I have forever been fascinated by Coleridge’s description of Xanadu. Going back to the first time I read Kubla Khan, I remember being mesmerized by the concept and how far ahead Coleridge had reached into his imagination to visualize the perfect dome – “a miracle of rare device.” A short while ago, when I came across a mention of the poem, it inspired me to pen A State of Mind. Each time I read this poem a different interpretation comes to mind.
In Xanadu, Kubla found a fascinating pleasure-dome that was perfection made of caves of ice and located in a sunny area. Orson Welles on the other hand, in his award winning Citizen Kane, depicts Xanadu as the world’s largest private estate with iron gates, built on a private mountain. Unlike, Kubla’s dome, which in many ways is a symbol of Utopian bliss, Kane’s Xanadu estate is cold and lonely – much like the state of the world today.
With the upcoming 2019 Indian elections thoughts of patriotism and nationalism does cross one’s mind. Why does patriotism exist? More importantly, why does it exist when it literally led to two World Wars? Patriotism, many believe, is a measure of one’s loyalty to one’s country, a territorial area defined with some man-made borders, which in turn is the reason for all conflict since the big bang. So in a way, patriotism is loyalty to real estate – to the flag, to the national anthem, to the country – even though our borders have changed constantly and with it the patriotism of people living within those borders. Rajputs, Mughals, Marathas, Aryans, Brahamans we are all descendants of probably the most complex, confusing and dynamic list of patriotism. In the world of digital marketing this would probably make a great case study for persona driven ad serving – and probably that’s what the ruling government is doing right now to win the upcoming polls. Dig a little deeper and I will agree that patriotism does help you to rely on on your tribe to keep you safe – but, honestly is that what is happening in India today?
Nationalism on the other hand is extreme pride for your country no matter what. Its biased to serve the selfish needs of who ever is in power – be it religion or money. Colonization is a clear derivative of “my country is intrinsically better than yours and hence I will rule over you – no matter what”. India learned it from the best in the world. Are we headed towards a civil war for colonization? With secularism blatantly being thrown out of the window in the name of nationalism, what is the fate of the so called “unwanted” people in India. Do they look for the Noah’s Arc? And what religion does Noah follow – cause you need to trust Noah as well, right? The fight for Indian Independence was a mammoth revolution but it wasn’t devoid of our own internal differences of opinion on whose sense of nationalism is the best – which led to the formation Congress, the INA and the All India Muslim League. Ultimately, the Sovereign decided that Sir Cyril Radcliffe should draw a line that will terrorize two nations for a long long time. Kashmir will never, at least not in our lifetime be solved, cause it is an ingenious money making device that was seeded in by Jinnah & Nehru.
Serving the army, paying taxes, casting your vote are all symbolic of people crossing a river with one foot on the patriotic boat and one on the nationalism boat, driven by FEAR in some form. Shows like Delhi Crime on an international on-demand entertainment platform like Netflix, sends a chill down my spine. It evokes a myriad of emotions and strongest on them is shame & disgust. Our police can’t do their jobs because politicians need crimes to persist so they can ask for votes based on them. A brutally gang raped victim needs to be transported to the hospital in the floor of an old, open, dirty PCR van with no first aid or medical attention and covered in a torn bed sheet from a nearby hotel. How is this safe? Who do I trust? From the moment I land in India, my home country, my guard is up. I am scared. I am on the look out for danger. Even with my husband by my side, I check if the cab driver is staring at me in the rear view mirror, to ensure I am sitting “properly.” Oh and mind you, men don’t have it easy either. Don’t forget that poor guy who was hacked and burned alive in broad day light by an extreme nationalist while the whole incident was recorded and shared on social media as a warning – and all this in the name of religion.
So, do I feel patriotic when my own safety in my own country is not guaranteed? Maybe not. What is the solution? I don’t know. But to me the more important question is – what can I do? People often think that to do something to do good means to be selfless, to give up on one’s own comfort and security and to do more charity. I do believe that one can truly influence once universe by striking a strong balance between being selfish and selfless, cause remember that Kubla’s dome was indeed build of ice in a sunny area and still existed. But hey, these are just my mumblings….
Mumblings 