Dear Gandhiji,
It's your birthday today.. we are remembering you on all news channels today with special feature segments named in the sensational manner that is typical to the news channels.
We are remembering you in schools and colleges with speeches that are repeated every year.
We smile when we read '2nd October - Gandhi Jayanti' in the holidays list of the year. We remember you with joy.
We have forgotten you otherwise.
When we get a currency note larger than the regular size, we look at the number - preferrably wanting to see a 1000 over a 500 or a 100. We do not look at your smiling face adjacent to the number.
We lie, we fight, we abuse.
We give bribes to a government employee just to get rid of the work as quick as possible.
We are so safe in our 'grihas' that we do not have time for 'satya' leave alone 'satyagraha'...
You are a revered person in the world, the face of India for many outside India.
"The land of Gandhy" is what many of us are greeted with when we say we are from India. We smile in response and say how proud we are. It is then that we remember you Gandhiji.
Regards,
Just someone
P. S. : Is it Lal Bahadur Shastriji's Jayanti today as well? Was he the one who gave the slogan 'Jai jawan, jai kisan'? Or was he the one who gave the slogan 'Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azaadi dunga'? He must be a freedom fighter, right?! Please tell me more about him, Gandhiji....
It's your birthday today.. we are remembering you on all news channels today with special feature segments named in the sensational manner that is typical to the news channels.
We are remembering you in schools and colleges with speeches that are repeated every year.
We smile when we read '2nd October - Gandhi Jayanti' in the holidays list of the year. We remember you with joy.
We have forgotten you otherwise.
When we get a currency note larger than the regular size, we look at the number - preferrably wanting to see a 1000 over a 500 or a 100. We do not look at your smiling face adjacent to the number.
We lie, we fight, we abuse.
We give bribes to a government employee just to get rid of the work as quick as possible.
We are so safe in our 'grihas' that we do not have time for 'satya' leave alone 'satyagraha'...
You are a revered person in the world, the face of India for many outside India.
"The land of Gandhy" is what many of us are greeted with when we say we are from India. We smile in response and say how proud we are. It is then that we remember you Gandhiji.
Regards,
Just someone
P. S. : Is it Lal Bahadur Shastriji's Jayanti today as well? Was he the one who gave the slogan 'Jai jawan, jai kisan'? Or was he the one who gave the slogan 'Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azaadi dunga'? He must be a freedom fighter, right?! Please tell me more about him, Gandhiji....
every word in this post is so very true. His deeds are forgotten instead of following.....wot is left behind is just a face and a name.
ReplyDeletewonder if he can R.I.P.
Dude..i couldn't understand your P.S.
ReplyDeleteIs it there just out of curiosity
or are u just being a smartass??
Surely, Shastri ji wasn't as famous as Gandhi ji but in no sense was he less and his ideology and life history is just as inspiring as any other freedom fighter's. And don't insult him by saying "He must be a freedom fighter, right?". You either seriously need a history lesson or a smack depending on the context.
I have followed your blog and it's quite a mature blog but this disappoints me in either case.
Abhimanyu
Is today Gandhi Jayanti..?? oops sorry I forgot... I was so much engrossed in reading about Lal Bahadur Shastri that I just could not remember Gandhi jayanti.. Well It does not matter...
ReplyDeleteHonestly commenting on your post, I would like to mention a few things
1) People who have asked me about Gandhi till now were ONLY African Immigrants...
2) British people dont really care who Gandhi is.. or rather was..
3) We are definitely living his ideal life bro... Look around ... most of the populations is half naked... rather following his ideologies... I envy a man who inspite of ruining the whole generation of strong willed Indians.. is still honoured...
@ Abhimanyu..
ReplyDeleteDont get angry bro...
Aditya is NOT a Gnadhi follower...
the P.S was sarcasm....A wake up call for all those who consider Gandhi as the only freedom fighter..(fighter?? lol)...
@Keepsaker : Thanks
ReplyDelete@Abhimanyu:
I respect Shastri ji definitely. I did not mean to disrespect him in any case.
The blogpost, as you must've noticed, is sarcastic throughout. The P. S. was to be an icing on the cake - to remind the people of Lal Bahadur Shastriji.
That's why I sign off the letter to Gandhiji as "Just someone".
My intention was to sarcastically point out that Shastriji is being forgotten and that his role was important too. Sadly, it backfired. :-(
I am sorry that the sarcastic nature of the 'P.S.' did not come out clearly. My bad!
@Harsha: Thanks for the comment. :-)
@Harsha & Abhimanyu:
ReplyDeleteHarsha's statements
"
the P.S was sarcasm....A wake up call for all those who consider Gandhi as the only freedom fighter.....
"
are absolutely true. That was my intention.
I totally agree Aditya ... we remember the days , the names of such freedom fighters and also their deeds but we never try to follow the principles which they taught us and also they might've thought would last longer than their lives but somehow I feel those thoughts , their principles are diminishing with their memories..... God bless you Aditya
ReplyDelete