Vikram
Karve
Greed Makes for Strange Trading Bedfellows
by Michael Levy
How much should we correct children’s poor
behavior? by Michael Grose
Africa: Buy a Girl for 3 Cows by Caroline
Somanje
Canada: Leaving Out the Shariah by Naunidhi
Kaur
Living in the Shadow of Violence by Linda
Chhakchhuak
'Food Passports" for Migrants by Aparna Pallavi
The Seeds of Change by Ruchika Negi
Master Mahashai by Kumud Biswas
Vande Mataram! by Anamika Banerjee
Oriya Press: Then and Now by Alipta Jena
Universal Phonetic Roman Script by Swachid
K. Rangan
Therapeutic uses of Honey in Ayurveda by Dr.
Krishna R.S.
In Our Own Hands
by Stephanie Hiller
Trouble with Purity Pill by Aparna Pallavi
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