Skip to content Skip to navigation

Independence Day in Kuwait

Inquisitiveness, curiosity n proudness filled me as I got ready to attend the 62nd Independence Day at Indian Embassy,Kuwait. As we drove to the Embassy at 6.30am to reach and be part of the flag hoisting at 7.10am ,my mind was filled with different thoughts…thoughts of the many Indenpence Day we celebrated in our motherland Assam under the shadow of Assam Bandh . My one year daughter too wake up early that day as if she understood the importance of this special day. As we approach’d the embassy my husband park’d our car atleast 1km from the embassy as there was no space as hundreds of cars were already parked. As we came near the embassy we were pleasantly surprised to see hundreds of Indians from different walks of life and some like me with infants. People had Indian Flags in their hands. I felt so happy and proud when my infant daughter too took a flag and was waving. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat, Mera Bharat Mahan echoed in the air. The “Borah Drummers”, the members are Guajarati Muslims exhibited their talent and skills. Small school children and Doctors community sang patriotic songs. The Indian Ambassador Ajai Malhotra hosted the national tri-colour flag as we all stood there with proudness. He read out the Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh’s message ,the speech which he gave to millions of Indians from the Red Fort .He also read out the various facilities and schemes that the embassy has taken for thousands of Indian workers. After the cultural programme was over ,the Ambassador met the common people and listen to their grievances if any. Deep feeling of proudness enveloped thousands who gathered there to be part of such a celebration. Mughal Mahal, a famous Indian restaurant gave free breakfast (paratha,chola,sweets) to thousands of people who gathered . Free supplements on Independence Day were distributed by The Times(Kuwait’s premier weekly newspaper) and Arab Times(Kuwait’s national daily).


In a foreign country that too in a Middle East Muslim country like Kuwait we celebrated it so much fun, proudness and most importantly without fear, then why not in our motherland Assam??Can’t we be like rest of India and foreign countries in observing our Independence Day???When will such a day come???These thoughts filled my mind as we drove back home.


I remembered Jawaharlal Nehru’s Independence Day speech…. "Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we will 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 suppressed, finds utterance.... We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again."


Its time for us, all assamese people to defy the Bandh and celebrate it with love, fun and frolic.


by Parimita Barooah Bora, Kuwait

Comments

SKumar's picture

The Ambassador infact read out the President of India's message and not the Prime Minister's. Anyhow thanks to Parimita for sharing her thoughts. We too feel proud like her to be part of the celebrations of our great nation.
Chintu Nath's picture

Pom-ba, it was a great coverage for us to know about how NRIs feel about their country and Independence. We Indians are actually, patriotic by birth; it is in our subconscious to feel great and own about our country. No matter where we live in heart we are always INDIANS, and the whole world today recognizes that.We must always endeavor to do better than before wherever we are, and mere that doing only will take our nation even higher and greater. Vande Mataram.
PriyalakshmiB's picture

Woh!such a gathering.

Pages

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

Normal life has been thrown out of gear when a devastating wind lashed Lakhimpur district on Friday.At least 25 persons were injured, thousands of people were rendered homeless, hundreds of houses and establishments were left ravaged when the wind was lashing the north Assam district only a brief period of 15 minute which began at around 12-30 at noon. According to initial report, more than 15 vehicles were damaged and the National Highway No. 52 was blocked by the uprooted trees. The injured people have been rushed to the Lakhimpur Civil Hospital.
A CRPF head constable and a civilian youth died, 12 others injured when DHD(J) rebels attacked a passenger train in North Cachar hills district on Friday.According to information, the rebels targeted the Barak Valley Express as the passenger train arrived in Wadringdisa in the hills district. The condition of two of the injured persons is said to be serious. Injured persons have been rushed to the hospital. Details are awaited.
The Centre has asked for a comprehensive plan to ensure a paceful Lok Sabha poll in Assam slated for April 16 and 23. According to information, the Centre has directed Dispur to chalk out an action plan to ensure that militant attacks do not take place in Guwahati along with Karbi Anglong and North Cachar. The directive was prepared in Delhi a week after a high-level meeting held in Guwahati chaired by Union Cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekar and attended by top ranked officials if any, police and para military forces.The meeting further reviewed the law and order situation in the state in the aftermath of the serial blasts in Guwahati, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. Moreover, it assessed...
One Rambahadur Limbu (42), inhabitant of Sagunbahi village, under Paneri police station near Khalingduar Reserve Forest has been killed by a wild tusker in his village on April 7 at 7 pm. According to the villagers,the deceased person was returning home from nearby market.before he was picked up by the tusker which had been roaming in the locality. The man has left behind his wife and two sons. DN Hazarika Circle Officer, Harisinga Revenue Circle (Tangla) along with OC, Paneri police station visited the spot on April 8.
The students of Assam of the Indian Institute of Technology (I.I.T.) Guwahati performed Bihu Husori in a function ‘Bohagor Duwardolit’ (a get-together of the student of Assam at IIT Guwahati) in their campus on April 5, 2009.
A blast took place at the Batachipur Road, near Civil Hospital, Dhekiajuli town at around 3:45 today. Five people injured in the incident including security personnel.Earlier, there was a grenade blast at 8:45 am at Shantipur, Karbi Anglong district. There was no casualty in that incident.
A health check up camp at Guwahati Press Club on Sunday (April 5) for Diabetes...
Noted educationist, Khagan Saharia,of Outala near Kalaigaon passed away on April 2 at 4.40 pm at his own residence.He had been the principal of Asom Jatiya Bidyalaya ,Outala till his death.His sudden demise has been mourned in and around Kalaigaon.Born in 1944, Khagen Saharia had been associating himself with numerous social activities till his death. He had been the former principal of Outala Higher Secondary School, former secretary of Friends Club, Outala, former president of Outala Sahitya Sabha. Khagen Saharia had been known for his simplicity. He was a good actor and director and directed several dramas including ‘Haribhakat’; ’Marisalir Usuponi’;’...
Minal Hazarika wife of Sanjoy Hazarika, noted author, Journalist and Managing Trustee of Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research (C-NES), passed away on at the Gangaram Hospital, New Delhi on April 3, 2009. She had suffered a stroke at Guwahati on 15 January 2009 and was undergoing treatment at Gangaram Hospital for nearly three months. She was in her fifties and was a well known figure in Assam and in New Delhi. She leaves behind a daughter (Meghna Hazarika) besides her husband. At this hour of grief we pray for the departed soul.
The boundary wall of the recently launched Mega Food Park at Nathkuchi (near Tihu under Nalbari district) collapsed. The newly constructed 150 meter of boundary wall of the park, which is first of its king in Northeast India, broke down last week. It is expected to create employment for nearly 30,000 people.Mentionable that, the Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi laid the foundation stone of the food park in February. The aim of the food park is to provide the basic facilities and common infrastructure to stimulate investment in the food processing sector.The project has been funded by the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries with other sector participation like Assam Industrial...