We are the generation, born in independent India. We know the captivity, only by reading the history books. We know the fact, partition was not of the country's borders, but of the 1.5 crore people's life. Today marks 75 years of freedom fight. This is the nectar festival year, the sacrifice of many fighters who happily gave up life for the tricolor. A lot has changed in so many years. The woman, who never stepped out of her house, went out not only to contribute the freedom struggle but also to vote. Whether it's the first bomb used against the British monarchy or the atomic bomb used for Pokhran nuclear test to promote the world peace. The journey from first film, 'Raja Harishchandra' to the film 'Mother India' won the oscar award. Be it an agricultural subject like the Green Revolution or Be it a religious subject like Babri Masjid and Ram Mandir. In the last 75 years, we have witnessed many such incidents.
Today, All of a sudden I remember this. Why? I just went through the dictionary meaning of word 'freedom' the morning, today.
"Freedom - The power to act, speak & think as one wants".
This brought the sudden thought in my mind - if this means the freedom then for sure our country is independent, but does its countrymen?
The boys and girls of this nation, who inherited castism for generations, today, work together in shiny, posh companies, perhaps this is the 'work' freedom. Today, boys and girls of this nation from traditional homes believed in untouchability, choose to have inter-caste or inter-religious marriages of their choice or decides the leaders will run the country, perhaps this is the freedom of 'self-opinion'. After studying in a government school, one choose to do a job at homeland while other settles abroad, perhaps this is the 'freedom of thought'.
One or more such interpretations can be made, if we want so... The issue here is not, 'how' much definitions to be made but what's the 'own definition to made'? My great grandmother did the households work only. Education was her freedom, so she allowed the schooling for her daughter (my grandmother). My grandmother learned but she didn't have the freedom to work outside the home, so she sent her daughter (my mother) out for the work. My mother stepped out for work but she does not have the freedom to wear fancy clothes or to work of her choice by her own. So she gave me that freedom to choose my clothes and my career. Things that seem like freedom to the wives of my family are available to me as basic necessities today. But when I traveled to other countries, I see a lot of things that still make me feel like captivity. Maybe I will give those things to my daughter in the future but I know, even with all of that, she will miss something for sure.
Anyway, this is the cycle. It will continue to fight for freedom, from the things which will get defined by the coming generations. The country is changing. At the same time, the definition of the freedom and the battle to get that freedom is also changing. We just have to accept this change. Jai Hind
© Aaradhana Khot