MAA TUJHE SALAAM

MAA TUJHE SAALAM

The lyrics of "Vande Matram-Maa Tujhe Saalam" by A.R Rahman mesmerized me during my school days. It always happened to be my favorite song whenever I had to go for classical stage performances . Nevertheless, at that point in time, the lyrics and music was what enchanted me and I hardly knew  the  real intricate meaning of the song. For me , Independence day as a school kid was a day of unfurling the National Flag in school and eating the sweets and enjoying another nice holiday. But today , the same day occupies a very sacred position in my life.

After living in London , I realized-what India is ....I still remember the first induction day at my University (London School Of Economics ) in London wherein one of my classmate (whom I later discovered to be one of the chief economist in the Canadian Government) enthusiastically asked me as to what is "India"-how can we manage so much unity in diversity- to him India was synonym to an unexplored "Pandora box". That was the day I realized the complexity of the fabrics of my motherland. A nation , a country where 28 states and 7 union territories cooperate , smile and live in harmony. A nation where innumerable traditions , beliefs and faiths immerse in one single identity-that of being an INDIAN.I remember the unending   pleasant experience and "tales" of one of my fellow classmate who had paid  a visit to India during the  vacation. To him, India was "Unique". He could not  stop  boasting about the natural beauty of the country whether it be the Himalayas and snow clad  Kashmir, the beaches of Goa or the mesmeric backwaters of Kerala , the warmth of the people or the richness of our culture and traditions. The way  he unfolded my nation's richness to me  was a novel experience in itself.  As a  Postgraduate student of Economic history, I was mesmerized to know that in 1750 AD –India was the happiest country in the world(according to certain computations of happiness index ) and that in the late 18th century India was regarded as the "textile workshop" of the world.  The historical facts engulfed  my mind to such an extent that   while shopping on the "Oxford Street"(one of the shopping hotspot of the world) , I was forced to believe that India and if not India then surely India and China together will again regain the lost hegemony of being the "textile workshop" of the world. Every second textile be it dress material or just cloth piece had "Made in India " tag.Living abroad and analyzing the aura of life in India made me realize the beauty of India. While   living and studying in a truly cosmopolitan university at the heart of London (where more nations were represented than the UN), I had the golden opportunity to interact and be friends with people from many countries. One of my close friend who happened to be a Chinese always felt amazed at the fact that India  was the birthplace of so many religions, that it housed one of the world's largest university of old, golden times. She always made me feel that we Indians are very peace loving people deriving our innate strength from the richness of our civilization and had   exemplary courage to face all hurdles with a smile on face.

The experience gave me an opportunity to appreciate the nuances  and charm  of the nation .At the same time , it also showcased me the fallacies in our national identity. I  remember the euphoria and the euphemism during the election of Barrack Obama-a President who during his campaigns ignited the minds and souls of youth all around the world with the slogan-"YES YOU CAN". I cannot forget the heightened political keenness among my fellow American colleagues (who in spite of the fact that we had loads of pending assignments) left no stone unturned in being glued to the television witnessing the whole election process. I could actually feel the level of political consciousness and the feeling of being a true "American citizen" in their expressions and identity. They truly recognized that they are the future of their country and that they are equally responsible for the prosperity of their nation. Even though, I also experienced the election of  the world's largest democracy -India,  from UK  and felt that the youth of the nation have also arisen for the cause of the motherland –still somewhere, some lacunae exist.

I was really hurt, the day Mumbai was attacked. I remember how I followed the whole attack live on various Indian news channels and felt so hopeless. I could not do anything sitting there .Instead had to witness my fellow innocent countrymen and our several international  "athithis"(visitors)  die by the tick of the time. To add to this, the biggest paradox was that all of us-  all Indians and all fellow Pakistani's in my hall of residence- saw all this together live on TV. Believe me, they were equally shocked to witness the heinous act. It is indeed  very hard to understand as to what is driving these   terrorist intensions.

This brief stint was I think important for me. It gave me an opportunity to unfurl  India's beauty in right earnest. I can now appreciate and analyze India's complex socio, economic and political problem. I know we are still far behind on the development ladder. We have loads to do before we stop and this dream has given me the courage to be a part of the "reverse brain drain".  This  would  however  turn  into  a  reality  when  each  of  the  citizens  standing  at  this  important  milestone, rededicate  themselves  to  the  cause  of  ensuring  the  prosperity  of  the  nation  and  the  well-being  of  every  individual .I now believe India can and will definitely be able to prosper-only if all of us identify ourselves as "Indians" at the micro level and "world citizens" at the macro level.