The Deed of One Man!!

Among all the words in the english dictionary, the word 'inspiration' has always fascinated me the most. Because it is this very word that has shaped and reshaped history ever since time began and it is this word that more often than not makes the difference between success and failure. Let's face it, it's only an inspired man that can be termed as 'unstoppable.'

Inspiration ofcorse is a relative term. Inspiration doesn't necessarily mean a person who went from rags to riches because he had enough of the street life or your best friend who was so inspired by the thought of topping the boards that he actually accomplished it or Sachin Tendulkar who was determined to lead India to World Cup glory and did so(I really hope that happens-2011 maybe?). Inspiration can have a destructive effect as well. That's why when Amrish Puri asks Sunny Deol to say 'Hindustan Murdaabad, he was 'inspired' to destroy the entire Pakistani Army all by himself. Getting to a little more logical and real example, Hitler was so inspired by the thought of 'world domination', that he actually went about trying to accomplish it. Ofcorse the rest of the world was even more inspired by the thought of freedom and that's why Hitler was eventually defeated.

Ok. Enough of the grammer lesson. This post isn't about what the word inspiration can do but what inspiration has come to mean in today's world.

During these holidays I was able to catch a reality show on tv called Lead India. Where basically the man who wins will eventually be given the non-enviable task of changing India and leading us to glory. Now, as far as I know that task actually belongs to the Prime Minister but it was the thought behind the programme that struck me. For years now we have been complaining about how a common man doesn't stand a chance to make it into politics. It is the common man who is actually most aware of the problems that our country faces, yet he is either just not interested in politics or even if he is, then he somehow just cannot get in unless he has 'connections.' Well, to all those people who are interested in bringing a positive change to the country and finally setting things right, here is your chance. Ofcorse it's easier said than done but atleast someone has taken the initiative.

While watching the programme, another issue curbed up in my mind. My initial reaction to the show was 'good initiative but what can one man do?' And that set my grey cells in motion again. I am pretty darn sure that most us think that while this initiative is to be lauded, none of us actually believe that anything will come out of it. The winner will ask people to plant some trees, do some charity work, give a few speeches here and there and will eventually fade into obscurity. Because ofcorse-'what can one man do?' Most of us have come to the conlcusion that either this country is beyond help or atleast we can't do anything to help it. As a famous scene goes-when we turn 35, we will be sitting in our lawns with a cup of tea in one hand and a newspaper in the other and tell our wives, "Darling-is desh ka kuch nahi ho sakta."

The truth is most of us are just too lazy to actually do something for this counrty. As long as we are doing our work, which is getting marks now and a fat pay check later, then we believe there's no reason to meddle in 'outside business.' Yup, we regard the problems of our country as outside business. And how much ever you may deny it, you know that's what you have come to regard it as.

While those who are actually interested in doing something for our nation are discouraged by their friends, peers and families. 'Tu akela kya karlega?' 'Abey relax yaar, chal daaru peete hain, desh ko kal sudhaar lenge.' 'You are just wasting your time man, nothing can be done about this country.' 'Is it only your responsibility to improve the country- pure desh ko sudhaarne ka theka sirf tumne le rakha hai kya?'

More often than not it comes down to one thing-'what can we alone do?' 'What can one man do?'

But that's where inspiration comes in. History is set alight by examples of one inspired person who led revolutions and changed the world. Whether it be Alexander or Martin Luther King or Stalin or our own Mahatma Gandhi, they were all just one men. It was the vision of that one 'inspired' man that changed the course of history forever. Yes-no single person can change the country alone. But behind every revolution there's only one man. It is the thought of one person and the actions of the thousands that beleive in him, that take their inspiration from his that leads to governements being thrown out and monarchies destroyed over night.

So all we need is one man. All we need is a leader who is inspired enough to go all the way, to beleieve that he can actually set things right in this country and I am sure that soon thousands and later millions will start beleiving in his vision. All we need is an inspired man with a clear vision of what he is setting out to do. The rest will follow.

So if we keep thinking that 'one man can't do anything', then we once again need to reopen our history books. We talk about examples of the change that a single person has brought into this world on an almost daily basis and yet we somehow have come to the conclusion that it's impossible for a single person to change this country. If we keep thinking this way, then indeed one man can't do anything. But the day we change our thoughts, you will yourself see the change in you. As I said, inspiration is a relative word.

It's like the promo they show for Lead India. There's a huge traffic jam thanks to a tree falling on the road due to rain and lightning. The road is blocked and no one has any idea what to do. While some wait impatiently, horning their vehicles away to glory, others leave walking to the other side of the road and catch a bus or a rickshaw from there. It is then that one little child comes up and starts pushing the tree. While others watch admirable and at the same time mockingly, other kids in the area too decide to come and help push the tree. And soon the elders follow. And before we know it, the tree has been lifted and cast aside and the road-block is over. Just like that. All thanks to the power of one. All because that child beleived. And it's really high time we started beleiving it too. All we need is one man...one leader!!

For behind every revolution, there is only one man!!