Bhagat Singh and Mumbai

On a 'Geri' of Punjab University, I saw the building where I gave my NM entrance test. Its called Bhagat Singh Hall.
It led to a train of thought where I found that Mumbai part of the life had some more relations to Bhagat Singh.
Not only the hall in which I gave the test which led me to Mumbai was named after my favorite hero but also my address during the first year was Bhagat Singh road in Vile Parle.
To add to the coincidence, my last day in Mumbai was on 23rd March - the day on which Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev were martyred in 1931!!

Remembering..

This week end, the country will celebrate Gandhigiri on the occassion of Bapu's Birthday. But few knew and even less remembered Shaheed Bhagat Singh - another short lived but one of the most important pioneer of the freedom movement, on his birthday which falls exactly a week before Gandhi's. Some sources say its 24th of Sept while others 26th September and a few more tell us it was today.. but even then , there was hardly anything in news. What is the exact date of birth is not important. The point is to remember the young energetic, very well read, passionate, and a completely dedicated Soul.

He was a person who was crystal clear in his ideas and thoughts.. who could communicate them so effectively both in speech and writing.. who had the foresightedness which today's CEO's would be envious of... who had the love of country in his heart rather than the love of power.

He was the one who possessed the courage to hit back on being slapped wrongly, instead of showing his other cheek.

He had the courage to getting hit by iron rods while tied in shackles in unknown dungeons rather than facing lathis collectively in a crowd..

He had the young, hot blood India needed rather than the corrupt, power lusty blood India got.

He was the action oriented leader India needed rather than the ones who kept fast and sat and hoped that everything will be controlled...(if u counter saying keeping fast is brave and needs courage... he kind of broke records by fasting more than 100 days to fight for his rights in a jail)

He was the one who tried to open the minds of farmers, mill workers and the country instead of telling them to follow some one blindly..

He was the one who had the courage to stand up and tell that the other person was wrong rather than just smiling at him and forgiving for the wrong doing again and again and again..

He was the one who died respectfully, with his head held high and a smile on his face, singing songs of praise for his mother land rather than being killed by a fellow citizen of the country..

I often wonder - what if he would have lived... to see the rise of a nation and take part in it actively..

Some articles/Letters written by Bhagat Singh. These show how clear and definite his thoughts were.

Clarification:
Wikipedia says Bhagat Singh was born on 27th September.
But in some places in Punjab, his birthday was celebrated on 24th (which came as a 2 paragraph report on 5th page of a newspaper)

Inquilab Zindabad

Many articles and blogs were written by many people on the movie Rang De Basanti. I had thought hard to write something too but it didn’t happen. Then I came across the thoughts behind one of the very popular slogans also shown in the movie – Inquilab Zindabad. One slogan that is said to have redefined the revolutionary movement.
The feelings and the real meanings behind the slogan were explained by Bhagat Singh and B.K Dutt in a letter to an editor.
Inquilab Zindabad is a hindi translation of an original slogan used in Russian Revolution which said – Long Live Revolution. The Revolution here didn’t mean the armed rebellion against the British by the Indians or a similar movement. The revolution signifies a greater and a much deeper meaning in the context.
Revolution magnifies the need for constant changes in the nation, society and basically the lives of WE - The People. The changes are to shatter the moulds we have been cast into – the window which restricts our vision instead of opening up for us to have a go at something different, something new. It is normal human tendency to resist change. It brings along with it some uncomfortable feelings, new challenges, and uncertainties. Confronting a change is itself a test but a greater challenge is to initiate a change. And that is what is known as a Revolution – Inquilab!!
DJ says the same thing in RDB, “zindagi jeene ke 2 hi tareeke hote hain.. ek jo ho rha hai hone do.. ya fer jimmedaari uthao – usse badalne ki” (There are only 2 ways to live – One, Whatever is happening – let it happen. Or take the responsibility to introduce the change)

The definition of revolution will vary from time to time. Place to place. But its soul will remain the same. Fighting for something what you feel is right. And fighting doesn’t mean a physical fight or a violent fight. It may be a long drawn struggle - struggle to achieve what you feel is correct for you. It may not be a struggle for masses. It may be a struggle just for you. It may not concern some national issues; it may be issues at your college, workplace or even home. The basic criterion is a need for change. Changes that you truly believe in, which you know are right, which affect you in a positive way and which will go in improving you and may be many others along with you. If you believe in something deeply, then only you can make your point and convince others of why it is needed, what it will bring about, whom it will be useful to and how it can be brought about.
That will happen when we start to think about the happenings around us – the things that are affecting us or can affect us. Normally we don’t and let the things happen and consciously or unconsciously adjust ourselves.
George Bernard Shaw said, “The Reasonable Man Adapts himself to the world. The Unreasonable man Persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."

I also belong to the category of a normal, unaware human being.. but I have started thinking. Whatever is happening around me – how is it affecting me?
I may not have the confidence of taking the responsibility for that Inquilab today. But I will try. Try not to be just lazy and close my eyes but keeping my senses open to that change and not be afraid for that change.
What will be the change? How will it look like, how will I identify it – I don’t know. But I am sure; it will identify itself if I have a will to accept it.