The Taj Mahal vanished for the second time. The first time it vanished , it was in the hands of the great PC Sorcar, one of the greatest magicians of our times, only to reappear reassuringly after some minutes.
This time it has vanished (or has it been banished ?) from the brochure of UP Govt Tourism booklet, apparently for not being Indian enough !!
A monument, often called poetry in stone, whose photo adorns almost all picture postcards and posters foreigners first have a look at when they start reading about India; a monument which symbolizes love; a monument which has drawn more tourists to the country from the world over than perhaps any other; a monument which becomes the topic of discussion whenever an Indian meets a foreigner outside India and discussion veers toward India and its touristic appeal; a monument which is standing in its place , right in the middle of India, undivided, colonial , sovereign alike, is not Indian enough ??? Just how lame is that as an excuse ?
Within the country , we do not have Indians. We have Punjabis, Biharis, Bengalis, Marathis , North Indians , South Indians, Tamils, Gujaratis etc etc etc. Within that we have Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs , Christians etc etc. Within that we have Bhrahmins, Shudras, Dalits, et al.
As if that is not enough, now we do not want to own what the history and heritage has given us ? How much more narrow minded can we get ? Why do we want to rewrite history ? Will it change my future or my present ? Will it feed the poor ? Will it educate the masses ?
We get what we deserve, goes a saying. If we have got politicians (and here I am not referring to the party in power only, the opposition parties by no means any better) that we have got, it is solely because we as a country have always agreed to be divided. It feels more secure to be identified with a language or a religion than as a citizen ? Why ??
This time it has vanished (or has it been banished ?) from the brochure of UP Govt Tourism booklet, apparently for not being Indian enough !!
A monument, often called poetry in stone, whose photo adorns almost all picture postcards and posters foreigners first have a look at when they start reading about India; a monument which symbolizes love; a monument which has drawn more tourists to the country from the world over than perhaps any other; a monument which becomes the topic of discussion whenever an Indian meets a foreigner outside India and discussion veers toward India and its touristic appeal; a monument which is standing in its place , right in the middle of India, undivided, colonial , sovereign alike, is not Indian enough ??? Just how lame is that as an excuse ?
Within the country , we do not have Indians. We have Punjabis, Biharis, Bengalis, Marathis , North Indians , South Indians, Tamils, Gujaratis etc etc etc. Within that we have Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs , Christians etc etc. Within that we have Bhrahmins, Shudras, Dalits, et al.
As if that is not enough, now we do not want to own what the history and heritage has given us ? How much more narrow minded can we get ? Why do we want to rewrite history ? Will it change my future or my present ? Will it feed the poor ? Will it educate the masses ?
We get what we deserve, goes a saying. If we have got politicians (and here I am not referring to the party in power only, the opposition parties by no means any better) that we have got, it is solely because we as a country have always agreed to be divided. It feels more secure to be identified with a language or a religion than as a citizen ? Why ??
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