Ask us what is so special about us. And we would say We are unique. We have a great history.

Actually that is the only one we have. History. Starting from A land of milk and honey and extending to In those olden days up till When I was in Australia

All we have is history? What about the rich heritage and culture.

I wholeheartedly pray that this is true. Rich heritage and culture. India is a place where you live as a family. You cook for your neighbors also. You treat everyone as your brother.

 

Brother. My Foot.

How many times you have smiled at a passer by? Forget passers by. The old man who shared the seat with you in the bus today morning?

The schoolboy whom you meet everyday at the bus stop?

The man at the cafeteria who says “no problem sir, pay the remaining the next time”

We are more private than most societies.

But he didn’t smile at me neither.

See, this is what we are.

We see to others only for poking our nose into their fallacies. Their shortcomings.

We agree with someone just out of fear that they might  feel bad. About us.

We care only about us. Just the inner circle of our families. We throw the garbage just out of our compound wall. And then cover our windows with net-lon to prevent mosquitoes. Our children defecate just outside our own walls.

“Its outside” we convince ourselves.

 

We are overpopulated. Yes, We need to compete with each other like dogs. Yes. But this by no means an explanation for the private, transparent and opportunistic walls we build between us and the rest of our brothers.

Accept it. We are a bunch of chameleons.

A chameleon has great inherent talent.

It is fascinating. Amazing. Yet, it is but a chameleon.