15th August, 2005 - India celebrates its 58 years of Independence. So did I. But I wasnt in India. I was here in Dubai. The moment the clock struck 12 midnight signalling the start of the day I would remember for the rest of my life. Me and my villa mates went to our backyard stood in attention and sang the National Anthem. We sung it with full passion. Our hearts were filled with passion and I am sure each one of us wanted to catch the next flight and go home.
And in the true b-school spirit we went back to reading our Marketing books for the test that we had.
The clock struck 7.15 and I woke up switched the alarm off and ran to brush and have a shower. And then off I went to the college. There was the Independence Day celebrations nothing flashy, people were dressed in ethnic wear looking regal and proudly Indian. And then we sang the National Anthem, it was amazing. The feeling that engulfed me cannot be expressed in words. I dont have an outstanding writing skills.
We then rushed for our marketing exam. We finished it at 12 pm (No further details will be provided on how the exam went even on request.) Swades was being aired on Star Gold. I love this movie. Swades is one of the best movies Indian cinema has ever produced. Swades is actually better than Lagaan. I am sure that Swades would have won the Oscars if it went there.
People were more affected by the film today seeing in the chillout room at S P Jain Center of Management, Dubai than they were sitting in a multiplex back home in India. When the song ” Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera ” was running, I could see people controlling their tears including your’s truly who was moved but his eyes did not go moist nor was he controlling it.
This was what piqued my interest/curiousity as to finding out whether Indians abroad have a tendency to become more patriotic as they finally learn the significance of being an Indian. I have always been proud to be an Indian. There are a lot of people who have promised me that when they will land in India they will kiss and touch the ’soil’ that has given them the identity.
I want to end by asking a question, whose answer I, myself am looking for. The question is what I asked already, ‘Do Indians become more patriotic when they go abroad?
August 24th, 2005 at 4:02 pm |Quote|
I completely agree- Indians are more patriotic when abroad. I think it has a lot to do with trying to connect with anything back home, which is why dandiya etc are more lavishly celebrated in the US etc.
Singing at your villa at 12 was quite a nice gesture!I share your sentiments on being unable to express the feeling of belonging, the feeling of being an Indian.