Happy Republic Day

January 26^th is India’s birthday and it is celebrated with marching bands, flag raising and waving, speeches, parades and. National pride is big on this day but it is funny how this show of pride is done in an old fashioned British style which to me makes the day even more special.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/republic-day/eventcoverage/11375954.cms

In Bodhgaya there was a small parade lead by local dignitaries and every school had a flag raising and singing of the national anthem. I was in the grounds of the main temple in the morning so got the tail end of the town parade and managed a wee bit of flag waving myself.  I just love my India. So here’s to mother India, may she continue to flourish and be a great democracy fitting with your history and culture. 

The colours of the India flag is symbolic of all religion which thrive in India, The saffron is for Hindu, the White for Jain the green for Islam and the wheel in the centre is the Dharma chakra of Buddhism. The saffron is also for courage, white for purity, green for hope and fertility and the blue of the dharma chakra, vigilance, truth and loyalty.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_India

Most of all though, especially since  I am in the place of the enlightenment of the Buddha, a man who like Mahatma Gandhi wanted peace and harmony for all people, I took this day as a day of prayer especially for a positive relationship between sibling nations of Indian and Pakistan. May they flourish together communicate and grow together, appreciate and respect their shared culture and history and show the  rest of the world that real democracies, that truly care for the welfare of their people, use the peaceful tools of  diplomacy to heal wounds and bridge differences rather than armies, guns, tanks and bombs. My prayer is  for harmony and a positive peace between these nations and for peace to become a reality in Kashmir.