God Bless Cricket & Multiplicity Of Citizenship
Have been, over different period of time, a citizen of Pakistan and India, and now i am an American. As one for whom national borders are becoming blurred and matters of citizenship disconcertingly fluid, i feel i belong to these countries simultaneously rather than sequentially: And whatever happens in them, whether it's a celebration or a disaster, resonates for me and affects me deeply. I am as jubilant when the Indian cricket team beats England as i am when the Pakistani cricket team beats Australia; as carried away by Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan's impassioned qawali and Abide Praveen’s passionate songs as i am by the extraordinary sweetness and prowess of Kishor Ammonia and the sensational Rabbi. And iam as dismayed by the poverty that stains both countries like some insidious rot as i am by the callous capitalism enveloping India and the stranglehold of feudalism in Pakistan. And lest you think ihaveskirted the delicate issue of Indo-Pak cricket matches let me make myself clear: I mourn with the loser and rejoice with the winner. God bless cricket for fostering goodwill between the people of the two countries. The flip side of this multiplicity of citizenship-a fluidity which i have come to treasures patriotism. To be patriotic is of necessity to be at odds with your neighbours-if not regard them with outright hostility. Some of us have enough enemies of our own, thank you, and the last thing we need is to take on the enmity of nations. This was not always the case. I remember a time when i was rabidly patriotic. In the wars between India and Pakistan i rooted for Pakistan, and when East Pakistan struggled to gain independence as Bangladesh, registered only the brutality of the Mufti Tahini towards the West Pakistanis and discounted the tales of butchering and rape attributed to the Pakistani army. Patriotism blinds one to the pain of others. From childhood certain buttons are painstakingly stitched into our psyche; buttons of bias, prejudice and false pride that teach us contempt for people of another faith, ethnicity or country and brand them as a less worthy species. Since iwas born in Karachi before Partition, i was a bona whenever i apply for a visa to India i fill the column marked 'City and Country of birth: Karachi, India'. But the authorities who issue visas will have none of this. I am politely but firmly told i was born in Pakistan never mind that Pakistan was boresight years after my birth. Why shthis be so? I feel i have as much cto the soil of India as to the soil ofPakistan, and it is nobody's businbut mine where i choose to belong And one feels this sense of 'being' not only with the countries which one is a citizen; one establialso an affinity with countries onfrequently visits. I have as strongaffinity with the voluble and passpeople of Italy as i do with the subhumorous and courteous peoplecBritain, as much admiration for textraordinary loyalty of Afghanas i have for the can-do spirit andlistic vision of my friends in AmeTake a leap of faith; one is monease in the world as a citizen of thworld than one is as a citizen of an particular country. (Abridged froCosmozen Column, TOI, April 4
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Bapsi Sidthya and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Bapsi Sidthya and Speaking Tree,Times of India
God Bless Cricket & Multiplicity Of Citizenship
Have been, over different period of time, a citizen of Pakistan and India, and now i am an American. As one for whom national borders are becoming blurred and matters of citizenship disconcertingly fluid, i feel i belong to these countries simultaneously rather than sequentially: And whatever happens in them, whether it's a celebration or a disaster, resonates for me and affects me deeply. I am as jubilant when the Indian cricket team beats England as i am when the Pakistani cricket team beats Australia; as carried away by Nusrat Fatah Ali Khan's impassioned qawali and Abide Praveen’s passionate songs as i am by the extraordinary sweetness and prowess of Kishor Ammonia and the sensational Rabbi. And iam as dismayed by the poverty that stains both countries like some insidious rot as i am by the callous capitalism enveloping India and the stranglehold of feudalism in Pakistan. And lest you think ihaveskirted the delicate issue of Indo-Pak cricket matches let me make myself clear: I mourn with the loser and rejoice with the winner. God bless cricket for fostering goodwill between the people of the two countries. The flip side of this multiplicity of citizenship-a fluidity which i have come to treasures patriotism. To be patriotic is of necessity to be at odds with your neighbours-if not regard them with outright hostility. Some of us have enough enemies of our own, thank you, and the last thing we need is to take on the enmity of nations. This was not always the case. I remember a time when i was rabidly patriotic. In the wars between India and Pakistan i rooted for Pakistan, and when East Pakistan struggled to gain independence as Bangladesh, registered only the brutality of the Mufti Tahini towards the West Pakistanis and discounted the tales of butchering and rape attributed to the Pakistani army. Patriotism blinds one to the pain of others. From childhood certain buttons are painstakingly stitched into our psyche; buttons of bias, prejudice and false pride that teach us contempt for people of another faith, ethnicity or country and brand them as a less worthy species. Since iwas born in Karachi before Partition, i was a bona whenever i apply for a visa to India i fill the column marked 'City and Country of birth: Karachi, India'. But the authorities who issue visas will have none of this. I am politely but firmly told i was born in Pakistan never mind that Pakistan was boresight years after my birth. Why shthis be so? I feel i have as much cto the soil of India as to the soil ofPakistan, and it is nobody's businbut mine where i choose to belong And one feels this sense of 'being' not only with the countries which one is a citizen; one establialso an affinity with countries onfrequently visits. I have as strongaffinity with the voluble and passpeople of Italy as i do with the subhumorous and courteous peoplecBritain, as much admiration for textraordinary loyalty of Afghanas i have for the can-do spirit andlistic vision of my friends in AmeTake a leap of faith; one is monease in the world as a citizen of thworld than one is as a citizen of an particular country. (Abridged froCosmozen Column, TOI, April 4
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Bapsi Sidthya and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Bapsi Sidthya and Speaking Tree,Times of India