Happy Independence Day... the tryst to be independent continues

Independence day....
Today's the day when 62 years ago we achieved independence from the British Rule.
I'm wondering something fancy and patriotic to write about today. But somehow it wouldn't do justice to this day.
Cynic that I am, I sit here and wonder exactly how significant is this day to us Indians. We're a weird race. We blow out of proportion silly little things like a five year old falling in the ditch and completely ignore something as significant as our Independence Day. It has the least number of SMS's passed around, unenthusiastic greetings and celebrations, and the regular monotony of a holiday. I'm sure there ARE quite a number of people out there doing a lot more than that, but since it doesn't include me, I feel pretty useless and left out.
Of course, on a more dismal note, I'll also point out all the things that we're still not free from. We still labor under the oppression of diseases, pollution, malnutrition, poverty, terrorism, over exposure and dependence on technology, the oppression of MONEY, of peer pressure, of depleting and degrading natural resources, morals, cultural values.... blah blah blah. The question is - how much of it bothers us; and even more importantly, are we willing to do something about it?
Our forefathers, so to say liberated us from foreign rule so that we could make our own choices, and the only ones really celebrating this day, or at least making a pretense of doing so our not-so-dear politicians who probably are the only ones fully exercising this right of CHOICE.
An average Indian is still stuck in making the same stereotypical choices, (I wonder if they can be termed choices at all, since they're so spoon-fed) making ends meet. Even those who do better than that classify living life as a few annual outings taken with the family where they visit stereotypical places, spending on stereotypical luxuries, each vying to outdo his neighbor or relative or brother or friend or enemy.
Our scriptures themselves say that those who do not venture out to learn new cultures, new languages and new ways are no better than animals. So what do we do? How do we free ourselves and the rest of the Indians from their mundane stereotypical lives? The ones that WANT to Free of course. How do we emphasize on this day that we are free, we are free, independent, that we define ourselves, that our identities are neither chained in our culture, nor in the western culture, that we are who we are and we are proud of who we are, that we make choices, independent choices, not those dictated by family or society or situations?
With freedom of course, come responsibilities. And it is shouldering these responsibilities that emphasizes that we are a free race. Each of us has different responsibs and some common... ahem... noble ones that we all need to shoulder. Yes, I know it's easy to be all philosophical but it's not all that difficult to take a few small steps. Like switching off the lights in your house when you don't need them, or not taking unnecessary long drives and saving oil, or trying to give your parents little things, moments that they sacrificed to raise you, or not littering the roads, or not losing patience when someone bangs into you by mistake on the road, or making women feel more secure EVERYWHERE.... There are many things we can do, and every time we do any one of them, it's like celebrating our independence, whatever day it might be.
Theres no need to be all puffed up and make impractical resolutions with fire in your eyes and patriotic fervor in your heart or anything fancy like that, just a determination to do better, be better every moment of life. That would probably be more than being independent citizens of our wonderful country, it'd be like being independent of all our weaknesses. Sound like a good thing to be, no?

Wizard Of Wisdom

Theres a book called 'The Secret'. It's been popular worldwide, it has sold millions of CD's of the movie 'The secret' just as well.
Whats wonderful about this book??? It encourages you to believe in your dreams. It ensures you that wanting things is not bad, and best of all, that if you want something bad enough, the entire universe will aid you in getting it.
I saw the movie. I was initially very inspired by it, though I had a slight feeling of 'unreal' nagging me somewhere. I discussed it with someone I knew and was thoroughly ridiculed for liking something like that. Recently a good friend told me she was reading the book and believed i needed to employ the Secret in my life and try to change it positively.
I recently saw the movie 'Guru'. It is based upon a famous Indian industrialist who broke, bended, moulded and recreated all rules of trade for his company to grow, a man who introduced the share market to India, and spearheaded the Indian middle class towards a richer, more productive future. He was Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani. As the movie portrays, he was dragged up against the media, the judiciary and the masses of India on charges of fraud. He listens to all accusations and finally speaks thus in his favour. He says he had come to Mumbai to do business, and he tried going to right way. But he found all doors closed. And ultimately he had no choice but to bang them, sneak inside them through hook or crook or even break them down for his company to grow. He cited the entire country as a partner in his growth, he's met by many of his shareholders who earned from his company and rose out of drudgery. He's appreciated by everyone, including his critics.
Sorry for getting dragged into the spirit of the movie. What am i trying to say here?? That when you truly want something, when you CONVINCINGLY want something, and you go for it, you get it. It's probably the world's most wonderful secret, or maybe the simplest and the most obvious truth. Life's like a test, and God or nature or whatever superpower is sitting up there tests you on just one thing when it comes to giving you what you want, how badly you want it, how CONVINCINGLY do you want it? And to what extents will you go to get it. Try it on the smallest things, or the biggest, it will always work out. Decide, not because you want to try this out, but because you want to, that you will do a particular thing today. And just move on towards it. It will be done and over before you know it.
'Faith, faith faith in ourselves, faith faith in god, that is the way to success' - Swami Vivekananda

Delhi - 7

Delhi seems to be popular nowadays amongst filmmakers, investors, BPO's...
So, I thought I might indulge in too.
And thus, after DElhi 6, I bring you Delhi 7.
It's a sun kissed park in Delhi thats very famous amongst the residents around. People flock it for morning walks, weddings, picnics, games or just to get a bit of nature like I do.
Welcome to Roshanara Bagh.
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Yeh Zindagi

Yeh Zindagi
Kaisi hai yeh zindagi
Dil tootne par roti hai
Phir kisi aur ki love story dekh ke muskurati hai zindagi
Aansuo se ladti hai
Taqleefon ke sammne sar uthaati hai
Lad lad ke jeet ki khushi manati hai zindagi

Jalti hai, jalatii hai
Ek dusre ke sahare aage badhti jaati hai
Kabhi kaandha de, to kabhi sahara lekar jeeti hai zindagi

Baccho ki khushi mein
Buzurgo ki aankho mein
Jawaan dilon ke sapno me
Chalakti hai, jhalakti hai zindagi

Khud ko manati, khud ko satati,
Kabhi dhokha dekar, toh kabhi jaan lekar
Kabhi khudgarz aur kabhi kadvi
Aur Kabhi shahidon ka balidaan leti
Jeene ki khatir ladti hai yeh zindagi

Girti, ladhkhadaati, par Kabhi na rukti
Hardam jo chalti, usika naam zindagi.