Pakistan and India have celebrated their షష్టి పూర్తి (60th birthday) on August 14th and August 15th of 2007 respectively. Read somewhere that Lord Mountbatten arranged this way (indepenedence day, a day apart), so that he could attend independence day ceremonies in both countries (not sure if it is true). I wish both of these countries well. I felt bad about the renewed tensions in Kashmir. It shouldn't be this way.
There are fanatics on both sides of the border (more on one side than the other, depending on who we talk to). I think we, the educated in India and Pakistan should start respecting each other. Many of us agree on religious tolerance, just in theory. But when we realize that a group of narrow-minded people on the other side of the fence are hating us, we would reciprocate in kind (eye for an eye thing). If we too behave like the bad guys, what is the difference between them and us?
Among my family and Indian friends, I felt that the majority just do not like Pakistan and they see (at least deep down inside) it as an inferior country. My take on this is, it is OK to disapprove a country's choices, but "hatred" is not good for our soul. If we think that they need help to grow, why not wish them well?
Sure, I can make the biggest garland in town for Shirdi Sai Baba. But if I don't listen to what He is saying (Hindu-Muslim unity), am I really respecting Him? I don't know if He actually made specific statements to this effect, but I can't imagine Him saying "those Muslims are nuts, hate them". Of course, my criticism also applies to the majority Pakistanis who hate Hindus.
Early this year in Vizag, one of my relatives (a very nice person) said that he and his dad were jumping out of joy and cheering when Babri Masjid was being destroyed. He developed this hatred because he grew up as a minority Hindu in Hyderabad Old City, and he was discriminated and harassed in his childhood. If I were in his shoes, I probably would have reacted the same way. Some of us are fortunate and did not have to put up with this kind of humiliation. However, we manage to develop this religious hatred based on second-hand knowledge. My question is, why are we crossing this bridge before reaching it?
I am really fortunate that I have been exposed to excellent Muslim roommates and some kind-hearted Pakistani friends. Though I am far from perfection, I feel blessed because I wasn't exposed to circumstances that instilled hatred for Muslims. However, I do realize that I probably will have a different view if I were living in Kashmir right now.
I can visualize at least a couple of my (non-Sea Sands) friends in India fuming over my radical view point in this blog post:-( If you say that I am ignorant and crazy, I would say "tell me something that I don't know!" and also "It took you this long to figure this out?!" . Finally, Augsut 15th is a good day for me as it is also the birthday of my అక్క(Ramani) and బావ (Anand). Peace out yall'.
At the dawn of history India started on her unending quest, and trackless centuries are filled with her striving and the grandeur of her success and her failures. Through good and ill fortune alike she has never lost sight of that quest or forgotten the ideals which gave her strength. We end today a period of ill fortune and India discovers herself again. The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future? - Nehru, on Indian Independence Day.
If we want to make this great State of Pakistan happy and prosperous we should wholly and solely concentrate on the well-being of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor... you are free- you are free to go to your temples mosques or any other place of worship in this state of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the state... in due course of time Hindus will cease to be Hindus and Muslims will cease to Muslims- not in a religious sense for that is the personal faith of an individual- but in a political sense as citizens of one state. - Jinnah on Pakistani Independence Day.
