Dear Mystery Woman,
Or should I address you as Madhura Honey?
Either way, I feel ashamed of even addressing you. You may be sitting somewhere and gloating about your catwalk with the Indian contingent during the march past at the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics… As a tax-paying Indian citizen, I wish to ask you one question. What gave you the right to do that? Because you had a pass as you showed off in your Facebook account? Or because you thought yourself worthy enough to walk among a group of Indian men and women, our country’s representatives to a grand ceremony, something which demands pride, courage, hard work and emotion? What made you think that you are equal to those sportspersons who were there after having suffered years and years of pain and hard work? What made you think that you could walk shoulder to shoulder among those who got selected to represent their country after being good at what they are? What are you good at? Sneaking off into somewhere that you are not supposed to be to show off to your friends and family? Or stealing and sharing a glory that is not yours?
Whatever it may be, we, the people of India are speechless at your guts… Do you know that hundreds of worthy contenders did not get a chance to represent their country because they were simply not good enough despite the fact that some of them have dedicated half of their lives to participating in such an event? Those athletes represent a nation called India. I do not know how much that name means to people like you or what all emotions it can create in a person like you. Let me explain it to you that it is a nation of hard working people, despite several setbacks, hope for a better future. It is a nation that stands among the great powers with its head held high because we believe in the best. And, those in the bright yellow, those whom you were walking with, were the best. Your little adventure has tarnished their image. You haven’t just made the authorities look like idiots… but all your countrymen and women.
Today, we understand you.
You are a blot on the Tricolor flag.
A stain
which we all pray to God almighty
will be removed by those whom you
tainted.
Wow, that letter was complete overreaction. she mad a small mistake! The opening ceremony was a gigantic episode with people everywhere and things going on in nearly every corner of that arena. She made a simple mistake ( a very bad one, I admit) but that’s no reason to be so hateful towards her. Can people even make mistakes anymore or is that no longer permissable? my goodness.
No Eileen.
It’s not possible anymore.
Freedom does not always extend to people taking everything for granted or bending rules for mere Facebook publicity.
Your goodness probably agrees with me.
I’m not hateful towards her. I’m hateful towards her attitude and what made that attitude. The mistake had been made by the authorities.
Thanks for the comment.
I know nothing of this except what I am reading here but it seems to me that she made a big mistake and if she did not know the outcome would outrage and embarrass she should have inquired and been told before her actions. However, I don’t believe her actions no matter how misguided tarnishes these great atheletes or your country. No one person that insignificant has the power to do that unless you give it to them. I hope that you will calm your anger and not let this hurt you any longer.
You are right.
Now that it’s been hours, I see the point. It’s always good to have the wiser ones around.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
I was as suprised as everyone else when i saw her among the rest? I guess she got caught up in the moment. But that is still not an excuse.
Yeah true. For some time I was trying to place her among the important people I am familiar with….
I can’t believe there is actually any debate about this!
Its an unfortunate kind of patriotism, if that is what motivated her. I love my country and therefore I deserve to shove myself in where I don’t belong, have not been invited, and am not allowed? Her great pride in her country should be a source of great embarrassment to all of us. Sure, I would love the chance to represent my country at a prestigious event, but does that mean I’d steal someone else’s glory?
She had her bit of fun, and showed everyone that she’d do anything for a little limelight.
To Mr. Sanjay Prasad, if she didn’t know it would be such a big issue, then she isn’t just arrogant, selfish and irresponsible, but also stupid and thoughtless. I feel sorry for you that you are not outraged at this. If the ones who are upset by this incident are over sensitive zealots, then I’m joining their fan club. We could use a few more zealots around here.
Thanks Swati Kansal for the nice comment and joining the fan club. Exactly! I’d love to have a few over sensitive zealots around. (Oh! We are not gonna leave it easily, are we?)
Nice way of putting it, Manu. But you should have been a little less rude in somethings. I am sure she must not have imagined that the after-effects of her doings would have been of such a magnitude. But, then if she was smart enough to pull such a thing off then she could have assumed that it might have irked some people.
But, I couldn’t agree more to your point you made as a reply to Mr. Sanjay Prasad and Ms. Tukui Shere (???). I think Ms. Tukui Shere is having a gender biased attittude and Mr. Prasad is a person suffering from too many problems and don’t know what is right and wrong. It is quite possible to someone who has been in the thick of things to lose their sense of righteousness after a while. Anyway, you need not have proved your stand more than you have proved in your post to anyone, even in the slightest provocation. ‘Branding’ has happened both ways. I find it funny to believe that you have been accused of all those things that Mr. Prasad (he seriously needs to be on a couch with a good shrink) especially when you are working for a PhD about political cartoons.
That is the funniest part in this whole set of comments.
Nice post and I also think she has done something wrong and anyone who thinks otherwise is the real ‘insensitive-zealot’.
Keep on… I personally think you are better when you are political.
Thanks Sneha,
When I look back now at the things I have written, I seriously wish I could’ve been a little less rude. But, given a chance I won’t change my stance. You analysis about people seems to be right as always. I should have listened to you a couple of years ago about some other people too.
I agree that ‘branding’ has happened both ways because I firmly believe that Mr. Prasad shouldn’t have gone back to his easychair intellectuality with the satisfaction of branding someone without having the luxury of finding himself without a brand…. where he can truly find himself grinning at a bipolar image of himself.
I’m still irked, largely aggressive.
She has done a grave mistake by projecting her shameless self onto a platform not meant for her. Anyone else saying otherwise and turning a blind eye is a fool. You are right, Manu. It’s actually the people like Mr.Sanjay Prasad above who encourage and forego people like her (the Mystery Woman). To talk about it, there is nothing mysterious about her. She is just another rich kid from Bangalore, knowing or caring nothing about the plight of sports-persons in our country, their hard work and ability and the pain they have taken to walk in that track. She committed a great mistake by doing that, even thinking that she could do that. When she herself has realized it (what else can we guess from her act of deleting her Facebook account) then I have no idea how long it will take nincompoops like Mr. Prasad here to understand the depth to which this incident goes.
I hope, he will wake up soon and realize that not everything can be ‘adjustable’ as in his little world.
We have a lot of Mr. Prasads in our country, who think they have the right to brand and penalize anyone for their right to express and freedom of speech. At the end of the day who is an ‘over-sensitive zealot’?
Give us a break, Mr. Prasad and bang your already big head somewhere else.
Thanks Stanley, for the comment.
You and I share the same enthusiasm in most things and it’s been a long time since I saw you in the middle of thick action making political statements. Welcome back, Bro.
You are right about the ‘adjustable’ part of it. It’s this ‘adjustment’ which has gotten our countrymen and women into a plight that will difficult for us to get out. Whatever work we do to liberate thinking it is this adjusters that comes in between. They have only learned to adjust things, let others come in and do things to them that they will regret later. What we need is people intolerant to rule-breaking… People like this have adjusted too far with things that got us in our present state of mentality. They have adjusted with corruption in the beginning, fundamentalism and narrow-mindedness and thought of themselves as someone who has the right to brand others. It is that act of ‘branding’ that irks… you can do that only after realising where you stand before you brand someone.
Numero Uno,
Give her and us a break. This is not such a big issue as people like you are making it to be. Strong letter for a minor misdemeanor, I would say.
For all we know, She may not have even known that it will be a such a big issue fuelled by over-sensitive zealots like you, who get hurt, disrespected at slightest provocation on any thing and every thing starting from age-old cartoons to a painting to a book to an unauthorized but harmless walk (which organizers should have stopped ideally and probably least troublesome).
Mr. Sanjay Prasad,
Thanks for the comment.
Actually it’s because of easy-goers and ‘adjusters’ like you, who have only learned to let things go the way it is, that this country has become like this. It is actually people like you who have created farces like Anna Hazare while on the other hand get on with encouraging corruption. How about that for a break? For people who believe in what goes where and actually care about that, this is a big issue. And, as long as I feel like this is an issue, I will stick to my word… If that is a minor misdemeanor, I have no idea how exactly you weigh that word. And, as a lat word, it must have been the ‘let-it-go-we-will-deal-with-it-later’ idealists like you in the organizing committee who would be responsible for such a situation.
Good luck.
P.S:- I study about those ‘age-old cartoons’ you mentioned, Sir… and I do have an idea about ‘freedom of speech’ the reason why your comment is allowed to be here whereas I could have easily deleted it become a real ‘over-sensitive zealot’ as you have defined me. Please continue supporting people like her so that people like us have something to fight about.
Shame on you sister,Dnt ever do such a silly stupid thing by using your guts,Learn to be respetic to our nation
loved the letter..whole episode is so shameful,and in todays paper they gave an explanation how she got clearance and how she was chosen by Danny Boyle for some performance..i dont understand how Non athelete marched with Indian contingent..
Thanks Soma.
I read the news in the Hindu. Exactly, she must have had some contact inside which permitted her to go and see what was happening inside. Then she must have decided to hitch a ride with the team….
An Unfortunate Event.
Are u serious??? She may not be an athlete, but she sure is an Indian just like u & me. She didn’t create any mischief nor she showed any disrespect to India, Indian flag, Indian athletes or anyone. She was feeling proud to be an Indian at that moment. Everyone wants to experience the feeling at least once. I bet even u also wants it. So stop hating her so much.
Hi.
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment on my post.
Let’s consider the fact that she also is an Indian (just like you and me)… would you go and do your little show off thingy in an Olympic track because you suddenly felt patriotic and respect towards the Republic of India and its sports representatives? Let’s assume that it is a way of respecting the country… Every cricket fan in the country feels proud to be an Indian when Team India plays the World Cup. Does that mean they all jump in to the pitch and wave flags at the camera? Everyone feels proud to be an Indian when our Army fails an infiltration attempt in the LOC. Does that mean you take up an INSAS rifle or a grenade and march up to the Border?
Patriotism and pride is good and I’m sure every Indian who was watching the Olympic Parade at that time felt it too. Only she decided to have her fun mixed with Patriotism. What if everyone in that stadium decided to do the same? I’m sure everything has it’s own way of doing it, above all, its own time. No one needs an impulsive propulsion of Patriotism. That was not a movie, neither was she Sunny Deol.
Moreover, I don’t hate her. I hate whatever made her do that.
Who ever she is, I’m glad I’m not her. Strong words, my friend. Strong words.
Thank you, Ms. Nine.