What do I say?
That At Last I finished reading this mammoth literary, historical treatise?
This book has been overwhelming.
In sheer volume of size, agenda. The research that must have gone into this book could be mind boggling.
It is no mean task to write such a book. To try and condense the history of the ‘World’s Largest Democracy’ into 700 plus odd pages.
Reading this book has been a great humbling experience too.
When one pictures those independence days, what a daunting task it must have been for Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel to establish a country, get all logistics right, put all in order, organise states and create a country born from the womb of a curious mix of non-violence and rebellion. To unite various borders into a single country, establish the three pillars of democracy- the judiciary, the legislature and the judiciary.
And so many years later, the country stands proud. Despite a bitter, blood-torn birth out of partition, a varied linguistic canvas, rise of religious sentimentalism often leading to communal outpourings of hatred and bloodshed.
India is yet there. Proving so many observers wrong. That the linguistic, regional disparities across a wide geography would not stand. That the country would buckle.
But no… we don’t buckle so easily.
Maybe our hard-earned freedom is the secret behind this.
Indian Democracy is here to stay. And India is here to stay.
Despite all its overwhelming problems. Poverty. Illiteracy. Inflation. Corruption.
The unfurling of the National Flag or the rendering of the National Anthem invokes a strong patriotic fervour. A pride in being a citizen of the country.
I salute the Founding Fathers of our nation.
#India after Gandhi # Ramachandra Guha
Preeta Chag 