India – Patriotism Across India

-- Surya S. Prakash

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

India in its cultural diversity and rich cultural heritage had and is having patriots across the languages and culture diversity. This patriotism shown by the respective greats in the various states in India is a major contributing factor to have a united India from ages. If each of us Indians living in different states and speaking different languages are showing same love towards India, it is not an exaggeration to state that the various patriots in different states have made an impact on each of us. Apart from freedom fighters from various Indian states participating in freedom struggles there are also poets who hailed India as towering motherland in their poems written in their respective languages.

As Indian children when we were growing up, we have learnt these poems by heart possibly for exams, but the seed of one spirited India was shown in our brains since then. Thank fully this seed has grown and is growing strong.

The famous poem in Telugu penned by Shree Rayaprolu Subba Rao is one such gem:

ఏ దేశమేగినా ఎందు కాలెడినా
ఏ పీఠమెక్కినా, ఎవ్వరేమనినా,
పొగడరా నీ తల్లి భూమి భారతిని,
నిలపరా నీ జాతి నిండు గౌరవము.

ఏ పూర్వ పుణ్యమో, ఏ యోగ బలమో
జనియించినాడ వీ స్వర్గఖండమున
ఏ మంచిపూవులన్ ప్రేమించినావో
నిను మోచె ఈ తల్లి కనక గర్భమున.....

Briefly it translates into Wherever you are placed in this world, do not forget your motherland The Great nation India, keep praising it wherever you are. It goes on to praise our Motherland and how fortunate we are all in being its citizens.

The famous and great Tamil poet Thiru Subramnya Bharathi is another gem:
He has penned many poems and songs that instigated patriotism in the readers and his followers.

பட்டினில் உடையும் பஞ்சினில் ஆடையும்
பண்ணி மலைகளென வீதி குவிப்போம்
கட்டித் திரவியங்கள் கொண்டு வருவார்
காசினி வணிகருக்கு அவை கொடுப்போம்

This translated into We (Indian) make Dresses from Silk and Cotton
In quantities as large as mountains
They bring lot of wealth
The traders around the world,
to whom we give it(dresses)

He is known to have said, "Even if Indians are divided, they are children of one Mother, where is the need for foreigners to interfere?" In the period 1910–1920, he wrote about a new and free India where there are no castes. He talks of building up India's defense, her ships sailing the high seas, success in manufacturing and universal education. He calls for sharing amongst states with wonderful imagery like the diversion of excess water of the Bengal delta to needy regions and a bridge to Sri Lanka.

The famous poet from Orrisa Shree Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das also knowns as Jewel of Orissa has many patriotic poems to his credit that stirred national feelings in his readers. One such poem is

ମିଶୁ ମୋରା ଦେହା ଇ ଦେଶା ମାଟିରେଶାବାସୀ ଚଲିଜନ୍ତୁ ମୋ ପିଥିର, ଦେଶ ରା ସ୍ୱରାଜ ପାଥେ ଜେଟେ ଗଦାପୁର ପାଦୀ ମୋରା ମାନସା ହାଡା

These lines reflect the poet’s eternal love for his motherland.

Who doesn’t know the great poet and Noble Laurate Shree Rabindranath Tagore. He is known for his patriotic songs and of course our Indian national Anthem. We learn it is voted by the UN as one the best songs both in words and in tune. His speeches were truly filled with national spirit.
Then we have the great Shree Bankim Chandra Chattarjee who penned the famous Vande Mataram song.
All of us Indians stand in rapt attention and have goosebumps whenever we hear these two songs played or being sung anywhere in the world.

Amblkastri Baichoudhri was an Assamese poet, lyricist, singer, powerful prose writer, news worker, magazine editor, patriotic, social worker, and the leading freedom fighter of India’s freedom struggle. He is known as ‘Assam Kesari'. He wrote a patriotic drama named Bandini Bharat. Which instilled national spirit in his followers.

It is in Vallathol Narayana Menon (1878-1958) that Malayalam found its most inspiring songs celebrating liberty and patriotism. The ongoing struggle for freedom under the inspiring leadership of Mahatma Gandhi profoundly affected the psyche of the poet and changed his outlook and vision. As a result, the poetry of Vallathol, who was anchored in the classical traditions.

Similarly, we have other poets from other Indian states, where the respective literary giants instilled national spirit in the readers and followers. The thread of patriotism in each of us can be trace back to these literary giants.

Let us all Indians for a moment, on this auspicious occasion of Republic Day of India remember these literary giants across India and salute them from our hearts for their immense contribution to attain the Indian freedom which we all today cherish and enjoy.

Jai Hind