Just cracked a record, In past 15 minutes I might
have scanned 150 channels yet watching none. Had I been any western country I
might have been diagnosed as someone
with ADD. Attention deficit disorder. In this half-sleep half wake moment, my
ears caught dialogue on sony tv
“Do you want to fight for change or Do you want to fight to
punish?” …
my entire laziness shot down and my alertness shot
up. That line was from film Gandhi by
Gandhi replying when He(capital H plz) was asked to launch mass violent
struggle against british( small b plz). Another line that really electrified me
was when He gives His first speech to Indian congress.
“India will never convince british as long as congress is
filled with lawyers and few rich intellectuals from Delhi and Bombay. India
resides in 700000 villages. Unless we touch those villages, our struggle will be just small incidents of
small strikes and few terror strikes which will give british reason for further
repression.”
No wonder, congress was like a club with
intellectuals and lawyers than a mass
organistion which geared up to throw britishers
out of India…only discussion and analysis club than action-oriented
machine…till Gandhi stepped in.
I think Richard attenbourgs Gandhi is one original
dvd one should have for rest of life. Every time we watch we get different
insights. So much inspiring and awe felt.
Its so surreal to see India during britsh era. Vacant lands, dress, environment,
colonial architectures (awesome buildings, trust me I lived in them fer half a
decade), cars and trains. Fantastic feeling.
One book I recommend is Domnique laperries
“FREEDOM AT MIDNIGHT”. It’s a narrative of political environment during last
stages of british rule in 1940s. belive it or not. Its so spine chilling which
will move anyone to deep contemplation
in profound silence. Entire country goes to flames under savage communal riots.
Behind the scenes of making of two young countries. India and pakistan. How trains crossing borders between Punjab
and Pakistan coming in deathly silence
coz all its passengers were brutally murdered and raped. Only dead
bodies arrive. No time in world history does such mass migration takes place.
Millions of people on trains,bullock carts, horses,palanquins etc..leaving
everything and going to far off lands just being at wrong place with wrong
religion.
Two hundred years of idea of India torn into two pieces.
Unimaginable tragedy and holocaust and genocide
Indians have gone through at time of independence is story every Indian should
know to understand freedoms we have today which we take so granted.
Probably other book that evokes similar sentiment
is TRAIN TO PAKSITAN by kushwant singh. Fictious tale but based on truth. Try
latest version which comes with photos as well.
Chalo before I forget the main purpose of this mail….HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY…!!!!
like Gandhi said in that film...there are no good byes between us friend...!!!! till we meet again....joy and peace to you and world around...!!!!
