Freedom...

As we ready ourselves to celebrate the 65th year of Indian independence and freedom from the British, the air is rife, yet again as it is every year around this time, with a strong patriotic fervor and a keen sense of pride in all things Indian.

It is an overwhelming feeling, no doubt, in every sense of the term, for each one of us – as Indians - to bask in the pride of our accomplishments as a nation since we began our tryst with destiny back in that August of 1947. But then again, after all the routine, humdrum celebrations and stirring speeches that accompany every I-Day are over and done with for the year, the ensuing silence on the true essence of ‘freedom’ can be deafening; Deafening - for want of action and for want of will (social and political) to work towards being truly free of the ills that plague us as a nation in the form of corruption, widespread economic disparity and superstition.

People use the words, "free" and “freedom” to mean many things. To me, mere independence is not freedom. Many people in the world are independent but few are truly free. True freedom is a state of mind that has no place for fear of anything. Only when the mind is free can one truly observe and appreciate life as it is meant to be, and live life as it should be - from moment to moment. It comes to one when one understands the interplay and impact of the myriad aspects of one’s environment; Environment such as social, religious, political and a host of other cultural mind-sets that shape and influence the being.

People submit to such influences when they are inwardly frightened. Feelings of fright originate from fear of the unknown and often act as shackles inhibiting an individual’s progress to freedom. A free mind is an unshackled mind; it is a mind that is aware and is constantly evolving towards a more enriched quality of life. I believe that we will experience true freedom when the focus of the common Indian man’s struggle shifts from ‘making ends meet’ to bringing more meaning into his life. It would mean feeling safe and secure in his country. Freedom for him will be the promise to live his life in dignity and hope…hope for a bigger and better tomorrow.

However, freedom should not be mistaken to mean a license to uninhibited living, but the wisdom to choose what is right for oneself and accepting complete responsibility for those choices. It naturally comes at a price. It cost us a soldier a day back then. Today it costs us the price of refusing to be afraid and refusing to be tricked out of our rights. And maybe, that’s the reason why most of us dread it, because to be able to enjoy freedom, we must also feel free to say “no”, be willing to respect another’s claim to it, unafraid that it could be contrary to our very own.

It is being able to have a voice and to let it be heard. But then again, are we listening?

“To be ruled by your own people may be seen as quite okay

But if careful is what you have to be with the words you say

And play to the galleries is what you do in their scripted way

Then you’re not as free a person as they make you feel

And your idea of freedom to me for sure does not appeal!”