Yesterday was a special day. For the first time, me and my son watched the Republic Day parade together.
All these years when I used to wake him up early, he would just roll off again to sleep. But this year he had asked me repeatedly to wake him early. Why? Because his school teacher had explained how good the parade is and asked all of them to watch it. So what I had been trying to do all these years was done by a single lecture by the teacher 😀 But then that is effective teaching.
I remember rushing home from school to watch the parade on TV. My father and me would sit side by side watching the tableau while he explained each one. Now and then he would tell some story of the freedom struggles. Oh, what joy….what pride.
In the intercepting years I have felt the pride of being an Indian dwindling not only in me but in youngsters nowadays. While I see the Bahrainis or British talk with so much pride for their motherland; the same pride I do not see in fellow countrymen.
And here I was watching the parade with my son. ‘Do we have so many states?’, he asked. I said ‘yes’ and then proceeded to explain a little about each state.
Then came the BSF jawans on the bike and he watched with his mouth agape. And I felt waves of happiness as I saw the same pride and incredibility on his face which I always have while watching the parade.
And then it was all over and the National Anthem began to play and yes I still get goosebumps when I hear the music.
He was silent. I asked why. It was AWESOME, he said.
But then India is AWESOME, isn’t it.
How delightful. I am glad you watched the parade together – moments like these are educational and noteworthy for both parties involved. 🙂
Yes indeed and delightful too. You were very quick with the comment, I just hit publish. Not that I mind though 😛
Ah, the joys of accessing the reader on a slow-day. 😉
You have a way with the words.It is an excellent post. I felt
guilty that I had not watched the full parade all these years except intermittently.
Really? I may have missed only a couple of years 🙂
I always liked Republic Day better than Independance Day due to the parade on TV … I also remember they used to declare the best tableau
me too 🙂 They still award the best tableau I think
oh yes.. india is AWESOMEEEEEE always …. after all it is MY COUNTRY.. and I am awesome so my country has to be AWESOME 🙂
He he…Yaa of course, you are awesome and so is India 😀
I still miss the DD days. Most of us are made to watch the parade since it was the only channel we had and everything was new. The parade was colourful and so the children also enjoyed watching this with us. Now, so many choices are there and so, I watch it mostly alone sometimes husband joins in.
This time I noticed the school children smiling all along while dancing on the ground. They looked very happy, not tired at all. So many types of dances, dresses….we are lucky to be born as Indians.
You write very well. Keep writing more!
True and DD had so much variety. we learnt the different cultures , dances, music of India only through DD, Now sadly Bollywood reigns every channel