As January 2021 finally dawned in the wake of a tiresome year, we breathed a sigh of relief and prayed for good things to come. However, a month into 2021, it seems the new year is following close on the heels of its predecessor. The appearance of vaccines and a steady decline in the number of Covid cases have raised spirits, but political disruptions continue unabated. A case in point is the recently concluded Republic Day in India, the events of which are currently uppermost in everyone’s mind. I am not particularly politically-driven, yet it is difficult to ignore the happenings playing out in our country’s capital.
After a particularly tumultuous year, my family and I were eagerly looking forward to our first family picnic outdoors this Republic Day. Though schools are still shut, my toddler and I welcomed the respite from virtual lessons. We woke at leisure, relived childhood memories by watching the Republic Day parade on TV, and excitedly packed a pot-luck lunch. Everything from cooked food, healthy and unhealthy snacks, and a load of picnic-appropriate games were lugged across town to our family farmhouse—a destination we felt was safest for being Covid-free and far from the Republic Day parade and its potential drama.
We were elated to see the sunny blue skies, the vast and empty open space, and the day of leisure stretching before us. A few picnic games with the children were enough to raise our appetites and we wolfed down home-made parathas, as if they were going out of style. Just when the post-lunch stupor was kicking in, the first messages of the farmer rallies breaking barriers and marching into Delhi, began trickling in. I received a message from the Bar Association of the Delhi High Court, of which I am a member, asking everyone to stay home. This was followed by various messages from my son’s school and other organisations we are part of. A college WhatsApp group came alive as everyone was concerned about the status of a journalist friend, reporting from the scene of the farmer protests. Before we knew it, we were compulsively consulting our phones for snippets of information and news.
A strange mood had taken over, where on the one hand, we were enjoying the downtime with family, thoroughly appreciative of the holiday that enabled it; and on the other, we were worried about reaching home safely. On a less individualistic plane, we were also concerned about the people of our country and everything that could go wrong if things went awry. Despite the WhatsApp warnings, my husband decided to stay at the farm instead of rushing home preemptively. When we eventually packed up and left for home in the late afternoon, it became clear his instincts had been right. The police had blockaded many parts of Delhi, perhaps in anticipation, which meant taking longer routes home, but otherwise, there were no disruptions en route. In fact, the roads were almost empty.
Back home we retreated into our privileged bubble, the farmers and political drama relegated to the back of our minds. A look at my Instagram feed, full of posts by influencers wearing their Indian best in shades of the tricolor further pushed all concern away.
The celebration of Republic Day, when the largest democracy in the world gave effect to its detailed constitution, is memorable for many reasons. The story of India as a Republic is lauded for its noble beginnings. By granting universal adult franchise, at a time when superpowers balked at the idea of voting rights shared with women and people belonging to lower classes; our country paved the way for people from all walks of life to raise their voices for what they believe is right. No matter where we stand on the political spectrum, this ideal is something all of us can appreciate, and it is this ideal that makes me patriotic.
After an interesting day of nostalgic comfort, family fun, and trepidation, I can easily say that India’s 72nd Republic Day will go down as one of my most memorable ones.
The writer is a lawyer who pens lifestyle articles for various publications and on her successful blog www.nooranandchawla.com. She can be found on Instagram @nooranandchawla.