Why we should be proud of India ?

"Sare Jahan Se Acha, Hindustan hamara, Hum bulbule hein iske, ye gulistan hamara"

Better than the entire world, is our Hindustan/We are its nightangles, and it our garden abode.So runs the lines of Muhammad Iqbal in praise of India. And same were the lines spoken by India's first cosmonaut in space when asked by the then prime minister on how India looks from space. The reasons why Hindustan is Acha(good) and why Indians should be proud of their country are many.

Indian civilization can be traced back to those pre-Christ millenniums when only a handful of other communities prospered like Mesopotamian or Egyptian or Sumerian. India's own Harappan civilization could be regarded as wonder according to contemporary standards with its planned cities, streets, drainage systems and relatively modern practices. Later, India became force of assimilation of all types of incomers into its land whether they were Aryans, Greeks, Iranians, Turkish, Central Asians, Mughals etc. Produced in its wake were all those great leaders of their times like Asoka or Akbar who spread the humane values. The strength that India commanded and the lead it had over all others is a thing we should be proud of and which should be a source of inspiration for Indians. Because, as Iqbal remind us, In a world in which Greek, Egypt, and Rome have all vanished without trace/ Our own attributes(name and sign) live on today.

"That tallest mountain, that shade-sharer of the sky/It is our sentry, It is our night watchman; In its lap where frolic thousands of rivers, Whose vitality makes our garden the envy of Paradise." Yes, India is physically beautiful, attractive with its mighty Himalayas, its youthful long rivers criss crossing its length and breadth, its fertile northern plains, long coastline with charming beaches, green forests of western ghats with its immense variety of species, its central or eastern ranges or plateaus, its species rich islands in Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal, Sunderbans of Bengal, Backwaters of Kerala, Flower valley of Uttarakhand, its various hill spots, natural beauty of North east India and all other features that makes it diverse landscape. Something of which Indians should be proud of.

Given its ancient nature, India supports a deep culture for which it is renowned world wide. India is birthplace of various religions like Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism and Sikhism. And it also supports great number of Muslims. The fabric of culture woven by various threads of these religions gives a unique identity to India. Humanistic values, the spread of word of peace/harmony or brotherhood was supported by great men that India gave birth to, like Buddha or Guru Nanak. Sacred literature originating from these various religions like Vedas, Guru Granth Sahib spread the message of love for all human beings. For these values and their impact on wider world, Indians should be proud of.

Apart form religion, cultural heritage of India consists of many other things- Classical dances like Bharatnatyam, Kathkali or Kuchipudi and folk dances; Ancient paintings of Ajanta caves or Mughal or Rajput paintings of medieval period; Temples of Mahabalipuram, Somnath, Kedarnath or Golden Temple; Monuments like Taj Mahal; Literature of Kalidasa or epics like Ramayana or Mahabharata; Festivals like Holi or Diwali or Id; Numerous languages like Tamil, Hindi, Assamese etc; Different regional clothings like Dhotis of south or turban clad Sikhs; Diverse regional cuisine. For all the variety of culture that India presents, Indians should be proud.

Indians should also be proud of the fact that it valiantly fought against tyranny of British rule and gained its independence on its own initiative which was based on non-violent means. The land that gave statesmen like Nehru, Patel etc who spearheaded national freedom struggle and because of whom we enjoy our freedoms today, we must be proud of. We must feel pride in beingIndian because it provided to the world that man named Mahatma Gandhi who shaked Empires through his sheer strength of soul and who became a source of inspiration for persons like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King to lead their respective movements against wrongs done to their communities.

"Religion does not teach us to bear animosity among ourselves/ We are of Hind, our homeland is Hindustan." Despite various identities on basis of religion, caste, language or despite its large population, widespread poverty and hunger, India has kept the flag of Democracy flying continuously on its land. We, the people of India, that gave to ourselves a Constitution which provided Sovereign, Secular Republic and which directs us to bring Justice, Equality, Liberty, and spread Fraternity among all, should be proud of its society.

Indians should be proud of farmers who toil hard and feed them, of poor who shows strength of character and do no give into picking arms against their privileged counterparts, of army men who fights at our frontiers and helps during disasters, of civil society groups and individuals like Kailash Satyarthi who work for upliftment of fellow human beings, of scientific achievements in space, of its strong technological culture, of young entrepreneur who gives competition to those bred in developed countries, of Indian family value system, of its commitment to world peace, of rights/freedoms and opportunities that its citizens gets, of Indian cricket/cinema which is spreading across world and of Yoga, which is new uniting force of world.

"Such is our existence that it can not be erased/ Even though, for centuries, the time cycle of world has been our enemy." India stands tall today among comity of nations. It has persisted since its birth in ancient time. There is much about India to be loved and be proud about. Our motherland,as we call it, is embellished by diverse features-historical, geographical, cultural, social, political etc. Combinedly, they create beautiful country to live or die in. Bulbuls(Nightingales) of this garden can be proud of itself.