Knowingly - Unknowingly Disrespecting

                   

Hi Everyone,

I would like to thank my friend Venkateswarlu Layam for his useful insights in to the topic and suggesting the title for the same.

I am back and with a topic which is very sensitive and close to my heart and soul. No matter where we are all the citizens of India have something in common. We have that identity that we are all Indian. Just like our passports and voters ID define our identity and we treat both with utmost care, I sometimes wonder why we don't show same respect and care to another big symbol of Indianism - Our own National Anthem.

You might be shocked to hear but most of the population does not know the proper rules for singing the National Anthem. Why? Because why bother to read over something so trivial. You just need to stand while the National Anthem is being played even if million thoughts are going through your head. Strangely in this digital era people are so engrossed in their gadgets that they don't even follow the simple protocol of standing in attention for the duration for which the song is played, which is mere 52 seconds. Its unbelievable that so many citizens of this country cannot even leave everything aside for mere duration of 52 seconds and show proper respect to the symbol of being Indian.

Now it would be grossly incorrect to say that people of this country are solely responsible for this huge disrespect because government at some level is also responsible.Before I came to Maharashtra (Mumbai) I never knew that National Anthem is played before the start of every movie in cinema halls. I was appalled by the act, not because there is anything wrong in playing it but majorly because there is no logic in playing it before a movie. In theaters people come for entertainment and National Anthem does not serve the purpose of entertainment in any aspect. I did some research and came across the list of rules for singing the national anthem. Now I cannot list down all the rules here but below is the link for the same for people who would like know about it:

Rules for Singing National Anthem

I feel this practice should be abolished and I have several strong reasons for it:

1. Most of the people don't know that when National Anthem is played under a roof you are not supposed to sing it but it has been ingrained in us since childhood that as soon as we hear that tune we start singing with it (a complete ignorance unknowingly)
2. People remain busy with their mobile phones, looking for their seats, influx of incoming people, chatting with each other etc. (a complete disrespect knowingly)
3. In many theaters many foreign people also come to movie halls and they don't know the proper rules and decorum to follow when the National Anthem is played and are forced into disrespecting a sacred symbol of India unknowingly

Now even if people can be forgiven for the first point they certainly can't be forgiven for the second point mentioned above. So I ask the Maharashtra Government why did they feel the need to introduce National Anthem prior to playing a movie and most importantly what benefit did the Central Government see before providing approval for the same.

This is a problem and we as citizens of this country can become part of the solution by removing our ignorance and showing proper respect to National Anthem when it is being played.

I close this post with a hope that whosoever comes across this post will become part of the SOLUTION and not remain part of the PROBLEM.

Thanks,

Genie Signing off