Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, To Sur Bane Hamaara

I was browsing through channels on tv giving the remote control a hard time by pressing the random channel numbers. The poor machine had to bear the brunt on its soft buttons which worsened with my growing frustration of not finding anything worthwhile to watch. In a way, I was strangling it hard as if it was part of the conspiracy- the conspiracy to deprive me of watching something entertaining or sensible on tv.


My grandfather suddenly came up and asked me to put Doordarshan as he wanted to listen to the President's address to the nation on the Republic Day's eve. As the last resort to entertainment also seemed to be vanishing, i half heartedly switched the channel to our very own( is it??? never mind) good old Doordarshan. The advertisements and the broadcast quality still appeared the same as it was 10 yrs back. I wondered that what could be the reason for this. It was like when others were queuing up for the tasty and sumptuous dishes of liberalization and globalization, Doordarshan might have been misled to queue up in some old ration shop to get dal and chawal.That's why they seemed dull and mundane as ever,refusing to change. Anyhow, i thought it might act as the right sleeping pill for me before i have to bear the President's speech(No offence, but i just find it as repetitive and predictable as Saas Bahu sagas).



I was lost in my thoughts when something came on television which took me back in time and not only did it instil nostalgia within me, but also pumped up my mood- It was the "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, To Sur Bane Humara' song. Here was a song that i watched during my infant years when my rage for television was shaping up. So no matter how much cynical i sound about Doordarshan, it was my prima facie to the fascinating world of television.


Of course back then,i didnt understand the message the song gave( i didnt even bother much). For me the cynosure used to be the melody of the song and of course a few recognizable faces including Amitabh Bachchan, Jeetendra,Mithun Chakravorthy, Hema Malini, Sharmila Tagore, Kamal hassan and many others. I really didnt recognize exponents of other fields then, so seeing Big B hum "Mile sur mera Tumhara" made me hum with him, and i did it without fail as if it was some national responsibility placed on the tender shoulders of this young 4-5 year old.


But when i watched the video again now, surprisingly it was equally enchanting and winsome as it was back then. The melody was still euphonic, striking the right chord with the heart and the earlobes and auditory canal still made way for it to blend with all the senses. But I could appreciate the essence of the video much more now, as a 20 year old. It put forth such a beautiful message of Unity In Diversity in India; something which other countries can only envy or wonder about us. The Message of national integration was put up in such a simple yet a strong way, that it infuses a belonging to this great land.


One line "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" being recited in 14 diffrent languages in their respective folk tunes; each reiterating the same fact- Lets all stand together forever and when "You" and "I" come together, "We" can bring a change. In the past few years, when communal and regional politics has taken over and there have been doubts over the secular fabric of Indian Union, this video not only comes as a fresh breather but also is a tight slap to the face of those who dont believe that India stands for much more than a segregated Union of states.


I had my eyes glued on this 6 minute video and I could actually recall the tune as the video kept unveiling from one frame to another; this simply showed the potent impact this had on a young mind who might have not understood the heart and soul of the song as a kid, but once he did, he could appreciate its substance much more.


There are myriad campaigns going on to lionize India in front of the world with Incredible India campaigns. Of course its important to showcase the technological developments we've made and to epitomize our improvement in all spheres. But i believe a campaign like this is a paragon of India and would stay that way forever, as this is something which gives us a distinctive identity not at par, but well above the rest. This is a song which takes us back to the Preamble of our Constitution which glorified India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. A country whose pillars of strength are Unity. Integrity and Fraternity.It reminds us, that this country truly is- Of the people, FOr the people and By the people.


And if you are not a person who'd go into the nitty gritties, take a look at it for sheer entertainment value. This video has the biggest names in the field of arts, entertainment and sports( all looking younger ) who have been a prime mover in their fields for the past few decades.


So all the YouTube buffs out there, maybe its time to see something different and worthwhile now. Just take a look at this video and you'll realize the mantle it carries, you'll realize what it symbolizes. And if you're anything like me, it will not only bring back fond memories within you, but also incorporate a sense of pride for your nation. It will leave a smile on your face and that's where the common nexus between entertainment and the nation lies. If both of them can leave a smile and a feel good sense within you, then I'm sure they are serving their purpose.

SO its time to feel good about your nation, and stop being cynical about it. Come on and lets all sing this together "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, To sur Bane Humara".