On The Occasion of India’s 61st Indepedence Day, Here’s Wishing Every Indian Everywhere Freedom from…

War.

Violence.

Bias.

Prejudice.

Racism.

Sexism.

Jingoism.

Fascism.

Capitalism.

May we forge our own identity from our own materials and using our own talent, to prove to the world that one of the greatest nations is indeed one of the greatest nations.

That’s if we have to play this ‘nation’ game at all. Personally, I think we’re all (obviously) one nation, not just all countries, races, religions, creeds, colours, sexes, but all things animate and inanimate. Part of one glorious world, universe, creation, call it what you will. Existence.

And we’re all one.

These beautiful words from the great Rabindranath Tagore have always inspired and moved me:

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action –
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

And here’s a quote (or a quip) from me, made up specially for the occasion. Forget flag-waving and nationalism. Let’s wish for the real thing. An India of the people, by the people, for the people…

JANATA UUNCHA RAHEIN HAMARA!”