India celebrated its 62nd Republic Day on Thursday, Jan. 26. For many Indians who are living in the West but grew up in India, this day may hold many special memories.
As kids, I know we got a day off from school and were permitted to go and play with our friends without doing any homework.But, it was also one of those days when you could be glued to the TV as the famous Indian Republic Day parade took off - early in the morning, and almost seemed as if it lasted for the entire day.We would watch the TV in our living rooms waiting for the big parade to start because it was a glorious one and very grand. On this special day - and only on this day - once in the entire year, we could see the might of the Indian defence forces. India would showcase to all its citizens (and now to the world), its sophisticated military and high-tech military equipment. In fact, as children, my brother and all his friends would wait for the government to bring its huge military might on to the pavements of Delhi.And we would watch with awe, as the tanks rolled down the street. There would also be an air show - fighter jets would do maneuvers in the air and stream coloured powder in orange, green and white, which are the three colors of the Indian flag.The parade always takes place in Delhi- India's capital, and is one day when almost the whole country shuts down. It's a time when the country gets together as one. On this day, India's 28 states and seven union territories showcase their uniqueness. Imagine each of these provinces having their own language, colourful attire, different foods and so on and then showcasing them through their own provinces' different dance regimes. A Indian poet once said India has thousands of languages and they all come together on this day. As the colourful display of people representing each state passes through important landmarks in Delhi, they are cheered on by the millions of people who come and wait for hours to get a front row seat for the parade. Also on this day the government of India awards prominent civilians and the military alike with awards. These awards are the highest honours placed on a single individual and they are awarded in the field of literature, arts, science, sports, medicine and more.But what distinguishes the parades now from the earlier ones is that now there is a constant and ever present fear of terrorism. When we were kids, we barely knew what it was to be afraid on this day. It was a proud day for all Indians to celebrate all that was good about India. However, not any more, the focus today is safety, and everything on parade day is done to keep the festivities safe from terrorists.That's sad because all Indian's want - on Jan. 26 - whether we are here in Canada or back home, is to be proud of the place that we were born.