IT TAKES A LOUD VOICE TO MAKE THE DEAD HEAR

Not anymore. A loud voice, a scream or even a death cannot change the pschye of the young brigade of today’s India who strongly believe in Million dollar dreams. Nothing wrong provided the options we have right now. With sensex crashing & markets tumbling, survival of the richest is the norm. And those who stick to their 20th century principles are usually left way behind in the muddy rat race. So why all this clichéd stuff now? Read on……..

Throughout my previous blogs (barring two, of pre 1857 era) there was a Gandhian principle hidden somewhere behind the motive of all the heroes we had met. And today on 15^th of August at the stroke of midnight hour ;-), I wake up to realize the fact that had it not been for those people who revolutionized our freedom struggle, I could have been a strong believer in Gandhigiri like many others. And these history lessons would never have bothered you all :-)

And my thoughts were wandering around as to what I should be writing on this very special day. Special is too small a word for this occasion. And I finally zeroed on writing a short and simple note on what inspired me to pen down my thoughts in first place. Confusing?? Ok, I believe it would be befitting that I pay tribute today, in small way to the legends who in many ways are responsible for what I am today. 15^th of August & 26^th of January would have been just another days at school, only difference being the white uniforms, sweets, etc (all part of the big goody bag those days) had it not been for these young Indians who were visionaries and ready to do whatever they could for living their dreams

I was quite a TV buff and fed on whatever DD National and DD Metro (better known as DD I & II ;-) ) served, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Swaraj was the TV series which in a way changed the way I think, talk & feel about our country. While Tipu’s saga planted the seeds, this series strengthened the roots for my passion. And then came, 26^th of January 1998 which was just like the icing on a cake. It was the day when I hoisted our National flag at my school. Saying that the moment is ‘just inexplicable’ would be a cliché. However that was a once in a lifetime opportunity. No, my life neither took a 360 degree turn nor did I have a dream of changing everything and anything. It influenced me to start thinking about these boys who were of my age but were the 'Men who mattered'. Men who believed in one principle - One in a million thinks and moves a million & millions move the Nation. And fortunately India not just had one or two of these charismatic men.

On March 24, 1931, an official notice pasted on the walls of the most prominent places in Lahore read:

“The public is hereby informed that the dead bodies of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev who were hanged yesterday evening (March 23) were taken out of the jail to the banks of the Sutlej where they were cremated according to Sikh and Hindu rites and the remains thrown into the river.”(Sd. Deputy Commissioner, Lahore)

The Sutlej is over 30 miles from Lahore. Lahore has its own river, Ravi. Hangings are almost always carried out at dawn. The departures from normal practice were a tribute to the image built up by the condemned men. They had forced the mightiest empire in the world to act in a surreptitious and cowardly manner in executing the heroes and disposing off their mortal remains. This one instance is enough to understand what those men were made of and what our country is missing today. Inquilaab Zindaabad (Long live the revolution) was their slogan and their story truly mirriored The State of the Nation during those times.

I was young, I was intelligent
I was smart but I couldn’t be like you.

I was everything that today’s youth aspire for
But I choose to fight for the dreams of millions.

The withdrawal of Non cooperation hurt me deep
I could not let the freedom struggle sink

The blows on Lalaji hit me hard
Saunders’ death was the only way to pay back their debt

I burnt their camps & robbed their money
I was their nightmare & answer to their tyranny

I had the courage and the zeal to fight my enemy
Instead of choosing to live just for me.

Decades later, you think of me & shed few tears
What if, that is the end of my memory-is my fear.

I am neither hurt by the poverty nor by any other evils
What hurts me the most is your indifference

I am Man for the Masses
I AM A REVOLUTIONARY

Bhagat Singh had once said, ‘You can kill individuals but you cannot kill ideas.’ Great empires have crumbled but ideas have survived.” Have they?? Keep thinking.