Nationhood and Patriotism

Nationhood and Patriotism

At the creation of our nation the two were indivisible; synonyms to each other; Nationhood and Patriotism.

70 years of independence and complete security from foreign invasions has lulled the country into compartmentalising the synonyms. Nationhood stands on a separate pedestal, and patriotism? ‘Well, yeah that too’

The departure of patriotism from the national discourse is the first sign of a nation in decay. So, what is nationhood? A nation is variously described as:

‘A large group or collective of people with common characteristics attributed to them; including language, traditions, customs habits and ethnicity. It is a cultural-political community that has become conscious of its autonomy, unity, and particular interests’.

Or:

"A nation is a soul, a spiritual principle. Two things, which in truth are but one, constitute this soul or spiritual principle. One lies in the past, one in the present. One is the possession in common of a rich legacy of memories; the other is present-day consent, the desire to live together, the will to perpetuate the value of the heritage that one has received in an undivided form", "A nation is therefore a large-scale solidarity"

A nation therefore is an amalgam of people of common heritage, common shared ideology, and a desire to lead a particular way of life through social and political action. This does not allude an amalgam of people boxed into a narrow minded, parochial, insular discourse; rather people so diverse; yet conjoint by a cord of shared  ideals; of thought, action, and practice.

This is nationhood.

This is India; so diverse in ethnicity, religion, social habits, political ideology, yet so united by common cherished ideals of Secularism, Freedoms and Rule of law; the Doctrine of Egalitarianism in which fairness permeates every section of society and life.

Then what is Patriotism?

Patriotism is devotion to one's own country and concern for its being. When the liberties of our country, the freedoms of our Constitution, borders of the nation are worth defending. Patriotism is when your heart swells at the name of your country; when your eyes get moist whilst singing the National Anthem in a cinema hall; when viewing ‘Beating Retreat’ makes you burst with pride at listening to ‘Sare Jahan Se Accha’  your nation, your country. This is patriotism.

So where do Nationhood and Patriotism conflux? Is there a convergence point of the two? The truth lies somewhere in the centre; each one is so interdependent on one another, that each without the other is an empty shell. It is the heart and lung of our being; a body cannot survive without the heart and lung being in complete synchronicity with each other. So be it with nationhood and patriotism.

Cutting to Today. A reality check;

The space for liberals is fast narrowing, a nation transfixed in its energies to cow vigilantism, patriotism have now become an extension of demagogy, intolerance; the true ideals of Nationhood and have been pushed into dusty recesses of our minds. A complete apathy for the lives being laid down by the Army at our borders, or Para Military combating the Marxists in the Red Corridor with a common refrain, ‘Well they are meant to do that’ or, ‘look at the good perks the services enjoy’. Effectively the nation has subcontracted is Defence to an opaque structure called the Armed Forces, and indifference beyond that.

No wonder on a memorial for our martyrs; we witness farcical platitudes and clichés, callous indifference and apathy, a section of disputatious citizenry who create mayhem to pursue their narrow pedantic agenda. No wonder we witness cattle being put on the centre stage of governance, and brave hearts who defended and died for the nation being consigned to cattle class.

When Patriotism dies, a Nation is bound to fail.

rajeevsuri.cbms@gmail.com