When we hear the word Patriotism, the first thing that strikes our mind is “the feeling of love for ones motherland” and of course this is what we have been taught since our childhood. But people usually confuse between the concepts of patriotism and nationalism. Patriotism does not mean loving one’s own country and hating the other; rather it is simply loving one’s own country and respecting it to the fullest and not hating the other nations. Patriotism is a virtue, which needs to be practiced by every citizen of a country, which will help in making the nation better. This virtue needs to be inculcated in an individual since his childhood like any other virtue. Patriotism does not mean waking up in the morning and singing the National Anthem. This does not show the love and respect that one has for his or her country. Patriotism does not mean having list of songs or the rich culture and heritage that comes to one’s mind; rather it is means to sacrifice his/her life for the motherland. Patriotism really exist in India? However, the question that crops up in my mind is does Patriotism really exist in India? Are people of India patriotic in the true sense of the word? In the present time, patriotism is seen in India just twice every year i.e. on Republic Day and Independence Day. Actual patriotism in India was only seen during the pre-independence ear but in present time it seems to be a concept that we read in books. It is true that in today’s competitive world, people do not get time to go and fight with the system or the government or anything that is going wrong. But, even today, people can show their feeling of patriotism by simple gestures like paying the taxes on time, which will help in the development of the country. One can obey the law, the rules and regulations of the country and show their love for the motherland. One can show their love and respect towards their country by putting an end to the various social discrimination that exist in the India society, by eradicating the evils from our society, by helping the needy and the economically backward people of our country. One can display Patriotism by completing the duties towards the nation, by putting an end to corruption, by respecting the fellow compatriots and many more. India and Bharat With the changing time, Patriotism needs to be redefined. If one follows western culture by wearing modern day attire or speaks English does not mean that the individual is not a patriot. There are many instances, where people fight over the name of the nation. Some say that Our country's name is not India but Bharat or Hindustan and those who say India, are not patriots. In my opinion, it is just a name and one cannot judge the feeling of patriotism by what name one calls his/her motherland as in the same way by calling your mother “mum” or “ma” cannot define the love for ones mother. We need to understand that India , Bharat , Aryavrat or Hindustan are names of the same country. It is for people to understand that today the condition and situation of India is different and the old concept of patriotism does not fit into the current scenario. Knowledge about India Patriotism is not just about dying for the motherland but it means doing something constructive for the nation that helps in progress, growth and development. Moreover, patriotism means knowing everything thing about your motherland and taking interest in every chore that goes on in the country. There are many instances, where people say that they are patriot and love their motherland but sadly, they have no in-depth knowledge about the nation. What are the Responsibilities of a patriot ? There are many aspects through which one can show the love for their motherland. One important aspect is casting your vote. Democracy is tool that has been conferred to every Indian which allows us to choose a leader and by casting our votes to the one who is actually capable of becoming a good leader is the duty of every individual and through this one can show the feeling of patriotism. When it comes to social aspect, it is one of the best ways to show the love and respect for the nation. It is true that one cannot change the society or the mindset of the people single handedly but one can start it from their own homes. The evil of dowry can be completely eradicated if every individual protest against it in their respective homes. Moreover, corruption can as well be ended if every Proud Indian decides not to bribe and not to take a short cut to get anything done. While talking about the economic aspect, patriotism will mean to make sure that there is development in every part of the country. Secondly, one can as well contribute towards it by paying the taxes. These small acts are enough to show patriotism and love for the motherland in the present scenario. According to me, it is not that the love for the nation has vanished completely from India but it remains dormant in the hearts of people. However, the virtue of patriotism should be inculcated since childhood in every individual, so that it does not remain confined in the books and people really practice it to help in the progress and development of the nation. It is the love for the motherland and for the fellow compatriots.
