As we remember our Father of the Nation – Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary, on the Martyrs’ Day, it is the obligation of each of the citizens in the country to rededicate ourselves to the overall wellbeing of India. It becomes even more significant that we pledge to work towards a brighter tomorrow in wake of the prevalent situation filled with chaos, turmoil and communal intolerance and extremism.
To render a befitting tribute to the Martyrs of our country who braved the odds to secure their brethren, we at Centre for Integrated Learning propose to immortalize the spirit of India through a project that is intended to take shape as a movement of the people in the time to come. In its own innovative, yet humble manner, CIL has envisaged to work on a comprehensive volume on as many as 60 heroes who have made the country proud and facilitated wellbeing of the nation as they buried themselves in the pages of history, many of whom have faded in the oblivion without even being documented.
Here is an effort not just to document the heroic tales of the Martyrs, but intends to go beyond their martyrdom. CIL proposes to publish a book on the life of the dear ones who have suffered the trauma of the death of their kin and the manner in which they have coped up with the tragedy to support the family in the right direction. Naturally, it is the women in the family who are hit the most in case of the death of a soldier. Hence, it is important that the nation pays its tributes to these women who suffered immeasurable loss; no matter he becomes the pride of the nation.
Aptly, the book is titled ``Salutations to the Spirit of Womanhood’’.
The project is being shaped up to bring to fore intricate details on the emotions and feelings of the women who, in their deadliest of the dreams did not realize that their dear ones would no longer be with them the next moment. It is the women in the family who wish for the wellbeing of the males, a fact that has been culturally embedded in the Indian mindset through the ages. Mothers applied Tilak on the forehead of their sons as they stood tall on their march to the battle field. Wives performed the Arathi wishing their husbands’ safe return. These are the women who need to be saluted, but seldom remembered.
We all remember Jeeja Bai and Puthali Bai who were responsible for giving to the world iconic personalities of the likes of Chatrapati Shivaji and Mahatma Gandhi respectively. We remember them as women who are responsible for shaping the future of our nation. As a small child, we have read about them in our text books. However, thousands of such women have been just buried in the sands of time merely because they have not been documented.
``Salutations to the Spirit of Womanhood’’ is a humble effort to present the dreams, aspirations, emotions and the spirit of such women who have given to our country, the martyrs who fought when the country slept in deep slumber. These are the women who inspire us to move ahead. These are the women who have become immortal for their courage and mental composure for taking over the family with garlanded photograph of their dear ones hung on the walls. These are the women who proudly embraced death for the sake of others.
Thus, the book depicts the sad, yet celebrated stories of as many as 60 mothers and wives who are worth the salutations of the nation. The projects does not intend to make Heroes out of these women, but highlight the spirit of womanhood, a much needed attribute that would inspire the mothers, wives, daughters and sisters to feel proud of their contribution to their family and in turn to the society they live in.
At a stage when the society is deteriorating with increasing levels of negative energy, fading value system, destructive mind set and materialistic outlook, we hope the project shall make one think seriously on our roles and responsibilities in shaping a bright future filled with harmony, mutual respect, goodwill and prosperity in the true sense.
``Salutations to the Spirit of Womanhood’’ is an anthology of 60 stories, symbolically representing the 60 years of Indian Republic. The book shall be dedicated to the nation on January 26, 2010 when the country celebrates the completion of 60 years after declaring itself as a sovereign, democratic republic.
The project is unique in more than one way. Inspired by the solidarity expressed by lakhs of citizens from all over the country in the aftermath of the 26/11 terror attack, when the young and the old marched towards historic locations in their respective towns and cities with candles in their hands, we decided to make this project ``of the masses and by the masses,’’ specially by the younger generations of the country.
The 60 stories will be dud out from different parts of the country, not necessarily of the martyrs from the Armed Forces, but also from other forces including Police, BSF or other para-military forces. They (Stories) will be compiled and documented by a team of 120 students drawn from different colleges in the country, to be edited by a panel of young professionals to render a professional touch to the project. Most significantly, the project will be funded by school and college students from across the country with a donation of not more than Rs 10. Thus the project intends to bring lakhs of students together for a serious cause of nation building.
By publishing a book on the women behind the martyrs, we hope to kindle a spirit of oneness and respect for every woman, apart from rekindling the pride of being an Indian. We salute the spirit of womanhood as we glance through the lives surrounding the men in uniform.
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