The song in Hindi states that this is a country where golden birds are perched on the branches of trees; that’s my country, Bharat (India).

The background score is a very famous song from 1965, originally from the movie Sikander-E-Azam, sung by the legendary Mohammad Rafi, music composed by Hansraj Behl, and written by lyricist: Rajendra Krishna. 

The song’s lyrics allude to the land’s beauty and riches that attracted invaders over the centuries. In the early sixteenth century, descendants of the Mongol, Turkish, Iranian, and Afghan invaders of South Asia, called the Mughals, invaded India under the leadership of Zahir-ud-Din Babur. While the Mughals were invaders, they created a legacy of distinctive architecture (most notably the Taj Mahal). They contributed to India’s culture via artistry, craftsmanship, and gastronomy. But the subsequent invading colonial rulers, the Britishers, plundered India, its riches, and lands to the core. The Kohinoor, one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, was taken from India and set in the Crown of the English Monarch. In fact, historians argue that London was practically built with Indian money. It is the riches like these that the song alludes to. 

The current version of the song played in the video is by Anup Jalota, who sang this in Tampa Bay, Florida, for Sanatan Mandir Tampa Annual Fundraiser’ Divinity’ in November 2022. My good friend, singer Anoop Jalota, cheekily suggests that the whole problem is that we were a ‘golden bird.’ So, everyone thought India was a fair game.

Anoop Jalota goes on to say that under the leadership of Honorable Prime Minister Modi, we are transforming into a fierce golden lion (also a reference to the Make in India campaign launched by the Prime Minister in 2014 to boost Indian manufacturing and make it a leading global investment destination.) Dare anyone try to plunder us now? Such is the influence of our magnificent country that now even the British Prime Minister has Indian lineage.  

The photos you see are a snapshot of my February 2023 trip to India, covering the Indian states of Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Gujarat. The optimism you will experience in the company of India’s children, entrepreneurs, villagers, and social workers is contagious. As a non-resident Indian who has been returning to his motherland every year, the transformation is palpable. I hope India will reclaim its place in the world in my lifetime!   If you like this video or resonate with this thought, give me a thumbs up

My voice blog is here about this topic.

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