As per Wikipedia, Patriotism is defined as love and devotion to one’s country. A very simple and straight forward definition, yet very true. Can we measure Patriotism??? Several surveys have tried to do this for various reasons. The Patriotism Score table below is from the World Values Survey and refers to the average answer from high income residents of a country (I don’t understand the reason behind conducting surveys only to this population) to the question: “Are you proud to be [nationality]?” It ranges from 1 (not proud) to 4 (very proud).

We Indians must be proud of having a significantly good score. We have a reason to feel proud. Isn’t it??? On many occasions we have shown our level of patriotism. Many times, mostly on 15^th August or 26^th January, we see a news that someone somewhere round the globe has insulted our National flag. Every channel shows this news in full detail along with reaction of Indians. We Indians express strong protest against our national flag insult and show our love and devotion for India. After all respect for National flag also comes under patriotism. At least Wikipedia says so and I believe.

On 26^th January and 15^th August, we see a number of people selling our National flag on streets or at various shops. Those flags are mostly made of paper or some light plastic. Almost all of us must have purchased them on many occasions. Sometime for our self and sometime for our kids. We roam around, holding our national flag in hand, for the maximum of that day. But what after that? What we did with that flag? How many of us care for it? I am sure not more than 10%. In most of the cases we or kids throw them on streets or dump them in dustbins. While walking on streets on 26^th January or 15^th August evening, have you ever noticed how many flags came under your steps? NO, you haven’t. Isn’t it considered as our National flag insult? I think YES. Infact it is an insult bigger than what we protested against.

Patriotism is not limited to buying our national flag and protest against its insult. The people who have insulted our national flag don’t understand our emotions and respect attached to it. But we do. Then isn’t your responsibility to give a proper and respectful handling to our national pride.

From now onwards, while buying our national flag, please be sure about how you are going to handle it. Proud to be an Indian.