Semitic Sojourn

I am back. Withered and Weathered. The Pakistan visa has kept me busy all these days and have taken most of the energy out of me. I must say the high commission is palatial. Inside you'd find princely carpets and couches. Though equally beautiful outside you automatically get a feeling from within that says its the High Commission for Pakistan. The windows have the smallest of communication gaps with bullet proof glass. A long wait to meet the First Secretary precedes a long wait for a Visit visa.

Waiting outside the high commission, gorging on my apple I was wondering how strange things are between two countries whose people absolutely love eachother to say the least.

"Doodh meetha hai na " (trn. - The milk is sweet ) -- said the chai wallah bhaiya when I pointed out the flies in his milk. The only high point of the day was this hillarious reply.

Recently, I was invited to a TV show, no-no not a reality show about marrying a nerd woman, but it was a talk show and the topic of discussion centered around Jaswant Singh's ouster from the BJP and as a result, Indians being scared to revisit history. I was a priced catch as my grandparents hail from Pakistan ( i know its not a good reason to show off my priced catch status).

Apart from people claiming Jinnah was an outright communal man and a certain villain in India's history there were jibes from BJPwallahs to Congressites over Savarkar as well. Bringing back old ghosts is a profession here. And they say we are scared of revisiting history !

Would I like to revisit history ? Absolutely Yes. But only if I had the power to change its course.

Its time we, as a nation (including our respected and beloved politicians) accept the fact that India was partitioned 62 years ago. A lifetime in itself. And still Indian politics feeds on just one issue - Pakistan base, Partition sauce with toppings of Jinnah Jalapenos.

I believe we ( both the nations) should look forward to a better future. I cant help it. Its just the way I've seen things here. No matter how deep you are drenched in shit you can not stop hoping for the best. Its basically the same way as we have been hoping for an ideal, honest and a model government since forever. Improvement of Economic and cultural ties is a way to improve the ever fluctuating relations. Its a pity, not even Student exchange is allowed between the nations. So dont be surprised when I say there is no such thing as Travelling in India/Pakistan since both the sides do not issue travel visas at all.

If there was a magic wand and we could be one, literally though, there are certain things I believe every Indian would want to happen. Firstly,

We all would want to see Shahid Afridi and Sehwag open the batting. Not to forget it would give birth to

a cricket ( read sporting) superpower. Wonder what kind of quality music can Himesh Reshammiya and Abrar-ul-Haq create together. There'd be a constant tussle as to kahaan ke munde have more tashan - Lahore or Chandigarh.

The girls oh-so-obviously deserve a mention. I can bet that everyone here believes the girls are more beautiful on the other side.

For Pakistan, they no longer would have to import Fertilizers. Nor they would have to import computer hardware, bringing down the cost and increasing the market and productivity in this sector. The quality and cost of apparels would certainly improve.People here could certainly learn a bit of tehzeeb in language from the other side. The all important gas pipeline from Iran would be a certain reality.

More than the tangible things, I believe love would be exchanged from both sides which is far more important than any other thing. The whole thing looks far from reality, I know. But the same was the Freedom of India ( yes, pun attached) in say 1920s. The success of African-American civil rights movement and end of slavery in US was also a "Dream" which great men possessed. There are countless examples I can state but the point is - Are we willing ? Are we scared indeed to revisit history ?

I don't think so.

Jashn-e-Swatantrata

So another Independence day and India turns 62. The focus isnt really on freedom this time. Too many 'important' things are going on in the nation for us to think about as cliched a thing as Freedom. Swine Flu, Economic meltdown and the recently concluded Rakhi Sawant ka Swayamwar.

Its been 62 years since the end of the Raj. For people who shed blood for Poorna Swaraj,15 August 1947 was the 'edelweisstic' moment of glory. In a typically Indian (and nowBollywood) way of hoping for the best from now on, and in that context it seems that moment of glory was just yesterday. We're still hoping for the best.

There have been great advances I must say. And like all the Independence days I shall refresh the short public memory that we have. For once, the world recognises India as a considerable economic and political force and not a pushover (Amazingly our neighbours think likewise as well), Cricket is not the only sport India excels in - Boxing, Shooting, Volleyvall are some of the other, Atlast we have a Prime Minister who is not bothered about some marxists but vouchs for atomic power instead, We have something indigenous on the moon (or atleast on its way) and many other significant things. Like every other Indian I am very proud of my nation nad love it, the way it is.

Though 62 years have passed, we as Indians or the Indian mindset has not really changed. We still curse eachother, we still spit on the roads, we cant drive in lanes (or as a matter of fact we believe blowing our horn more often improves mileage), we dont believe in the concept of queues ( or anything that bogs you down just like speed limits ) , we are extremely critical of things but dont do anything to make them better ( just like me ). But I think this is what makes us Indians that we are. And I bet people the world over are just the same, they just have a better method of comouflage.

But we have a knack of settling for almost everything that is average or infact less. Vying for whatever you can get has becomes inherent and sadly the limit of our wants. For instance, we still have to sit in darkness and go through power cuts, just like 20 years ago. We still dont have proper supply of water - again just like 2 decades back, we still dont have a professional Police force since I dont know when - forever ! , You still swear at a government official almost every time you have to get your work done, we absolutely dont have a public health system, we dont have more than 30% of the population as literate, we still have Political Parties that are contenders to run the country but dont even know the meaning of being Human... in all we still dont value our lives and live for mere basics and existence. Still, after 62 years of being free. The world's largest democracy has actually been a slave since all these years.

This, I think, puts us in a very strange position. Either we be like the Chinese - who think, or have been told to think, that the best way to live is the Chinese way. To not believe in god, to think they're a democratic country, to be gagged everytime you raise a voice. Its better that way, isnt it ? Without the hassle of taking decisions and 'thinking' and still be the world's largest growing economy, a potential superpower and have the right to veto.

Not very far away, in Pakistan, they too are 62 years old and to know they have the most skewed reality to face and still be proud of the fact that they belong to that nation is commendable. We Indians have a lesson or two to learn I guess. Maybe I can find out more about it when I visit Pakistan next month :D .

Anyways, as I said before, hoping for the best we've been living on. Let's see how far we go.
Dont forget to fly kites tomorrow.

Happy Independence Day.

National Anthem ( Plz stand when listening )