Celebration..? Oh No...Not Today!!

So...here I am, sitting in the cozy indoors of my house, with no one around, listening to the distant sound of crackers and the beep of my phone which is receiving some random texts every minute or two. There's nothing new about this. This has been extremely typical of the eve of the Independence Day, since long, at least for me.

Though this may seem to be absurd for some, and to some it may sound like a dark story is about to commence. However, it  for is not so. I am alone in the house, because my parents are out for dinner-cum-late night party with friends, while my brother is out with his bunch of people, probably drinking his way through the night.

The sound of crackers denotes nothing, but a mindset which probably believes in the fact that fireworks, on the eve of the Independence Day is a great way of showing their love for the country.

As far as the texts on my phone are considered, they are trying to remind of a very important duty that I need to fulfill, and that too exactly when the clock strikes 12:00 am. The "duty" here refers to the changing of my display picture on apps like the BBM and Whatsapp and whatnot to the picture of the Indian National Flag. Well, why not? After all, I constitute of the youth of today, I am the future of this nation, and thus it is my solemn duty to do so. This is my biggest opportunity of showing my love, respect and dedication to my motherland.

Come the dawn, and there will be a horde of patriotic songs being played on loudspeakers at various pandals set up by activists, political groups, and social circles (which by the afternoon will be playing the like of Sheila and Munni....And why not? After all the constitution bestows upon one and all...the duty to respect woman).

Oops!! How stupid of me?!  I forgot to mention the most important aspect of this day. FACEBOOK! How on earth could we be celebrating our Independence Day, without Facebook?  Every Indian on the social network, will be tagged by another, in a picture that depicts the greatness of this nation, or the plight of its poor people, or the shameful acts of its politicians, and in some rare cases, the sacrifices of the freedom fighters.

All that being said (by me), and done (by others, of course), the one question that is popping into my head is "Why?", followed by others like - "for whom?" and  "for what?"

I mean is there anything that this "Facebook generation"(if I may say so) is doing for the betterment of the nation on a consistent basis? Does the nation and its welfare even affect even one decision that we make from one 15th Aug to the next? Does the well-being of the follow countrymen even fare on our list of priorities?

Well, I am no die-hard patriot to give any "gyaan" out here. But then, I am also not indulging in the so called "patriotic-acts" of changing display pictures, forwarding texts, or singing patriotic songs just to mark this day. With all humility, and utter humiliation, I stand here and accept the fact that I am doing nothing significant for my nation, and I am therefore not eligible for flaunting my love towards my motherland.

Therefore I choose not to flaunt my love for the motherland today. I am not putting up a fancy display picture of the National Flag. I am not wishing people on this great day that marks the freedom of my nation. I am not celebrating today. Today, I feel sorry for myself, b'coz all I am is burden to this nation, when I could have been its pillar of strength. 

Today, I feel GUILTY.  What about you?

P.S. - I DO NOT mean to demean the Indian Flag, all I wish to do is to question us - the "so called" youth, question the consciences of one and all, who claim to be true Indians!!