functionality

Most of us have ended up becoming a product of our functionality. In this day and age if something don't serve no purpose, out it goes. Everything and everyone has to do something worthwhile or else you ain't worth anyone’s while.

The other day I was walking along the fort area in Mumbai. The imposing gothic structures which have seen many things pass are just a mute spectator these days. Most of the buildings are falling apart and with them a certain heritage is passing away but does anyone really care? Well they do if you would serve a purpose. Most the action has moved into the suburbs these days and people fret and fume about going to town.

There is something about the fort area in Mumbai and CP in Delhi that makes me feel very proud. Many won't agree with that because in some way feeling proud of such places and such structures would mean that one is proud of the past. While that is not really a problem, what is a problem is that fact that somewhere liking this kind of past would mean being proud of the British. I won't go so far as to say that I am proud of our British past but I would surely accept that we had a British past! After all 20th century is closer to us than ram rajya!

There should be a certain sense of what shall I say pride, though a very big word but for the lack of any other, in what we have been through. Isn’t it only sane to say that the past teaches us everything about the future? The British exploited us, like any superpower does, and when the juice ran out they did the same. The funny thing is that though most of us would lead the charge of patriotism it’s rather stranger that most of what we are is a by product of being British.

Maybe the British too left India as it ceased to be of any functional importance.