You woke up one morning and sneezed. A simple cold. But for you, a life changing event. You are not to go to school that day. You are a school boy in Nagasaki, Japan, the fated day is August 9, 1945. Later in the day, at around 11:00 am, "fat man" would be dropped on your city. All your classmates would get evaporated. Instantly.Thereafter, every year, on 9th August, you would make a pilgrimage to your old school yard. There would be others too. You would stand in circles around a small memorial, place flowers around it. Every year, till the day you die.
Rhapsody in August is a lesser known Kurosawa film. It is relatively recent, released in 1991. The plot is simple. Four grandchildren visit their grandmother in the outskirts of Nagasaki. The parents of two of them are visiting the US and apparently found the long lost brother of Grandma.Grandma had lost her husband in the bombings (he was a school teacher in the above mentioned school). She is still ambivalent about America. She is still in pain and she still misses Grandpa.
Would her feelings change when her half American nephew (played by Richard Gere) visits her?
Kurosawa presents a heartwrenching tale of loss, redemption and forgiveness in this gritty film. In one of the most memorable scenes, the grandchildren are walking around statuettes in the memorial park. Each statue is from a different country. They read out the names of the countries. The youngest asks, where is the statue from the US? He is quickly reminded by the others, there is none from the US.
Indeed the Japanese moved on and made the most remarkable success story of the 20th Century. Today they are the second biggest economy.
Fast forward about 60 years. Think about Iraq. It is astonishing what a stark contrast that country makes. Indeed one can not help but wonder, what if we were to gain our independence in today's fractious political environment? What would the likes of Chidambaram, Ramadoss, Meira Kumar, Laloo etc. do?
4 comments:
Nice take, Barb.
By and by, i am getting convinced that we are a failed nation and a failed race (yes, i know racist comment and all but can't help it).
In/around 1897, Swami Vivekanada predicted that we would get independence in 50 years. And he went on to say that if our national policies forsaked pride for our culture, our 'Indian-ness' - we were sure to be doomed.
One look at even our history textbooks shows us what's happenning. The Japanese success story has that one BIG element - pride of culture and nation, a spiritual, higher-than-self kind of working.
This is Swami Vivekanada's full quote. Check the reference to social reforms, politics, socialism and religion all in one statement!:
"With five hundred men,...the conquest of India might take fifty years: with as many women, not more than a few weeks.
Religion and religion alone is the life of India, and when that goes, India will die, in spite of politics, in spite of social reforms, in spite of Kubera's wealth poured upon the head of every one of her children.
Before flooding India with socialistic or political ideas, first deluge the land with spiritual ideas.
We want to lead mankind to the place where there is neither the Vedas, nor the Bible, nor the Koran; yet this has to be done by harmonizing the Vedas, the Bible, and the Koran."
The national resolve of Japanese and Germans helped them recover dramatically after the war. Both countries were advanced before the war, so they know what it takes to be advanced.
Iraq was prosperous in the 80s nad 90s and despite the recent turmoil, they will become prosperous again. They too know how it "feels" to be prosperous.
Indians atleast the overwhelming majority do not know what it feels like to be truly "free" and "even mildly prosperous".
Looks like you favorite blogger Mr.DSS is back at The Other India...
red watch,
It is no big surprise. By the way, your site is not accessible.
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