This is a small post. A thought occurred to me two days back and I had to share it here.
Before you think something about me, pls understand that I am a true patriot. I love my country and it is this love which makes me see what is wrong with it and makes me criticize that with an open heart.
I saw the flag of India on the road two days back. Not that it was the first time I saw it, in fact I see it 100 times a day as its the screensaver on my cell phone. Anyways, I wondered about the colours in our flag. Tried to think what saffron stands for, what white and green stand for. I wasn't able to recollect fully. It had something to do with prosperity, truthfulness....
Then I realized Saffron stands for Hindutva. Green stands for Islam. Whatever white and the Ashoka chakra stand for, I did not bother to think further. Call it my cynicism or whatever, but I did believe that YES, the colours in the flag of a secular country India stand for different religions. I refuse to take the crap of prosperity and truthfulness as the reasons for the colours.
Of course, it's a known fact how India was partitioned and how committed all the leaders were to the unity of India and Pakistan. Was the flag just a way to pacify them. Yes, the tricolour has been in existence since the time of the freedom struggle, but even then this must have been the basis of the conception of the Indian tricolour.
Now onwards, whenever I see the flag, I will feel a bit iffy to salute it until my theory is disproved. But that will not stop me from loving or respecting my flag and my country. I was and will always remain secular to the core in the same sense that I am now. Afterall, the flag is just a representation, much like our national anthem is rumoured to be a tribute to the Queen's empire instead of being a tribute to the nation. I still sing the national anthem with the zeal and fervour of a 10 year old.
I love my India!
Before you think something about me, pls understand that I am a true patriot. I love my country and it is this love which makes me see what is wrong with it and makes me criticize that with an open heart.
I saw the flag of India on the road two days back. Not that it was the first time I saw it, in fact I see it 100 times a day as its the screensaver on my cell phone. Anyways, I wondered about the colours in our flag. Tried to think what saffron stands for, what white and green stand for. I wasn't able to recollect fully. It had something to do with prosperity, truthfulness....
Then I realized Saffron stands for Hindutva. Green stands for Islam. Whatever white and the Ashoka chakra stand for, I did not bother to think further. Call it my cynicism or whatever, but I did believe that YES, the colours in the flag of a secular country India stand for different religions. I refuse to take the crap of prosperity and truthfulness as the reasons for the colours.
Of course, it's a known fact how India was partitioned and how committed all the leaders were to the unity of India and Pakistan. Was the flag just a way to pacify them. Yes, the tricolour has been in existence since the time of the freedom struggle, but even then this must have been the basis of the conception of the Indian tricolour.
Now onwards, whenever I see the flag, I will feel a bit iffy to salute it until my theory is disproved. But that will not stop me from loving or respecting my flag and my country. I was and will always remain secular to the core in the same sense that I am now. Afterall, the flag is just a representation, much like our national anthem is rumoured to be a tribute to the Queen's empire instead of being a tribute to the nation. I still sing the national anthem with the zeal and fervour of a 10 year old.
I love my India!
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