Just another holiday
FADING FERVOUR Echo of patriotic songs, family visits to historical monuments replaced by watching patriotic flicks in a multiplex, planning weekend getaways
Echo of patriotic songs, family visits to historical monuments has been replaced by watching patriotic flicks in a multiplex, weekend getaways.
LUCKNOW:As India celebrates 70 years of freedom, does Gen Y truly admire the revolutionaries who won them Independence or does the date signify just another long weekend for them?
The echo of patriotic songs, family visits to historical monuments have now been replaced by watching a patriotic flick in a multiplex or planning a weekend getaway.
“The fact that it’s treated merely as any other routine holiday can be gauged from the peak in prices of air tickets on long weekends like these. There are special movie releases around this time to cash in on the high footfall in malls. Most of the theatres are houseful around this time,” rues social activist Abha Singh.
Aditi Pandey, a school teacher says, “We have become so materialistic and egocentric that there is no place for patriotism in our lives. We as parents, youngsters or Indians no longer do our bit to commemorate or celebrate the contribution of freedom fighters.”
This is in sharp contrast to the last millennium when it was a common practice for parents to take their children to historical monuments like Residency. Parents no longer encourage their children to visit historical monuments on this day or take part in various events organised on the occasion, feels retired DGP Anand Lal Banerjee.
He recalls, “When I was a youngster in Delhi during the early 60s, my father took me to listen to Pandit Nehru’s speech at the Red Fort. During the visit, he explained the historical significance of the monument to me. As a sevenyear-old I couldn’t understand Nehru’s speech but the slogan Jai Hind remained with me. It was an enlightening experience.” “In 1963, my father took us to Rajpath to see the Republic Day parade. Just the sight of Pandit Nehru walking down Rajpath with the national flag left an indelible impression on my mind,” he adds.
Continuing his father’s legacy, the retired IPS officer tries his best to explain the relevance of this day to his daughter.
“I am not sure if most people today are equally enthusiastic about this day or they just treat is as a holiday,” he laments. “The enthusiasm is gradually fading away among today’s youth. For my generation, Independence day celebrations meant a visit to Residency, playing patriotic songs in our house and participating in skits depicting the valour of freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad,” recalls Nashat Hayatullah, youth wing president, Bazm-e-Khwateen.
She further says, “It is important for us to realise and respect the sacrifices that were made to gain freedom. For me, Residency will always be a place from where Indians fought the first war of Independence in Lucknow. Similarly, Firangi Mahal in Old city, from where Gandhiji addressed the people during his visit to the state capital is another significant spot. Earlier, various clubs and non-academic organisations used to celebrate the event. It’s disheartening to see that it doesn’t happen anymore.”
THE ECHO OF PATRIOTIC SONGS, FAMILY VISITS TO HISTORICAL MONUMENTS HAVE NOW BEEN REPLACED BY WATCHING A PATRIOTIC FLICK IN A MULTIPLEX OR A WEEKEND GETAWAY