Patriotism Comes In All Shades

It was the 72nd Republic Day. The weather seemed perfect. But, it was the very first time that the event was being conducted in such a low key manner, with the minimum turnout as compared to all the previous years. People in attendance occupied seats leaving a vacant seat in between them keeping in line with the social distancing norms.

With the vaccination drives happening across the country and against the backdrop of the latest victory of the Indian team at the Gabba Fortress, the mood in the country was somewhat upbeat. Or at least that's how the avid cricket enthusiast Major Vishwanath felt as he surveyed his surroundings from the VVIP gallery.

Major Vishwanath had served in the armed forces for more than three decades. One of his favourite pastimes during his post-retirement life in the present is to fondly reminisce over the highlights of his checkered career. His heart swells with pride whenever he recollects the day he received the gallantry award from the President of India during one such Republic Day parade.

He always considered it his privilege and honour to give the salute to his Commander-in-Chief along with his regiment during many such parades. That's why he always made it a point to attend the Republic Day parade whenever he could.

India's rich cultural heritage depicted in the form of tableaus from states across the country never failed to fascinate him. More than anything else, he looked forward to the showcasing of the Indian Military's latest acquisitions of tanks, radars, missiles etc. during the national republic day parade.

Though this parade at the state level was not as grandiose as the national one, he looked forward to it more than ever. He knew in the spirit in which it was conducted was the same across the country through the format and the scale differed. And this year was the most special to him for very personal reasons.

Suddenly there was a buzz in the air. An announcement was being made about the Governor of the state coming onto the dais for the ceremony. Within the next few seconds, she arrived. 

His heart swells in pride as he stared at her. She stood tall, confident and young amongst the sea of male contingent around her. Suddenly, he missed his wife next to him. "How proud she would have been to see her dream come true of seeing her daughter in this position today." His eyes teared up at this thought.

In an off white sari with contrast border that mirrored the colours of the Indian flag, she couldn't have conveyed a greater symbolic message. In her colourful blouse with beads intricately interwoven on it, she definitely stood out amongst others.

He couldn't help smiling as he remembered the fuss she had created while choosing the attire for the special occasion. She had summoned the weavers from a remote village of the State a month back to give them instructions about how she wanted the blouse material to be. If she wasn't the Governor, she would perhaps have become a textile designer, he mused.

"And definitely, she would have succeeded in that line too." He thought chuckling to himself. The rest of the day passed by as though it were a dream. The proudest moment for him of the day was when his daughter took the salute of the armed forces. 

He remembered his previous day's conversation as his daughter stood in front of the mirror, checking out her new sari for the next day.

"I am so proud about you receiving the salute tomorrow. I know what an honour it is" he had said to his daughter his voice choking in emotion.

"Appa, though I am the one standing there, symbolically the salute is for the nation and the tricolour flag. And honestly, Appa, while I love my country, personally I don't think patriotism should be limited to any boundary. The world would be so much better if we embrace the entire humanity as one" she had said as she continued to fidget with her sari.

At that moment Vishwanath had felt very relieved about leaving the world in the care of the younger generation like her.