Jana gana mana adhinayaka, jaye he, bharat bhagya vidhata.
Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maratha, Dravid, Utkala, Banga.
Vindhya, Himachala, Yamuna, Ganga, Uchchala, Jaldhi taranga.
Tava shubha name jaage, tava shubh ashish maage,
Gahe tava jaya gatha, jana gana mangala dayaka jaya he,
Bharat bhagya vidhata. Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he! Jaya jaya jaya jaya he!
- Rabrindranath Tagore
To some this song written by Rabindranath Tagore, may be just a song. To me, these are words which have deep meaning hidden in them. These words unite India. When I hear this song, I put my country in front of me for once. I imagine a free and happy India. Only my country matters to me at this time. This isn't just a song, it's the national anthem of my country, India.
Lately, as I am being introduced to many relatives, my introduction starts off like this:
"I was born and raised in America and 4 years ago I came to India."
Everyone asks me the same question after hearing this.
"So, are you American or Indian?"
I have an answer ready for all who ask me this. It took me a while at first to see where I really belong, but in time, it fell in place. My answer is 'no'. A strong and confident no which voices all my feelings for India. I'm not what many call an ABCD (American Born Confused Desi). I am an ABPD (American Born Proud Desi). I am proud to be an Indian, very proud in fact.
I know that even though I say that I'm Indian, the fact still remains that i was born and brought up in the US. My lifestyle, habits, and accent is more Western than Indian. I don't deny that. But is that what really matters? All these things that make me American come from the outside. What's on the inside is a totally different story altogether.
I love my country so passionately that words can't describe the feeling. It's a feeling that lingers in my heart and makes every day special. I want to learn about India. I want to see India grow.
I love the taste of India- the Indian delicacies, from roti to rice, from daal to dosa.
I love the smell of India- the hing, zeera, and green mirchi that pinches your nose with one whiff of it.
I love the feel of it- the fields of wheat and corn, the grainy soil of a growing India, and the smooth feeling of the one rupee coin rolling around in my palm.
I love the sounds of India- the frying tikkis,shouting people, the echoes of the ringing bell in the temple, the prayers from the mosque, and even the different horns of the trucks and cars! In the market, I enjoy hearing what the different vendors have to say:"Chai lelo, garma garam chai!"
Let's not forget the sights of India- I see India from a different angle. I see the gaon wale, the city people, and everyone in between, holding hands. They all stand tall with their chins up, not caring what others think. Religions, caste, they all dissolve into thin air because they are all the same. In the end, they are all Mother India's children, and they are proud to be.
India might not be the perfect country yet, but it's growing, one step at a time. We grow only if we are united. United we stand, divided we fall. Even though we may fall in the struggle for a better country, we'll always have one another to help us up again. Once again, we stand together, and united.
All this while, I've been calling India 'my' country. No matter how far away you live, I hope this gives you a good feeling about the country you may or may not call your own. But you can make it your country too.
Come, embrace India.
JAI HIND!
