26th January 2007 – India celebrated its 59th year of Republic. I was not in the city but in my town neyveli.
It is traditional in neyveli that during the independence day and republic days, the Chairman cum Managing Director (CMD) hoists the national flag at our stadium. Following this is accepts the parade honor. This is followed by felicitating people who made significant contributions to the growth of Neyveli Lignite Corporation. After this there are cultural events (drills – as we call it there) performed by school kids. With the announcement of the winner of the cultural events and the singing of the Tamil Thai Vazhthu, the programme is complete.
I went this year to the stadium after 5 years (all these 5 years i was in my college and last year i was in chennai) to attend the Republic day parade. It brought back old memories of my school days when i used to go with my friends. None of my friends turned up this year for that and i was all alone completely lost in thoughts. It was not quite interesting to watch the events as it used to be in my childhood. We used to fight over whose school will win the first prize and we boo and encourage each others school. That was missing. I have lost that childhood innocence.
When I came back home at 9 a.m., the republic day celebrations were being telecast on NDTV. I just spent the rest of the day sitting before the TV and watching all the programmes being telecast.
NDTV Indian of the Year program was worth a watch.
Long live Indian Republic! Long live our Heros who got us it!
Raasukutty's 