15th Aug' 2009

Woke up early morning... switched on the television.... our independent spirit was in full swing by then... the Prime Minister's speech, music channels blaring out patriotic chartbusters, the Indian flag all over my television...sms-es poured in wishing "happy independence day" ....

Loooked out of my balcony... the para club had got some dusty faded string of paper flags .... they were busy decorating the club premises with the national flag (keeping the ma mati oops trinamool colors aside)...

Switched on the radio...The RJs aimlessly blabbered on..."whats the meaning of independence for you".... listeners, over enthusiastic callers sang in patriotic songs, criticized corruption, praised our freedom fighters and finally hanged up after being assured of food vouchers and discount coupons...

Flipped the pages of the newspaper... Mother dairy had released its tri color ice cream named "Swad Desh"---Glanced at the page 3 sections... celebs sporting the whitest of the white had celebrated pre Independence party at some infamous pub...

Went to the nearest multiplex to buy tickets of Kaminay for the Sunday show... The mall was over crowded at 11 in the morning.... From sniffer dogs to sniffer bitches!.... School kids, teenagers, love birds, socialites, hot babes, ma mashi dada boudi .... sporting the best of their kurtas, sarees, salwar kameez and to top it all the miniature national flag sticking on to them as the icing on the cake...

All the shops offered 50% discount to celebrate independence day... from United colors of Benetton, Tommy Hilfiger, Levis or Victoria's Secret.... all were a part of the Indian independence... and the music which played at the backdrop was none other than Lata Mangeshkar's "Vande Mataram".... tri color baloons, tri color sarees, tri color kurtas... independence smeared all over....

While coming back... got stuck in a terrible jam... the ruling party had organized a reddish tri color procession... celebrating independence and abusing the opposition in its own way!

Back home, sipped my cola and back to my television....Channels were busy flashing SRK's humilation at the airport while wannabe pg 3 ites shared the space to voice out their grievances at different airports in the world!!!! US inconsideration, racial discrimination again highlighted at its peak with independence at the backdrop...


15th August' 1942:
A woman in her mid 30s had walked 10 miles, just to get a glimpse of Bapu... She would be meeting Mahatma for the first time...She was a middle class housewife of 1940s in rural Bengal. A mother of five, married at a very young age, she was deeply moved by Gandhiji's fiery speech. She wanted to do her bit for the nation......
Her gold bangles were the only ornaments that were left..... She had saved them for her elder daughter's marriage....She touched Bapu's feet and handed it over to him....Her eyes were moist as Bapu blessed her.... She dreamt of an independent India someday....

I live in an independent India...

Happy Independence!