Independence Day Reflections

Tomorrow India celebrate its Independence Day. Today I remember a time when as a child my father took me to the state function to witness the Independence Day parade. Years later, as a civil servant, I had the duty of organizing the function at the district in which I was posted. The preparations for the Independence Day function including the parade and the cultural programme that followed it would start one month before. I carried out my responsibility in the most mechanical manner seeing to it that there were no last minute glitches. On that particular day I would wake up at the break of dawn and rush to the parade ground to oversee the function. I do everything without much emotion and to the best of my abilities. It was only when the national anthem was played and the national flag was being hoisted that a strong feeling of patriotism enters my mind and touches my heart. I know then that the love for my country still resides in my heart.