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| Tuesday, 31 August 2004 |
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Let us follow India's inspiration by Henegama Mutukumarage Nemsiri Mutukumara India celebrated the fifty-eighth (58) National Day on August 16, 2004. From the snow-capped Himalayan range and the adjoining land of Tibetan people led by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Southern Kanya Kumari bordering the Sihaladipa, different ethnic communities, with diverse religious and cultural persuasions live in peace and harmony in this mammoth landmass of the great Sub-Continent of Asia. "India and Sri Lanka," says Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, President of India, "attained independence at approximately the same time. Both our countries have progressed in every sphere since then, firmly rooted in our vibrant democratic polity. Our two countries have adhered to democratic values and institutions and this has paid us rich dividends." In his message on the Independence Day of Pakistan on Saturday August 14, 2004, General Pervez Musharraf, President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan states: "On the auspicious occasion of the 58th Independence Day of Pakistan, I would like to convey my heartiest felicitations to all fellow citizens living in Pakistan and abroad. "Let us therefore renew afresh on this occasion, our pledge to spare no efforts for achieving the goals for which this country was created. This can be done by unequivocally adhering to the principles of Faith, Unity and Discipline given by Quaid-I-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. May Allah Almighty be our guide. Ameen Pakistan Paindabad." Mr. Bashir Wali Mohmand, High Commissioner of Pakistan in Sri Lanka in his message states: "Today (14-08-2004) we renew our commitment to the vision and ideals for which Pakistan was created and to continue our efforts to build a strong, prosperous and democratic Pakistan with tolerance and moderation as the principal planks of our social norms." These sentiments expressed in the messages of the Presidents of India and Pakistan and the High Commissioner of Pakistan in Sri Lanka stand as eloquent testimony to the two jubilant occasions. India and Pakistan have two distinctly different and historic roles to play in the world for the benefit of not only the peoples of the two countries but the entire world. For all living beings. India strive to continue as a secular State while Pakistan is deeply committed to uphold the inspired and outstanding leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnha - the creator of Pakistan 'who pulled the Muslims of the sub-continent out of the depths of despair and backwardness and placed it in the comity of world nations'. For the people of India August 15 marked 'A tryst with destiny'. Addressing the joint session of Parliament in New Delhi Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru made his clarion call: "Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes. When we shall redeem our pledge not wholly or in full measure but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes which comes but very rarely in history, when we step out from the old to new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity. "Freedom and power bring responsibility. The responsibility rests upon this Assembly, a sovereign body representing the sovereign people of India. Before the birth of Freedom we have endured all the pains of labour and our hearts are heavy with the memory of this sorrow. Some of those pains continue even now. Nevertheless the past is over and it is the future that beckons to us now. "To the people of India, whose representatives we are, we make an appeal to join us with faith and confidence in this great adventure. We have to build the noble mansion of a free India where all her children may dwell." India's leaders of the day, Mahatma Gandhi, Motilal Nehru Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabh Patel, C. Rajagopalacarya, Rabindranath Tagore, Subhas Chandra Bose, Sarojni Naidu, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, Krishna Huthee Singh and an endless list of galaxy of leaders looked back to the day when the freedom and harmony and peace and prosperity of the people came to be halted by the foreign invaders. Everybody - those who represented the sovereign people in Parliament unanimously agreed to introduce the Dhammacakka - the symbol of Peace and Freedom - Sakyamuni Gotama the Buddha - the Greatest Son of Jambudvipa (Dambadiva in Sinhala) - showed the world. The Dharmacakra is found on the capital of the Asoka pillar with the inscription 'Hida Budhe jate'ti' the Buddha was born. The Asoka Pillar has a history of over 2300 (two thousand three hundred) years. Buddhism as a religion, a philosophy and a disciplined way of life is the oldest religious system where men and women enjoy equality of status as Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis and the laity - Upasaka and Upasika. India the land of the sages, is the sacred birthplace of Buddhas. Already twenty-eight Buddhas are born in the Jambudvipa. The future Buddha - the Maitreya Buddha will be born in a kingdom whose capital will be called Ketumati. The revelation about the Maitreya Buddha is an indication that the Jambudvipa will once again comprise small kingdoms ruled by kings and queens. Jambudvipa will once again blossom as the vast Asian sub-continent of Righteous Rulers on Dasa Raja Dharma - as shown by India's most learned and erudite poet Rabindranath Tagore who built Santiniketan as the mansion of freedom in miniature. 'Vande Mataram' inspired the people in their struggle for freedom. 'Vande Mataram' as the national song enjoys an equal status with the National Anthem, 'Jana-gana-mana'. I enjoy every word of 'Vande Mataram' as much as I enjoy with rapt attention hearing the 'Jana-gana-mana' for more reasons than being part and parcel of the traditional culture of the Jambudvipa. India Day is perhaps the only National Day or Independence Day that enjoyed the privilege of participation of Sri Lanka Prime Minister. Madame Sirimavo Bandaranaike was a close friend of Prime Minister Nehru and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The present generation of sons and daughters cherish the friendship to-date. Their closeness and understanding as leaders of the two nations - Sri Lanka and India the peoples of the two countries solved many knotty and unsolved problems for once and for all times. For instance the citizenship of Indians of recent origin; the issue of the stateless Indians, the ownership of the Kaccativu in the islands off the coast of Yapa Patuna or Yalpanam contributed new pages to the history of Sri Lanka. That accounted for the enlightened leadership of our national leaders. As my humble contribution - a compilation titled 'Thoughts of Jawaharlal Nehru' was published in 1994 to mark the one hundred and fifth (105) birth anniversary of India's colossus of a leader. High Commissioner Dayel presented the first copy to Professor Kusuma Karunaratne for being the chief guest speaker with the keynote address on 'Thoughts of Jawaharlal Nehru'. The Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Hindi version as the National Anthem of India on January 24, 1950. |
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