I have loved my country ever since I was a child. And this was instilled in me by my parents who would always bring me books that told the story of this incredible country—folk tales, books on various festivals of India, biographies of freedom fighters, Amar Chitra Katha , Chandamama and many more . This huge country, her people and their culture fascinate me. But my love is not blind, I know the weaknesses too. I know there are several areas such as infrastructure, politics, economy and the like, where there is a big need for improvement. But as a citizen of this country, I believe in doing my bit and taking pride in the good things.
There have been some friends who have questioned this belief of mine: what is there to be so proud of India? I have met many people who live here and think very negatively about the country, while there are many who are expatriates but have unconditional love and respect their country. Again, there are a few others who were born and brought up in India, but just a few years of living abroad made them hyper critical of their own country. Pointing out our weaknesses is good and very important, but those who really make an effort on improving things are few and far between.
I wonder if I need a reason at all to love my country. I also don’t know if I need to explain why I’m happy living in this country. What I do know is that I love my land with all its strengths and weaknesses. It is my motherland, and I don’t need any reason to love my mother.
How do you feel about your country? Are you proud of it? Are you happy living there? And if you live abroad, do you think that the country you actually came from is a bad place?
Please share your views.
no country is perfect..no human being is perfect..there is nothing perfect in this world..does it mean we start hating the world?
ReplyDeleteforget everything else; see the crime rate in most foreign country..there sons kill their parents..how many such cases you hear about in India?
there are more divorces happening in foreign countries than in India..they marry multiple times..if the husband snores; wife divorces him..absurd right? let me not talk about the multiple sets of parents..
they take drugs, they kill and rob at the age of 12; still they love their people and country..we are at least better off in that case..we might not be respecting all; but we at least love and respect our parents, elders, we love and respect other countries as much as we love our country..
Jai Hind!!!
I love being a Korean-American, married to a Caucasian-American with two mixed race daughters. America is a land of immigrants. It has a high standard of living, and I love the modern appliances and conveniences that go with that standard of living.
ReplyDeleteThe poor and disabled Americans have Social Security, Medicaid, and welfare. The unemployed have unemployment benefits. There is no reason to starve or be denied health care.
Best of all, I treasure my freedom to come and go as I please, to vote in political elections, and to be whatever I choose to be (as long as it is legal).
There are other things I love about being American, but this post is getting too long.
God bless you, your family, and India, Kavita!
Good on your part to have expressed emotion of love towards our country and you’ve presented this post with lots of patriotic fervor.
ReplyDeleteNow I'd like to answer your questions :
How do you feel about your country? Are you proud of it? Are you happy living there?
Well Didi, as kids we grew up with waving our national tricolour flags, learning about the history of our great country, the way it achieved freedom and always singing our National Anthem.
What makes us unique and proud is the “Unity in Diversity” – cultural diversity, multi linguistics, the united yet divided existence of various religions living side by side.
We Indians are bonded to each other with love for our motherland where elders are respected, young ones are adored, diverse cultures, traditions, rich heritage, family values, morals, beliefs, manners, hospitality towards guests, festivals, folklore, innovative cuisines, etc
Talking about the Indian cuisine, it is characterized by sophisticated use of a so many varieties of spices and herbs, giving the essence of different tastes – tangy, saucy, sweet and spicy.
Now, looking at the other side - Population explosion, pollution, poverty, lack of water supply, lack of electricity in villages, literacy rate, unemployment, communal riots, etc
Well, both good and bad co-exists in everything and instead of finding loop holes in our system, it is better to step forward and join hands voluntarily to bring a healthy change to the system.
Cheers,
Sai :)
There are pluses and minuses to every country. People find fault with America, also. I guess what makes me love my country is the presence of my family here. I would find it very lonely and sterile to live in a foreign land without any relatives. I don't know how my maternal grandfather managed when he immigrated to Hawaii to work in the sugar cane plantations. Yet, he overcame loneliness by marrying a Korean picture bride and producing 10 children. At that point, Hawaii and America became "home."
ReplyDeleteI love my country with all its weaknesses. I cannot think of living anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed we have all grown up with patriotism..... schools instill this trait in us. We celebrate days like Republic Day and Independence day where school children and youth participate in the parades and drills.
ReplyDeleteYes , of course i love my country. But i am also aware of the shortcomings. We need to clean up our neighborhood... this not only creates a mess but causes people living in slums to fall sick. There are other issues like poverty line, child education etc.
The onus is on the govt and NGOs to build up a stronger and better India for our children.
Abha
You are proud of your country, and I'm proud of YOU!
ReplyDeleteI love your patriotism. I think we all need to appreciate our country of brith. Having visited many places in So. America, Europe and Japan I enjoy the diversity and rich culture of other lands. I also appreciate my American history, traditions and culture. We each have our faults and weaknesses and need to work together to make a better world and help other struggling poor countries who want our help...
ReplyDelete'India is my motherland and I don't need a reason to love my mother.'
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful thought Kavita! I agree with each word you have written here. I mean it. We meet people everyday who complain about the way our country is, how we must learn from other nations. Every place, person, or for that matter, even a non-living thing, comes with some flaws. Isn't it an accepted fact that no one is perfect?
Criticism must be constructive. And talking ill mindlessly, about ones own country, well, that should say something about that person's character, right?
Loved the post. Jai Hind! :)
Nobody needs a reason to love their own country... it comes by default. Just that the attraction and enticing places make some people really happy about other countries... That is bound to happen since they look only at the one side of the face, Like the good old saying - Pasture is always green on the otherside of the river!!
ReplyDeleteI love this post. No country is perfect, no country is "best", except to the person who truly feels at home.
ReplyDeleteEvery country would be a better place if more people stopped to look at the beauty that is around them where they are. Sure it's enticing to compare one to the other, but it really is not possible.
I love seeing India through your eyes, my friend. I look forward to seeing more - especially knowing that what I see is reflective of the great love you have for this beautiful place.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteKavita,
ReplyDeletelovely post ....I liked the way you have put our sentiments for our country.Every human being has some negative and positive traits and that's also applicable to country.No country is bad ,it's the people who makes it worth living there.
I am living in abroad now,but still I want to connect to my Indian roots anyway that is possible for me to do so.
WE should highlight the best part of it and feel priviledged to be part of such a diverse and ancient culture.But at the same time I cant ignore things which makes me sad about my country.We can do small things which may make whole lot of a difference :)..
hugs and smiles
We all, by and large love our country.This can be confirmed again by talking to any NRI who are away making a living in different parts of the world.(we are the re everywhere).
ReplyDeleteLike all other countries, we too have our problems but at least in terms of crises the entire country stands together.
I see only one negative point in our system--That is corrupt politicians.
just like you said we dont need a reason to love our mothers, I just love my country, inspite of its shortcomings. Nothing is perfect in life, but that piece of land which is called the Indian Peninsula, the land of the fakirs, the poor third world country, the over populated bursting at the seams country..is what has given me my identity. This land has given me my place of pride in the world, and that is more than enough to be always indebted to it. I just love my country there is no other way I can think.
ReplyDeleteHowever my country, I will always love it. I am proud of it forever.
ReplyDeleteEverybody has short comings. That cannot be a reason to stop loving somebody or ones country.
To forget your past is one of the worst weaknesses one can show. Indians who excelled academically to be employed anywhere in the world must remember that. And as you rightly put, each has its share of strengths and weaknesses. For us, loving this Incredible India that has remained an enigma to many needs no reasons- it's our motherland.
ReplyDeleteJai Hind
As you said, we don't need a reason to love our mother, Kavita. I will not be comfortable to live anywhere else than here, in our own place and with our own people. Whether our country is over populated or dirty or full of corruption, I am happy to be here and happy to be and Indian.
ReplyDeleteVery very interesting post, Kavita.
Even if the whole world hates our mother we have at least one reason to love our mother….
ReplyDeleteEven if we feel lost and horrible out there in the world, home is where we feel ‘home’…
Some emotional, physical, psychological attachments …well, I think something similar is running in everyone’s blood that evokes certain amount of pride in us to hear the name of our motherland ….. (not necessarily true)
As far as I am concerned, (bang me for this) I wish often that I hadn’t been born in this land …
I am following your blog! Hope you're having a great weekend. Feel free to list your blog @ http://www.mythriftybarn.blogspot.com
ReplyDelete~Trista
Anjane raahon mein tu kya dhundh ta fire, dur jisko samjha woh to paas hai tere...saans mein hawa, jaan mein zameen, dil mein khula aasmaan...
ReplyDeleteI think this Lucky Ali song perfectly sums up whatever I wanted to say.
Cheers!
I thank you all for sharing your honest views here.I have nothing more to add as i have already expressed my feelings and views in my post.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS ONCE AGAIN .
Jai Hind..Is all I can say! And each time I say it, I have this choking with tears feeling. Thats my love for my country however, whatever it is. Its mine.
ReplyDeleteYou are perfect in your statement you do not have to explain why you love your mother. You love her because she is your mother.That goes well with our country of birth or motherland as well.
ReplyDeleteBut then I feel we must also acknowledge the fact that it is the people who make a country richer.It's culture or heritage is the reflection of its people. If people are as they are now, anarchic, divisive, communal, corrupt,and sectarian then do we have anything to be proud of? Or conversely does the motherland have anything to be proud of??
very true... your words are worth every ounce in gold! had not been able to follow your blog lately... just went through this wonderful piece.... makes me very very nostalgic about my homeland! the image this word "homeland" conjures up is definitely of my birthplace...but i guess i'm at home where i'm presently at too(delhi)!of course it is a known fact that delhi happens to be a cosmo hub and people are brought together by various callings from business to studies... but i guess it's the familiarity of being indian that binds everyone here....!!! i realised early on that i will find myself returning to my country even as i plan to be abroad for some time.... i can't picture myself getting old and dying in peace in some foreign land!! my soul would never rest in peace..
ReplyDeleteNo matter what our county is going through I love love ..simply love this county. It's our India. As you said, we need no reasons for loving INDIA.
ReplyDeleteNo matter what our county is going through I love love ..simply love this county. It's our India. As you said, we need no reasons for loving INDIA.
ReplyDeleteNo matter what our county is going through I love love ..simply love this county. It's our India. As you said, we need no reasons for loving INDIA.
ReplyDeleteAfter Reading Neha's comment i am speech less !!She has wrote fantastically !!Shillong is a heaven on earth.
ReplyDeleteI love it that you love your country so much. It's a beautiful feeling of contentment. I'm happy and feel blessed to live in the U.S. and be an American citizen. I'm also aware of our faults. Therefore, my emotion is one of gratitude and love for our country with the knowledge that we have work to do.
ReplyDelete