Independent! Are We?

After 200 years of colonialism & embarrassment of being low class citizens, while being in awe of British civilization, here we stand today on the 72nd Independence day- An India of dreams, despair & demography.
The 1st prime minister of India, gave a beautiful & heart touching speech "Tryst with Destiny" at the stroke of midnight hour of 15th Aug,1947.
But how far have we come in our Tryst? 72 years is a long time, but so is 200 years. And not to forget many hundred years, before the Europeans arrived & we already were a lazy country. With too much money & no need to look for avenues of advancement, we indeed were a bunch of lazy luxury habitual people.
Before we dive into what we have achieved & what we could have , let's look into what we got as a result of British rule.

The sense of being INDIAN

We are a diverse country. 29 states, 22 official languages, many religions, diversification within a religion & numerous festivals. It was the common hatred against the foreign rule which made us have the sense of being Indian. Though the name India had been recognized since centuries, the feeling of belongingness came only after Britishers tied us under uniform law,  uniform judiciary & uniform way of address- " DOGS & INDIANS NOT ALLOWED"

One Language

With hundreds of languages being spoken in this 7th largest country, we have different language at every 50 miles. It was only through English language & later Hindustani that people from all corners of the country were able to connect with each other.

Train, Telegram, Talent

Though the sole purpose of 3T was to plunder Mother India of it's rich resources, these did become a blessing in disguise. Train & Telegram helped remotest corner to connect with happenings of nerve centers of freedom struggle. And recruitment on basis of merit in Government services helped people break the shackles of caste & nepotism.

But the question remains. Did after breaking the chains of colonialism, are we really independent? 

Today in this age of new ideas, courage & internet; Do we really allow ourselves to be free & not be subdued to fear?

Point & again there comes one thing or another which make us drop our plans & do according to the society. Nonetheless even our carrier choices are shaped by it.

Gap Year

Be it a gap between high school & college or gap in employment record. It is some how seen as if the person is not valuable enough to be considered for job or salary hikes. While in the west people take off time proudly to explore themselves, in India it is considered as a sin.

Sex

We are about to become the most populous country on planet Earth. But still saying "THE WORD" is a big NO! It's only to be done to carry on the family lineage & the license is granted only after getting legally married.

"Vote for Caste" instead of  "Casting the Vote"

In-spite of being the world's largest democracy, have we as citizens been fair in choosing our representatives? Even after being fully aware of political nitty grittis are we gutsy enough to vote sensibly & not just with the flow or religion?

Girl on top, Really?

Even after clearing prestigious exams like IIT-JEE & AIEEE, You are not supposed to choose hard core streams like Mechanical & Civil. But what if a girl dares to choose these streams? The companies would not select them for field job, & even if the do, girls would not be sent of-site. After all, Safety is way more important than career.

Mard ko Dard nhi hota(Men dun cry)

You have to feign toughness, You can't cry rape, You have to be the bread winner of the house, You are doomed if anyone files a case against you under the dowry act or drops a mail to HR claiming harassment. We believe the world is easier for men, But is it really?

Plastic, Pollution, Papparazi

While our major cities are grappling for a breath of fresh air, we are obsessed with what Taimur wore or who is Alia dating now. Whom did Anushka lecture now & what did Virat post latest on Insta. 

The list can go on & on. It is not as if we have not achieved anything. We have improved our literacy rate, life expectancy, corruption is getting low & we have faith in our government. Be it the field of Space missions, Sports or Beauty pageants, we are topping the charts. 

"At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India did come to life and freedom."

 We did work hard, & there is still a long way ahead of us. & as Mr. Nehru said

"There is no resting for any one of us till we redeem our pledge in full, till we make all the people of India what destiny intended them to be. We are citizens of a great country on the verge of bold advance, and we have to live up to that high standard."

#JaiHind #JaiBharat