Independence Day

Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964):
Speech On the Granting of Indian Independence, August 14, 1947

Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long supressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of Inida and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.

At the dawn of history India started on her unending quest, and trackless centuries are filled with her striving and the grandeur of her success and her failures. Through good and ill fortune alike she has never lost sight of that quest or forgotten the ideals which gave her strength. We end today a period of ill fortune and India discovers herself again. The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?

Freedom and power bring responsibility. The responsibility rests upon this Assembly, a sovereign body representing the sovereign people of India. Before the birth of freedom we have endured all the pains of labour and our hearts are heavy with the memory of this sorrow. Some of those pains continue even now. Nevertheless, the past is over and it is the future that beckons to us now.

That future is not one of ease or resting but of incessant striving so that we may fulfil the pledges we have so often taken and the one we shall take today. The service of India means the service of the millions who suffer. It means the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity. The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye. That may be beyond us, but as long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be over.

And so we have to labour and to work, and work hard, to give reality to our dreams. Those dreams are for India, but they are also for the world, for all the nations and peoples are too closely knit together today for any one of them to imagine that it can live apart Peace has been said to be indivisible; so is freedom, so is prosperity now, and so also is disaster in this One World that can no longer be split into isolated fragments.

To the people of India, whose representatives we are, we make an appeal to join us with faith and confidence in this great adventure. This is no time for petty and destructive criticism, no time for ill-will or blaming others. We have to build the noble mansion of free India where all her children may dwell.

II

The appointed day has come-the day appointed by destiny-and India stands forth again, after long slumber and struggle, awake, vital, free and independent. The past clings on to us still in some measure and we have to do much before we redeem the pledges we have so often taken. Yet the turning-point is past, and history begins anew for us, the history which we shall live and act and others will write about.

It is a fateful moment for us in India, for all Asia and for the world. A new star rises, the star of freedom in the East, a new hope comes into being, a vision long cherished materializes. May the star never set and that hope never be betrayed!

We rejoice in that freedom, even though clouds surround us, and many of our people are sorrowstricken and difficult problems encompass us. But freedom brings responsibilities and burdens and we have to face them in the spirit of a free and disciplined people.

On this day our first thoughts go to the architect of this freedom, the Father of our Nation [Gandhi], who, embodying the old spirit of India, held aloft the torch of freedom and lighted up the darkness that surrounded us. We have often been unworthy followers of his and have strayed from his message, but not only we but succeeding generations will remember this message and bear the imprint in their hearts of this great son of India, magnificent in his faith and strength and courage and humility. We shall never allow that torch of freedom to be blown out, however high the wind or stormy the tempest.

Our next thoughts must be of the unknown volunteers and soldiers of freedom who, without praise or reward, have served India even unto death.

We think also of our brothers and sisters who have been cut off from us by political boundaries and who unhappily cannot share at present in the freedom

that has come. They are of us and will remain of us whatever may happen, and we shall be sharers in their good [or] ill fortune alike.

The future beckons to us. Whither do we go and what shall be our endeavour? To bring freedom and opportunity to the common man, to the peasants and workers of India; to fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, and to create social, economic and political institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman.

We have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any one of us till we redeem our pledge in full, till we make all the people of India what destiny intended them to be. We are citizens of a great country on the verge of bold advance, and we have to live up to that high standard. All of us, to whatever religion we may belong, are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges and obligations. We cannot encourage communalism or narrow-mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought or in action.

To the nations and peoples of the world we send greetings and pledge ourselves to cooperate with them in furthering peace, freedom and democracy.

And to India, our much-loved motherland, the ancient, the eternal and the ever-new, we pay our reverent homage and we bind ourselves afresh to her service.

JAI HIND.


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Source:

Reprinted in Brian McArthur, Penguin Book of Twentieth Century Speeches (London: Penguin Viking, 1992), pp. 234-237. by Prof. Arkenberg.

Something just spurred me on all of a sudden. Hence, created this lil piece.

Vande Mataram

A report..wimbledull! - Donna Gee

It’s Wimbledon time again - and the whole of Britain is bracing itself for the world’s greatest tennis tournament. Or is it?Like it or not, the fact is that not every Brit is turned on by the sight of foreigners dressed all in white picking up gleaming silverware and oodles of cash for pinging balls across a net ad infinitum. I say foreigners because you can count the number of homegrown players fit to string the rackets of the overseas stars on one hand. One finger actually - Andy Murray. And despite his PR machine’s efforts to refute reports that he said he’d support anyone but England at the 2006 World Cup, I am quite convinced the 20-year-old from Dunblane is one of that vast army of Scots who have no great liking for the English. Apart from that, Murray probably won’t even be playing through injury, while our other 21st-century

legend, perennial nearly-man Tim Henman, is unlikely to get beyond the first round. My money’s on the world No.78 going out at the first hurdle, whoever he’s drawn against. Even if it's a ball boy. In his prime, poor past-it Tim was so near to being a superstar but every time he got within sight of actually winning a Slam, he bottled it. No, that’s not fair - he’s never been a Colin Montgomery. The reality is that Tim - who reached six Grand Slam semi-finals - was never good enough to actually win a major title. A nearly man doomed to fall at the last hurdle because his abilities were a tiny bit inferior to the real champions.I fear that Murray, charisma bypass and all, will go exactly the same way. He’ll never quite make it, just like Roger Taylor, the previous Brit to reach the Wimbledon semi-final in 1973. The last home player to win the men’s singles, Fred Perry, managed it before even I was born - completing a hat-trick of successive titles in 1936. And it’s now 30 years since we had our last ladies’ champion in Virginia Wade.Talking about British women players, I couldn’t even name one of the present lot, let alone get excited about her chances. But you can bet the UK media will go wild if one of them gets beyond round one.You’ll gather from my comments so far that I am not a big tennis fan. So if I, with my middle-class grammar school background, can’t get turned on by Wimbledon, what is there in it for the grass-roots Englishman - like the footy-loving guy who is hooked on Man United, Liverpool, Spurs or Arsenal? A Swiss and a Spaniard battling out a cat-gut war at the oh so snobbily named All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club? (Let’s face it, we all know it’s going to be a Federer v Nadal final). Or boring Belgian Justine Henin storming to yet another Grand Slam title against some faceless young woman with a Russian-sounding name?Granted, the galleries will be packed every day - predominantly by middle and upper-class women and girls with posh accents yelling ‘Oh, my gosh’ after virtually every rally. But the working classes certainly won't be there in abundance swigging down the champagne and guzzling those strawberries and cream. And the extortionate ticket prices will have nothing to do with it. Now I admit I’m a bit if a snob myself . . . but I find the whole event really stuck-up. It leaves me cold - particularly those antiquated Wimbledonisms like calling the main men's event the ‘Gentlemen’s Singles’. For heaven’s sake! Maybe the idea is to keep Fred Perry’s memory fresh but those sort of expressions went out with rationing.When Wimbo-phoria kicks in every year, I start to wonder if it’s me who’s out of touch. But I know so many people who really couldn’t care less about it - certainly until the latter stages - that I’m convinced my impressions have some substance.What about all you football fans? Do you find Wimbledon Wimble-dull? Come on guys, be honest with me…

Signs that mean its summertime..

Found this interesting!
It means its summer when -

1) Thierry Henry is off to Barcelona.

2) You keep checking the internet to see if you've signed someone. You just did it now.

3) And again.

4) The Mailbox is half as long as normal.

5) Thierry Henry is off to Real Madrid now.

6) Man United release a new kit.

7) Football pundits find themselves shoehorned into covering other sports.

8) As do football journalists. Quick, look busy.

9) Someone English is cheered all the way to the fourth round of Wimbledon from Henman Hill or Murray Mount or somewhere.

10) Actually, Andrew Murray's f**king Scottish, isn't he? Let's not cheer for him.

11) Sue Barker sits there and tells you it's a "Great British summer of sport".

12) You end up knowing the names of half the footballers' agents in the Premier League.

13) Old pros are forced to play football as satellite TV desperately scrabbles around for material.

14) Spurs target a top-four finish.

15) Your skin has gone a funny lobster colour and hurts.

16) Golf seems interesting.

17) Everyone gets excited waiting for the fixture list. Ooh, we play every team twice! Once home and once away! I can't wait!

18) You actually start to miss Alan Hansen.

19) Cricket is the new football. So we're told.

20) You try to convince yourself that the awful player linked with your club has just been misunderstood in the past.

21) And as for those players you've never heard of, well, best check their stats on Football Manager. That'll work.

22) You start to fancy Clare Balding.

23) Sky Sports News is even duller than normal.

24) Fernando Torres is linked with a move to the Premiership. (Note: In previous years, this role was regularly filled by Benni McCarthy).

25) You tell yourself staying up all night to watch the Copa America and MLS is normal.

26) It's Liverpool's year.

27) You suddenly realise you've got a wife and kids and that you haven't spoken to them for nine months. And they hate you.

28) You contemplate seeing if you can find your old Subbuteo set in the loft.

29) You persuade your family this year's holiday should be in Norway just so you can watch live football. Brann are top, you know, and Odd Grenland have only won once. Fascinating.

30) You persuade yourself the Intertoto Cup is really great.

31) You start craving cold lager at 10am every day.

32) You get so desperate that you start watching Eurosport 2 in the hope some football comes on.

33) You find yourself travelling 100 miles on a bus to watch the youth team's reserves playing a pre-season friendly.

34) You realise it's 3pm on a Saturday afternoon and you're holding your missus' bags in Top Shop. And even though she's trying to talk to you, all you're thinking is 'Ooh, I remember when Top Man used to sponsor Leeds'.

35) You love being top four or hate being in the relegation zone. Even though the league is entirely alphabetical.

36) You breathe a sigh of relief when you realise pre-season friendlies start in the first week of July. Because watching your out-of-shape side play Stevenage is just great, isn't it?

37) Newcastle sign 15 players. Only one of them is a defender.

38) You start to work out how many players it would take for your side to break into the Big Four. Then you think how great it would be if you somehow won your first ten games and managed to stay ahead of the rest and be in with a shout of the league.

39) You convince yourself it's worth sticking a quid on it at 2500/1 odds. 50p, at least.

40) You put the other 50p on Man United getting relegated at 7500/1. Anything's possible, right?

How girlz rate guyz

Another one of those more interesting mails I got. Thought maybe every other rahul should read it! :D




Girls' relationship with guys is a bigger mystery than girls themselves.

It's not just about boyfriends, we're talking about guy friends that gals have.

Do you have a gal who is just a friend? Are confused why the frequency of calls increases as exams loom closer? Or why she always hangs around with the moron who isn't fit to wear Jeetendra's white shoes? Here's a ready reckoner for you:


% just a friend %
Well, you are like a show piece in my house. I will call you whenever I need you. If you call me home the chances are 9 out of 10 times she might say, "Oh Rahul, I am going out can you call me after 2 days??"
Rahul: "Where are you going Shilpa??"
Shilpa: "None of your business" and bangs the phone.(Useless fellow.Hmmph! ).


% Good Friend %
You are like a TV remote control. I need you and I know that. But I try using you when I really need you.
Rahul calls: "Hi Shilpa",
Shilpa: "Hi Rahul. I am going out with family I will call you back. Bye"
(Shilpa calls back after two days)
Shilpa: "What do you want Rahul? Why did you call that day?".
Rahul: "Generally".
Shilpa: "Oh ok. I got to go out. Will call you later. Bye."
Will call when she needs lecture notes or some concert tickets.


% Very good friend %
Well you are like the pressure cooker safety value for the girl.
She will need you when she wants to bring out her pain or anger on someone.
Basically, she wants to talk to you. And you are special to her.
Shilpa: "You know Rahul, Shekhar is not eating. He doesn't sleep and is not able to concentrate on his studies. I think he doesn't like me anymore. And yesterday I saw him with another girl".
Rahul: "Who is Shekhar??"
Shilpa : "My boyfriend."
Rahul: Oh! ok. :-(


% Best Friend %
You are like the auto rickshaw driver. She can't live without you.
And don't be mistaken. You are not her boyfriend. But you are allowed to take her little doggie around the park so that he (not you!) can have fun.

Rahul Shopping. Rahul Movie. Rahul Coffee. Rahul,you pay. I am having fun.
Rahul is now sure that he should go ahead and propose. He dares.
Shilpa: "But I thought we were just friends. We should remain friends
Rahul. Plus, I have a boy friend you know that."
Rahul: What?? (Rahul drinks all night).


% Best of the Bestest Friends %
Ok now you are really special.
You are dad-cum-boyfriend- cum-brother- cum-everything.
Ultimately you are the darling servant of the girl.
You take her around.
You make her project.
You do her assignments.
You are allowed to take her doggie around.
You can hold hands on the beach.
You can see the sun set with her (because she wants to do everything she drags you along).
But but but... don't be mistaken. She has a boyfriend who works for a huge software company and earns 3 times the salary you earn and has a flat in PoesGardenor Boat Club or Hiranandani area.
Shilpa: "Hi Rahul. I am getting engaged to Shekhar. Shekhar this is Rahul, he is my bestest friend".
Rahul: Hi Shekhar . (Hand shake. Shekhar breaks Rahul's wrist).
Rahul is now heart broken and wrist broken.


% Boyfriend %
Uh... No comments dude. You're already Gone

For all Rahul type guys? Make sure that you tell Shilpa about Mamta. And about Maya? and about Tina also?

This will open Shilpa's eyes!!!!

Send it to boys to improve their Knowledge bank :)

Send it to girls who want to live in reality :)

Eventually? both will laugh!