Colors of a Nation

 

It is amazing how much of the people of some countries identify themselves with its national colors!

 

I was recently in Brasil and it was very interesting to note that there were more “Brasilieroes” buying the Yellow and Green than tourists –

Of course, the Sao Paolo airport was full of yellow and green – anything you want from Bikinis to beach sandals were available in the Brazilian colors. A lot of that can of course, be attributed to the upcoming soccer tournament, but not all. I have been be Brasil a few times now and the airports are always yellow and green and I had always wondered about it … The same was true in the Buenos Aires airport – blue and white; and in Ireland – all shamrocks – all green.    Of course, the United States surpasses everybody when it comes to displaying the flag proudly. I think it is pretty hard to go any place in the US without seeing the flag. 

 

I cannot but wonder are we Indians are not attached to our flag? Even with the changed flag code, I do not see (well, I haven’t been to India in almost 2 years) us Indians putting on a bashful display of the tricolor. I wanted to buy a flag last time I was in India (a small one) and I got the really bad plastic ones (which to be frank, I was ashamed to buy due to the quality).   The cricket season, of course, brings out the INDIA caps and T-shirts, but is that tantamount to a proud display of the national colors?   When would I be able to buy a tri color cap or bag or shirt or jacket at the Mumbai airport?   When would we able to see all houses in the country have a flag on their porch or balcony??