26th January

I started blogging some months back, wrote a few posts with great enthusiasm, after which I sort of gave up. Every time, I think of some topic to write, I mentally conceptualise it, however, when I am on my PC, I just go back to reading old posts, somebody else's blog or more conveniently shift to orkut. For a few weeks now, I have not been able to shrug off my laziness to actually write a new post.

Today, I have no particular topic in mind and my head is cluttered with a medley of random thoughts, however I am determined to restart my blogging innings again. I may not write anything coherent, but I am going to write this for myself. It's Republic day today for Indians and for most Indians it's a holiday to chill out. Coming as it on a monday gives everyone an extended weekend, all of us wish that national holidays fall either on Fridays or Mondays. Honestly, as the number of years go by, days like 26th January become holidays for rest, outings with friends and family and nothing else. The fact that India became a republic on this day is actually incidental. How many of us actually watch that Old Soviet Union style trucks carrying tableaus of different states or one army contingent marching past another. Honestly, I think it's time we changed the the official celebrations in Delhi to something more interesting. While we have made great progress as a nation in every field, when it comes to celebrating our success and show our might, the pattern has not changed. Why don't we think of changing this pattern, Isn't it drab and monotonous??????

First the military parade, I know this is the only day when the defence forces can unveil what they have built in store and ready to use for our safety, however the show, more for reasons of convinience, is weighed heavily in favour of the army. I would prefer a awe-inspring air show by our dare devils on the skies and a show by our navy on the waters. It gives citizens a confidence that apart form a huge army, our skies and seas are equally well protected. An air show telcast to a billion people and a naval drill is something most of us have not seen and would give the navy and the airforce the respect it deserves. I would also prefer a evening fireworks display which makes the celebration enjoyable. Such display can be held in important cities of India and not Delhi alone. I think this can draw people in their respective cities to a common place where everyone can enjoy and feel a sense of national pride. We can have cultural programs on that day and not the same glimpses of states (in different trucks, it's now pretty standard- Milk co-operatives for Gujrat, harvesting in Punjab, Baul singing in Bengal, Rath Yatra for Orissa, Bihu dance for Assam....actually the whole list is pretty predictable!!!!)

I would prefer the whole celebration to be available on the net, downloadable (we are supposed to be an IT giant!!!)This enables NRI's also to be able to access and feel a sense of belonging.
For a change my recipe of celebration would be as follows :- Pay homage to the tomb of unknown soldier and the father of the nation at the crack of dawn followed by a military parade in the morning in all the four major cities. This should be followed by cultural concerts by well known Indian artists after which we can have street plays, folk songs, folk dramas, rock concerts and other cultural items. This could be followed by some interesting sporting events and the day should end in a fireworks carnival.

I hope the recipe sounds different and I have tried to include something to appeal to everybody, this I feel will keep involved in celebrations and not in dozing off, which usually most people do.Do put your thinking caps on, and let us put together an interesting 26th January celebration programme. We can send it to our babus and netas to at least think upon.