Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Photo: M. Moorthy

COMING TOGETHER Igniting patriotic temper

So what’s more to Republic Day than bunches of toffees in hands and tiny national flags pinned to the chests? We spoke to the tech-savvy Gen-X in the City to know how much the day means to them.

Like it or not, the strict attendance in schools during R-day have strengthened the memories among youth. “We were made to stand rigidly in a line and mimed national anthem along with our classmates. We would go on a parade that was choreographed during the Independence Day,” recalls Yamini, a third-year student at National Institute of Technology.

“To think of it, I feel the regulation in the school did good to us. Especially, when you no longer have to witness any of the half-a-day-long patriotic speeches but still feel strongly about your identity as Indian,” says this chemical engineering student from Varanasi.

History classes would have taught us the making of Indian Republic that warranted endless fights and dumped numerous dates and years on us. In the curve of academic hunt, remembering the arbitrary political abstractions isn’t something most of us are interested in. And ironically, the regurgitation of Independence Day rituals is etched in the youth in far more greater amounts than R-Day. “Somehow, August 15 seems to be more meaningful than Republic Day. I see no reason why we need a holiday on January 26. India has been witnessing many such watershed events. You can’t keep declaring holiday for all such events,” says Rakesh Prabhu, who is pursuing doctoral studies Mathematics.

For many, it means nothing more than a day off from work and academics. And it’s not surprising when Hamsadwani, an accent trainer in an outsourcing unit, says she “missed an extra holiday this year, with R-Day falling on a weekend.”

There are exceptions though. For instance, patriotism and national fervour typifies the National Cadet Corps volunteers in the City. Gargi, a third year Electrical and Electronics engineering student, has been looking forward for the day every year. “Especially, after I joined NCC at college. It’s been wonderful parading on such days. We can feel the element of Indianness taking shape in us,” she says. Nonetheless, Gargi admits that the spirit of celebrations isn’t as high as that of Independence Day. “Perhaps, it’s because many don’t know the reason behind observing the day.”

Republic means nothing more than “an identity tag for organised governance” for Gomathi, a first-year English Literature student. Let alone the spirit of nationalism, the mention of Republic Day doesn’t seem to evince even spot-on answers from many school kids. One can hear responses ranging from “the day when we got the official letter of independence from the Britons” to “the day when our national flag was designed.”

“We look at the toffees rather than the flags,” quips Avipsha Das, a Bal Shree awardee. Having schooled at various states, Avipsha sees it more of a custom rather than self-interest. “There wasn’t any compulsory attendance for it, unlike I-Day. So the turnout had been very meagre. Even if we do, we had been busy figuring out which was the right way to pin the flag. Invariably, all the chief guests spoke about independence struggle, Gandhi and Nehru. None of my schools told us why we celebrate Republic Day,” says the class XII student of St. James Matriculation Higher Secondary School.

Youth may not be patently careerists. But they certainly seem to prefer staying away from hoary complexities of political system.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail