The Midnight Vigil
The midnight vigil
We celebrated this independence day( well I’m talking about Indian independence day – 15th August) in a truly unique way this time… Although it was the first time that I din see the Indian flag fluttering ( well there are some protocols which need to be followed here before hoisting another nations’ flag, like u need to hoist the American flag first etc… So ppl tend to avoid hoisting the flag, rather than screwing everything up..)
But, then it was truly splendid I must say. Around 100 Indians gathered on the Main building lawns at around midnight on 14th August. We held a midnight vigil – everyone with candles etc. And for the first time, at the stroke of the midnight hour, both the Indian as well as the Pakistani National Anthem was played along with the American anthem. It was indeed very touchy…
Then a signature campaign for a peace memorial to be erected at the Indo-Pak border was conducted. And each one read out the pledge for AID (Association for India’s development)…
It was indeed surprising that millions of Indian students ‘n NRIs out here were really striving hard for development of many schools, specifically back in the Indian villages.. And this was not all… A number of activities are being conducted by AID…. It was truly motivating and a unique way of showing your gratitude to your motherland… which reminds me of the famous JFK quote
"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country"
We celebrated this independence day( well I’m talking about Indian independence day – 15th August) in a truly unique way this time… Although it was the first time that I din see the Indian flag fluttering ( well there are some protocols which need to be followed here before hoisting another nations’ flag, like u need to hoist the American flag first etc… So ppl tend to avoid hoisting the flag, rather than screwing everything up..)
But, then it was truly splendid I must say. Around 100 Indians gathered on the Main building lawns at around midnight on 14th August. We held a midnight vigil – everyone with candles etc. And for the first time, at the stroke of the midnight hour, both the Indian as well as the Pakistani National Anthem was played along with the American anthem. It was indeed very touchy…
Then a signature campaign for a peace memorial to be erected at the Indo-Pak border was conducted. And each one read out the pledge for AID (Association for India’s development)…
It was indeed surprising that millions of Indian students ‘n NRIs out here were really striving hard for development of many schools, specifically back in the Indian villages.. And this was not all… A number of activities are being conducted by AID…. It was truly motivating and a unique way of showing your gratitude to your motherland… which reminds me of the famous JFK quote
"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country"
posted by Prakash at
8/19/2004 01:05:00 PM
1 Comments:
Very Very touchy. In Purdue they had similar common function Aditya said. Anyway good tradition.
I think you feel like doing more for your country when you are away from it. May be you miss the land. You miss the environment you miss the people. whatever. But isnt it true?
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