Patriotism

I remember watching an influencer getting angry because they were asked to stand up during the national anthem. They were told by the staff to respect the national anthem and the influencer got angry because they did not want to give in additional importance to the national anthem as compared with any other songs. When I was watching that video I was completely baffled. I could not understand why standing up for the national anthem was such a big deal. While looking through the comments I understood that not all schools taught patriotism to their students just how we were taught in our school.

My simple school had taught us lessons about patriotism. Each and every day the school would begin with the national anthem. When we were in kindergarten we were told by our teachers that we should always respect the national symbols. National Anthem being one of the national symbols.For the national anthem we should always stand up and stay quiet till the time it ends. Nobody should utter a single word while the national anthem is going on.
Our tricolour flag is another national symbol that has to be respected. If we see that the flag is on the ground we should pick it up. Flag should never be touched with our feet. We must protect our flag from getting dirty.

We were taught in our school that the national symbols represent the entire nation. We are divided by languages, regions, and faith. But the national symbols such as national anthem or the flag unite us under the same umbrella. They make us equal. Even if we do not have any similarities with other person of our nation we would still have the national symbols which would bind us. The national symbols would always be the similarity that would unite us with other Indian. That is why the national symbols have to be respected. The national symbols should be worshipped as well.

Right from the childhood in my school these were the lessons towards patriotism that had been taught to us. My nationalist mindset had been shaped because of the lessons that I had received at the school. Not just me but each and every student from our school became a person who respected the national symbols. I clearly remember there was a student in my school who had walking disability. She had to walk using crutches. Standing up was difficult for her. Yet she would still stand up for the national anthem. There was no compulsion towards it but the lesson was so imbibed in our minds that even she could not shake it off despite her physical inability. The teachers had often told her not to stress herself standing up but she herself told the teachers that she would never think of disrespecting the national anthem.

Nation first is the mind set that was taught to me in the school and even today I practice it. I believe it was a very simple learning but it was essential. I feel proud to tell that a lot of students from my school decided to join defence forces and that was one of the major achievements of my school.

The love towards our India was taught to us by my school and that is one more reason to say that my school was special.