The Lights of 4th July

Some coincedences become remarkable. Every second 4th of July by some twist of fate I find myself in the US!!! Two years back around this time I was in New York, and two year before that in Bay Area, California, and this time in Dallas. Of course I make other trips to this country in between, but every other 4th of July I get to be here to see the fireworks.

The fireworks this year were quite good, but by far the best were those that I saw in NY. They were truly spectecular. What makes the whole thing intresting is that the Americans celebrate this as a true festival of patriotism and really take part.

I wish in India we celebrated 15th August with equal enthusiasm. I mean all the flag hoisting and all that generally happens is OK, but for most 15th Aug is just another day off-work, to take care of the mundane chores of life. I wonder how many remember, even in passing, the sacrifices and the heroism of our freedom fighters. Being from a family of freedom fighters, I feel quite strongly about this.

I recently read a quote that said - The nation that doesn't honour its heros, certainly shall not long endure.

For our India to become the beacon of peace and hope in this strife-torn world, the first step would be for every one to feel a sense of oneness with the Indian ethos and culture; to believe inherently in our Indianness and be proud of it.

The pride in Indianness and the willingness to do something that I see in my fellow bloggers, appear to me as a ray of hope. What we need is to take is passion off the blog-o-sphere and get it out to the streets. Only then shall start the true transformation of our society...