Responsibilities of a Citizen for his/her country

We are all citizens of one country of India. We acquire citizenship of our country generally by virtue of our birth. But to be a good citizen requires a lot of training and understanding. As the subject of a country, every citizen has some duties and he enjoys at the same time certain rights. All of us have a right to take part in the legislative as well as judicial activities of this country and can give free expression to our views and opinions from the platform and through the press.

A good citizen, therefore, is one who is always broad minded. He must, if living in India, consider himself an Indian first and anything else afterwards. He is ready even to shed his blood for the honour and glory of his country. A good citizen has the good of his country at heart. To raise his country to a higher level of civilization must be his aim. He must not forget that the future, no less than the present, is always lined with the past.

A good citizen must keep the welfare of his town or city or village foremost in his mind at the time of elections. He should understand the existing educational and other institutions of his country and make efforts to bring about desirable improvements. He must love his neighbours. He must be sympathetic, broad-minded and generous.

In this way, a good citizen should always be ready to forget and forgive. In a word, he should be a perfect gentleman.

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Mahatma Gandhi: Most Popular Person in India

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in the town of Porbander in the state of Gujarat on 2nd October 1869. He had his schooling in nearby Rajkot, where his father served as the adviser to the local ruler. 

Though India was then under British rule, over 500 kingdoms, principalities, and states were allowed autonomy in domestic and internal affairs: these were the so-called 'native states'. Rajkot was one such state.

Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian lawyer, politician, social activist, and writer who became the leader of the nationalist movement against the British rule of India. As such, he came to be considered the father of India. Gandhi is internationally esteemed for his doctrine of nonviolent protest (Satyagraha) to achieve political and social progress.

In the eyes of millions of his fellow Indians, Gandhi was the Mahatma (“Great Soul”). The unthinking adoration of the huge crowds that gathered to see him all along the route of his tours made them a severe ordeal; he could hardly work during the day or rest at night. “The woes of the Mahatmas,” he wrote, “are known only to the Mahatmas.” His fame spread worldwide during his lifetime and only increased after his death. The name Mahatma Gandhi is now one of the most universally recognized on earth.

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Bheem Rao Ambedkar: Most popular person in India

B. R. Ambedkar was born on April 14, 1891 at Ambedkar village in Ratnagiri District of Maharashtra state. His father was Ramji. He was the 14th son of his father. He is known as Bheem Rao Ambedkar.

Ambedkar was a brilliant child. His teacher at school, who noticed this, was impressed and added a surname to him. It is also said that his earlier name was Bheemrao Ambedkar and it was his teacher who made it Ambedkar and gave him the full name as Bheemrao Ramji Ambedkar.

After leaving school, Ambedkar studied F.A., at the Elphinstone College, Bombay (Mumbai). With the help of the Rajah of Baroda, Ambedkar went to Colombia University, America and completed his B.A., and M.A., degrees, in 1912 and 1913 respectively. For his M.A. degree he Zwrote a research paper “Commerce in India”. He wrote many more research essays while staying at Colombia. They are:

(1) Religious in India and their origin, (2) Nationalists in India-a historical study. For the latter research paper he was awarded Ph.D., by the Colombia University. With this he became Dr. Ambedkar.

He went to England to study law. Along with law, he studied Economics and political Science. He acquired the degree of Barrister-at-law and also M.Sc. degree simultaneously. Dr. Ambedkar hails from the community of Mahars who are condemned as untouchables. On this account Dr. Ambedkar had to face a number of problems. He was looked down upon and ill-treated. Hence he wanted to agitate against untouchability.

In 1918, he took up a job as a professor in a college and in 1920 he took part in the first meet of the Depressed Classes held at Nagpur. In 1923, he started practice at Bombay High Court. In 1924, he started a paper “Bahishkrita hitakarini”. He took up the cause of the Depressed Classes before the Simon Commission which visited India in 1928. He attended the First Round Table Conference held at London and argued that the Depressed Classes should have voting rights and the right to elect their own leaders.

Dr. Ambedkar had a sharp mind. He said that all men are equal in all matters. Once he entered the Veereswar temple where Mahars were not allowed. A case was field against him by the temple authorities. The court justified the action of Dr. Ambedkar. Dr. Ambedkar could not reconcile to the domination of upper castes. It was Mahatma Gandhi who could convince Dr. Ambedkar against this and bring him back to the mainstream.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was first Law Minister of India after we got Independence in 1947. He was also the chairman of the drafting committee of our Constitution and in fact, he is one of the main architects of our Constitution. As a brilliant law minister and an intelligent person, he could include in the Constitution, the required safeguards for the depressed Classes. On November 1, 1949 the Draft Constitution was approved by the Government and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was since then called, the “Modern Manu of India”.

The caste system in Hinduism forced Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to embrace Buddhism along with 5 lakhs of other Depressed Class people. He attended a conference of Buddhists in Sri Lanka in 1950. He was a lover of books. On a visit to New York, it is said that he purchased as many as 2000 books. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar passed away on December 6, 1956.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s life is an example to others. He had shown how men born in humble surroundings could rise up in life, by sheer hard-work, sincerity and steadfastness. 

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Most popular festival in India: Onam

Onam is the biggest festival of the year in India's southern state of Kerala. Much of Kerala's culture is showcased during Onam festivities. These Kerala Onam pictures reveal the color and splendor of the celebrations. 

Onam is a traditional ten day harvest festival in India that marks the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali. It’s a festival rich in culture and heritage. People strikingly decorate the ground in front of their houses with flowers arranged in beautiful patterns to welcome the King. The festival is also celebrated with new clothes, feasts served on banana leaves, dancing, sports, games, and snake boat races.

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Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti is considered as one of the most auspicious days for Hindus. The festival is celebrated differently in different parts of India. Most Hindu festivals follow the position of the moon and are based on the lunar calendar. Thus, the dates of festivals change every year. But Maker Sankranti is a festival which falls on the same day every year as it follows the solar calendar. However, once every eighty years, due to revolution, the day is postponed by one day. Makar Sankranti is celebrated on the 14th of January every year.

As Makar Sankranti is one of the oldest solstice festivals and falls on the equinox, day and night on this day are believed to be equally long. Post the festival; it is officially the beginning of spring or the onset of Indian summer and the days become longer, and nights shorter.

In rural and coastal areas, cock fights are held as an important event of the festival. As the festival is celebrated in winters, food prepared in this festival is made to keep the body warm and give energy. Laddu of Til (Sesame) made with Jigger y is the festivals specialty. The festival of Makara Sankranti also honours and pays respect to Saraswati - Goddess of Knowledge. Makara Sankranti represents a period of illumination, peace, affluence and happiness. Makar Sankranti generally marks the beginning of the Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh while in South India, in Kerala, one of the most austere and difficult pilgrimages of Shabrimala ends on this auspicious day.

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