Maaroon Mutakun National Day

Shaniwari Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrated its national day....

First ever national day celebrated by the Country. Actually it was the
Foundation Day for the Kingdom

For a person accustomed to national festival celebrations like 15 Aug and 26 Jan, this was a totally diff. experience. I can not describe the apathy I saw here. At one end I saw Indians celebrating 15 Aug at the Indian consulate and at other end I saw these countrymen total apathetic about their national day 24 Sept.

No enthusiasm ...no celebrations....no functions charged with patriotism... of flag hoisting... nothing ....nothing.... I wonder if this country has a National Anthem.

The interesting thing was that the actual foundation day was on Friday and not on Saturday. But since Friday was a holiday, Saturday was declared as national day. Actual day mahatvaacha nahi... Sutti mahatvaachi. :-)

Nahi mhanaayla i saw some flags on the some shops and all... but the way they were put up, an element of compultion (may be a desperate need to display loyalty) was clearly evident...(Hence the title... Marun Mutakun.... ;-) )

And all this was done on Saturday... not of Friday!!!

I look at the episode as a good attempt by new king to get along with the people in the country. Or as we say in marathi...Navi Viti Nave Rajyaa....

This highlights a point to me...
Any National Festival can not be successful just by declaring it a holiday... the incident or the process (is this a correct word?) that is related to the festival should have great involvement of common man...and sentimental attachment to the people. And most importantly it should be in some way or the other related to freedom of people, accepting the will of the people and giving control to the people. Only then people celebrate it wholeheartedly...

Take 15 Aug... Or Independence Day of US... 4 July or the French celebration of Bastille Day on 14 July....All these underline the same thing....