We are generally carefree in our attitude towards the motherland but the moment any neighbouring country covets our land--Kashmir, Kargil--we are instantly galvanised into a united whole. But patriotism means much more as Anita Pinto tells us.

A patriot is a person devoted to one’s country. But “Patriotism”? Ha, that’s another ball game all together.

The word Patriotism has been stretched, twisted, chewed, contorted and blown up out of all proportion by any and every strata of society to suit every politician, militaryman, business person or traitor.

Let us not go back too far down the pages of history. That will be terribly dull and I shall put you all to sleep. But the least we can do for patriotism, is take it briefly through our century.

At the turn of the century, the great poet Rupert Brooke said,

“If I should die, think only this of me,
That there is some corner of a foreign field
That is forever England.”

That plainly states that the person, who died for his country, left a part of his country where he was buried. Such was patriotism.

Now let us take a story of a Japanese woman during the first World War. She lost two sons in the War and smiled. But when the third and last son died, she wept and said, “I have no more sons to give to my beloved country.” That was a self-sacrificing patriot.

During India’s struggle for Independence. Mahatma Gandhi said of those innocent Indians, who were condemned, “Their crime consists in their love of their country.” A noble patriotism.

In the year 1961, President John F Kennedy said, “The world is very different now. Man holds the power to abolish all human life.” How true that was of his time. With nuclear weapons, people could destroy humankind in the name of patriotism.

Nissim Ezikiel, our most lovable modern day, Indian poet makes fun of “The Patriot”.

“I’m standing for peace and non-violence
Why world is fighting fighting
Why all people of world
Are not following Mahatma Gandhi
I’m simple not understanding.

Ancient Indian wisdom is hundred per cent correct
I say two hundred per cent correct
Pakistan is behaving like this
China behaving like that
It is making me very sad.

I’m telling you
All men are brothers no?”
(heavy Indian accent)

Patriotism has become universal. Now that we are into the third millennium, we cannot say that a patriot is one who restricts his love to a place, a river, a mountain, a country. You can reach any place by air or sea; you can enter any home with the telephone; you can reach any university, hospital or research institute on the internet; you can dance into space with virtual reality; but you still cannot capture a human heart unless you can love.

Patriotism is no more “devotion to one’s country”. It is devotion to all God’s creation.

Anita Pinto