A few days back
I was watching Mary Kom with family. Movie was average with a few inspiring moments, but what charmed me more was the behaviour of the audience in the theater.
As the movie was ending, showing Mary Kom as the winner of the championship, and standing on the dais, gracefully accepting the gold medal, the movie plays the National Anthem of India. I was sitting in the rearmost seat so I could see all of the audience, at least by their dark figure.
So there was a person who had stood up even before the Anthem was played. I thought the movie is ending so he must be leaving a little early to avoid the exiting crowd hussle. But he was only standing!
Then the National Anthem played and I was reluctant to stand up, a little concerned of fun that my brother and sister would make of me, like the lone standing guy. So I was sitting. Then I saw another guy around 10 seats away from the standing one straightening his knees. And then a wave started. 2 more stood up, then 4-5 more, then suddenly, all stood up. My brother sitting beside me, murmured ‘oh sabko uthna padega kya ? (oh do we all have to stand up ?’ So we were among the few last ones to stand. This all happened in a matter of 4-5 seconds. How a single man standing up in a front row reminded the others to pay respect to something which does not affect their daily lives from a close distance, but which has become a collective conscience of a group, so strong now that a single man can influence 200 more just on behalf of that thing, and that too without saying a word.
A light of patriotism is brightening in every heart here. It is encouraging. The clutches of self before service are loosening, even if still tight for many. It was not that the crowd was giving standing ovation to Mary Kom for winning and making our country proud. In my eyes, the people gave standing ovation to themselves, keeping the Indian Pride alive and beaming even in the darkness of the hall.
I was watching Mary Kom with family. Movie was average with a few inspiring moments, but what charmed me more was the behaviour of the audience in the theater.
As the movie was ending, showing Mary Kom as the winner of the championship, and standing on the dais, gracefully accepting the gold medal, the movie plays the National Anthem of India. I was sitting in the rearmost seat so I could see all of the audience, at least by their dark figure.
So there was a person who had stood up even before the Anthem was played. I thought the movie is ending so he must be leaving a little early to avoid the exiting crowd hussle. But he was only standing!
Then the National Anthem played and I was reluctant to stand up, a little concerned of fun that my brother and sister would make of me, like the lone standing guy. So I was sitting. Then I saw another guy around 10 seats away from the standing one straightening his knees. And then a wave started. 2 more stood up, then 4-5 more, then suddenly, all stood up. My brother sitting beside me, murmured ‘oh sabko uthna padega kya ? (oh do we all have to stand up ?’ So we were among the few last ones to stand. This all happened in a matter of 4-5 seconds. How a single man standing up in a front row reminded the others to pay respect to something which does not affect their daily lives from a close distance, but which has become a collective conscience of a group, so strong now that a single man can influence 200 more just on behalf of that thing, and that too without saying a word.
A light of patriotism is brightening in every heart here. It is encouraging. The clutches of self before service are loosening, even if still tight for many. It was not that the crowd was giving standing ovation to Mary Kom for winning and making our country proud. In my eyes, the people gave standing ovation to themselves, keeping the Indian Pride alive and beaming even in the darkness of the hall.
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