No 'Fun' for aam aadmi in the Independence Day function

The main event of Independence Day in India as usual promises to be speeches and more speeches. The President will have his say on the eve of August 15, and then on the actual day, the Prime Minister will address us from Red Fort. Then, in never-ending and descending order of importance will come the pronouncements of chief ministers and all manner of officialdom right down to the minutest district and local functionaries, all fortified by the just-released home ministry note on how to "celebrate" the day.

Children will also be on the roster, marshalled into singing patriotic songs, giving thoughtful declamations and, in a myriad of such ways, convincing their elders that they are growing up to be model citizens. And there will be "rural sports" too. However, does all that add up to a truly "achchha din"?

"Sirji," the common man could finally blurt out, "where’s the ‘fun’ in this ‘function’, the joy of freedom?" There’s that evening jamboree hosted by the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan for a few hundred of the Capital’s chosen and similar gubernatorial jalebifests in the states, but public — unofficial — celebrations are not on the cards and never have been.

Surely, I-Day lends itself to street festivals, not to mention mohallaand village fetes in the rambunctious tradition of the other festivals that liven up our calendar.