What Patriotism means to you?

[chocochipp_in]

What does patriotism mean to the common person of India? How are we to show (show to ourselves, not to others) that we love our country? How do you express the surge of feeling u feel for ur country..

Patriotism for me has many manifestations..It includes the correct way of singing the National Anthem (its kind of sad that many of us don't speak the words correctly..or have never bothered to find out the meaning of what our anthem conveys..though they may have a vague idea)...to saving and enhancing the resources of my country whenever and however it may be possible for me to do so..eg. saving paper nad water..

Also feeling proud of my country's achievements and wanting to better the present by doing my bit. Even small things like making others aware of what is so special about my country and at the same time having respect for other countries as well. My national pride is not unreasonable or jingoistic or chauvinistic..im aware of the shortfalls, but i also now that a lot of them can be overcome with a small effort from everyone's side..and much more..i would like to invite comments on what is the feeling people get when they feel 'patriotic', what does it mean to u in any and every sense of the word..Thanks.

[satish]

Patriotism for me means being a resposible citizen of my country.

[harshabanad]

I have a very filmy styled conception of patriotism.

...I am a soldier and terminate a dozen enemies, rescuing the life of a very important person from the Indian government on an important mission. Of course I get to die in the battle field to become a martyr and my fellow citizens cry and praise for my feats...I would like to be like the Maximus gladiator!!

[vishaw]

Patriotism means to me the small things we neglect at the cost of big achievements, coz it is mighty that catches all eyes but it is small (bird) that can lead to fall of flying aeroplane. when I was in school I heard a story of a man in a country, who was no imp minister or officer, just a simple man, a man from hand to mouth.

Story is like this, "one Saint from India went to visit that country, being on fast he was looking for fruits but could not find any vendor or shop at the railway station, tiredly he remarked, may be this place has no fruits. That simple, insignificant, small man was listening to him , immediately he left the place and after some time came along with basket full of fresh fruits and offered to saint. Saint was happy and wanted to pay and even gift him something, he refused and said that my gift will be granted, if you do not tell back home that our place has no fruits."

This is patriotism, and now we should analyze ourselves that how many number of times, we criticize govt, bureaucracy, this and that person, but never take an initiative ourselves.

Jai Hind

[prajeeshrp]

Rabintranath Tagore has one mentioned that ''Patriotism should not be above Humanity"

[vinayreddy]

Patriotism for me is being a responsible citizen.

Its not just me being responsible but making the people around me responsible for their actions.

Its like digging a 1000 ft well, if i keep digging alone it will take ages, and if i inform other people for the need of this well and when they join me we complete in a lesser time.

So its more like a group of peope working for a common goal without annihilating means.

[chakreshm]

I would love to write an article on this topic. Let us see how it turns out.

[chakreshm]

What does patriotism mean to you?
my blog post on what patriotism means to me
take a dig, its a long article.
Are left parties traitors? Is congress is working for what is best for US, not what is best for India? Whether RSS is a terrorist organization? Is BJP trying to promote the communal ideals? Is protest in Gorkhaland, Mumbai, Rajasthan unpatriotic? I come across these questions and comments at online blogs, in speeches of leaders and even in books. Not only it is a debate about big issues –nuclear deal, naxalite problem, formation of smaller states or inflation- but it’s also a debate about values. How do we keep ourselves safe and secure while preserving our liberties? How do we restore trust in a government that seems increasingly removed from its people and dominated by special interests? How do we ensure that, in an increasingly global economy, the winners maintain allegiance to the less fortunate and development is trickled down? And how do we resolve our differences at a time of increasing diversity?