Happy Republic Day!

A conversation with Anup over lunch has got me thinking.
We were discussing about the Republic Day parade that took place in New Delhi yesterday.
When I was a child(read, until I got married :), dad would force me(and brothers if they were around) to sit in front of the TV to watch the parade.
I'm not sure for how many years he's been watching the parade - but there's one thing that's always the same. His excitement. I'm amazed at how excited he gets when he watches the parade.

I wonder, how many of us actually watch the parade on TV?
I dunno many people who do. Will we make our kids watch the parade? Will they be interested in it?
It seems to be the same thing year after year - it seems like the same commentator (with a dull voice) compering year after year.
The respects paid at Amar Jawan Jyoti, the twenty-one gun salute and the bravery awards given out, leave me with goosebumps every year, but I still think that we need to bring in some change in the ceremony.
Maybe everything will fall into place, if the comperer on Doordarshan is replaced by someone more cheerful and bubbly!
Or maybe, I should be physically present at Rajpat, to feel the emotion in the air.
Maybe watching it on tv spoils all the fun.

At the end of it all, I will end up watching the grand parade whenever I get a chance. I will end up paying my respects to the National anthem whenever it is played. I will end up having goosebumps when little kids walk away with awards for their bravery - I would do all this - just to experience the oneness that everyone feels on this day.

-------------------------

A sidenote:
I would love to, someday take my kid along, to watch the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi.
Maybe, say, after twenty years or so, I might come back to this post, and update this section of the post with my experience and my kid's experience! :)
I hope you would still be a faithful subscriber to this humble blog of mine, to read these updates! :)