In honour of Amar Shaheed Bhagat Singh Ji's 101st birthday (which I know, was last month); I've decided to post about his sacrifice and what it means to me.
I feel like not enough people know about Bhagat Singh. For me, he was my greatest inspiration - even more than Sri Guroo Gobind Singh Ji and all. It's mostly because I read and researched Bhagat Singh well before learning anything about Sikhi.
Bhagat Singh filled me with the urge and passion to make a difference in India. After learning about his eternal sacrifice, I don't think I could handle it if I did absolutely nothing to try and make India even a smidge better. Bhagat Singh died with the belief that he would make the youth in India 'rise to the occassion'. In some respects it happened, but after 1947, Indians have become complacent, India is not free, despite the removal of the British. All Indians are a slave to themselves and to it's tyrannical government. India is one of the most corrupt countries in the world depsite it's being the 'largest democracy'. I'm sure Bhagat Singh would 'turn in his grave' if he saw what's going on right now.
Bhagat Singh was in favour of secularism and socialism. Now, I'm not really a socialist (because I don't think that mankind is quite ready for socialism), but I suppose I do have some socialist values - I suppose quite in line with traditional Labour views....but I'm a secularist despite being and amritdhari sikh (ironic eh).
People always ask me "Why are you not Khalistani? What has 'mother India' ever done for her Sikhs? What about all those Shaheed sikhs slaughtered by their fellow brothers in the 1980's-90's?"
To tell you the truth, my answers seem weak to those people, but to me they are what keep me going. Belief in mankind...is that such a bad thing? How can you look into the face of an impoverished child and ignore him, simply because he is not sikh or a khalistani? or because his father may have been a rioter? I hate to use the phrase 'to tarr all with the same brush is an injustice' - but it's TRUE. I believe in a Khalistan (a land of the pure) to some extent. But not what the common idea of Khalistan is (read previous post on Khalistan for more info).
India is really a glorious place, and despite what many sikhs belief, it consists of much more than just Punjab :O I love India and I love Indians. I have so many Indian friends from all over the subcontinent - Gujurat, Goa, Mumbai, Tamil Nadu, Bangalore, Delhi, Bihar, Calcutta and more. And, despite a common misconception, not all Indians hate Sikhs...it's true, I swear!
India is really a glorious place, and despite what many sikhs belief, it consists of much more than just Punjab :O I love India and I love Indians. I have so many Indian friends from all over the subcontinent - Gujurat, Goa, Mumbai, Tamil Nadu, Bangalore, Delhi, Bihar, Calcutta and more. And, despite a common misconception, not all Indians hate Sikhs...it's true, I swear!
The problem with India is the Government and it's Institutions , as well as the Police. The judiciary is BEGINNING to become more independent but it's taking time. I know it sounds so simple and easy to say but if every child/youth (and there's a HECK of a lot) cut down on the bollywood films and desi clubbing and drugging; and got up and joined the police force, judiciary, government etc. then India would change a heck of a lot faster. The problem is persuading people to do this. The typical 'what can vone man do yaar?' comes out and the revolution has ended before it's started....And yet when you go on Youtube and Internet Forums you read the posts from Internet warriors who are ready to fight to the death in support of Truth...I wish we could all practise what we preach (including me, before you say it).
It's so easy to sit in the UK and USA and whatever and say these things I know. But until I can do my part physically, this is how I'm going to do it... haha with 'Internet Parchaar'. If I can inspire just ONE person, then I'm content. This is my seva. You can take it or leave it.
Focussing on helping Sikhs is not a bad thing either! I really rate the people going out to India everyday to help the Widows as a result of the Delhi Riots, the people getting youths off of drugs in Punjab, helping the families of Shaheeds and much more.
I think it's just human nature to serve those we have some kind of common identity or affiliation with.
Baghat Singh, Batukeshwar Dutt, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Chandrashekar Azad, Ramprasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, Roshan Singh, Rajendra Lahiri, Kartar Singh Sarabha and many more fought for the freedom and spirit of ALL Indians and in their honour, so do I. Haha I know these are big words coming from a 19 year old, but Bhagat Singh was only 24 years old when he tasted the cold steel of martyrdom.
Inquilaab Zindaabad.
Some interesting films (if you don't like reading haha) on Bhagat Singh and more :
'The Legend Of Bhagat Singh' by Rajkumar Santoshi
'Rang De Basanti' by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
'Yuva' by Mani Ratnam
Read:
'Why Am I An Atheist' by Bhagat Singh
2 comments:
I think we need to agree to disagree.
I am a Khalistani, albeit a reluctant one. I had thought that Khalistan was the pipedream of some Khalsa with too much testosterone and too much time on their hands - until I stumbled over the bodies of my family shaheeds in Delhi. That was very convincing to me.
Of course, I am not an Indian. I am, in one sense, Punjabi, but I have never identified with India.
I have no desire to rip India into pieces. I do believe that it will fall apart on its own for many different reasons. At that time, we should be there to pick up the pieces in and around Punjab to build our nation of Khalistan. We'll worry about getting West Punjab later.
BTW, I have friends who are Khalistanis. I have friends who are not Khalistanis. In general the non-Khalistanis consider me a bit mad/insane. That's OK. It does take a sense of humour to survive in this world. And I also find Shaheed Bhagat Singh inspiring. Not perfect, but inspiring.
It's cool. Most of my sikh sangat are Khalistani for one reason or another and to be honest, you all have the right to be, especially you Bhenji.
But I guess I'm just different in that sense. I just can't see a Khalistan in the 'typical' sense, happening. All of India can be 'Khalis'. I'm pretty sure with Maharaj's kirpa we can 'purify' India as much as we can.... I can't see India getting ripped to pieces very soon, as economically; smaller states would suffer as a result. India is definately stronger as one.
I know India isn't perfect. But nor was the USA in it's first 100 years of Independence, in fact many Texans ares still calling for Independence and autonomy! People have to stop waiting for things to get better by themselves and take some responsibility...But that's hard.
I think it's my upbringing which helps me identify with India, or maybe a past life? Who knows...
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