Where The Mind is Without Fear

WHERE the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake

This poem by Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel laureate poet, is not old enough but yet has been forgotten by most of our country peoples. This was a time when India needed unity to over come from the bonds of slavery and masses were instilled with large wave of social, educational and economic awareness throughout the nation. Even after celebrating a prestigious period of more than 50 years of Indian Independence we are still falling easy prey to same socio economic dirty game which is prevalent since 200 years or more.

Our great Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic nation with biggest democratic makeup, although superficially united, but actually is divided on the biases of economic status, religious status, language, regional status and what not. Seems we are standing on a loose mass of sand which could be washed away any day. Is this the “Bharat” our freedom fighters sought for..? Mera bharat mahan is the punch line given to feel good about India, but if you go and ask the poorer category living in rural India they hardly know the nation they are living in, because they cannot think more than arranging a meal of two time for their family. Those who are from well to do families are too busy to think on national progress.

I believe, if not a giant fire we all have a spark within to work for the betterment and upliftment of our mother nation. Currently, the country is buzzing with election fever and Fifteenth Lok Sabha Elections are set to commence this month. It is high time; all the young people of India should open their eyes and be aware of what is happening around. If not much at least we can vote and encourage others to vote and contribute to choose a good representative for India.

It is true that we all have given up our hopes and interest to vote, as our wait for a good leader to be elected and work for the betterment of society seems to have no end. What we have learnt from our bitter past experiences is, there is a big discrepancy in the statements of the leaders before and after being elected. No doubt, the flavor of power and authority drives every one blind. Then what should a common man do? Should we keep sitting in our home and let happen what is going on? Will that solve the problem? Definitely NOT! It would be worsened.

It has been rightly said “its education, that makes the common mind just as twig is bent and tree is inclined.” Education has always opened many ways for us, it provides for a path that has no violence, the platform where we can discuss and solve our problems. Educated peoples of India must come forward to vote. All the more we must educate our children and the non adult youths about the voting rules and its importance. So that when they grow up, they must be aware “what they need from their leaders?” and “whom to vote?” Most of them feel that voting day is a holiday to sit and relax at home. This mentality needs to be changed and responsibility must be realized.

Lets not wait for others to come and ask “whether you are going to vote today?” we should move out and take the people nearby along, to use our the right to vote. We must think “if it is not today then never!” Other wise there is no meaning living in a democratic country. The blood of our freedom fighters and their fight went in vain to make a free India for cowards like us to live.