71st Republic Day Parade Of India - So Spectacular! Poem by Bernedita Rosinha Pinto

Bewildering, awesome, splendid;
everything was so spectacular
everything looked so spell-binding,
so mesmerizing that crowds couldn't look away;

the soldiers were well-dressed marching uniformly
with vibrant colored turbans
and lots of music as they kept beating their drums,
playing their flutes, their saxophones
keeping in conformity their rhythm and their footsteps;

thereafter came those horses and camels
so majestic in appearance, so vibrant in decor,
so patient in duty and endurance just like their masters
who guided them gallantly through Rajpath
where audiences watched with glee such a marvelous procession;

then came women cadets riding motorbikes alongside men
doing unbelievable stunts,
they were called the ‘daredevils' for their braveness;
there were also those tableau displays where each state
enthusiastically depicted their culture:
I liked Assam the best as it was so down to earth, revealing
‘basket-weaving' as their traditional occupation;

finally the Indian dancers of Rajasthan and Gujarat
kept gliding and spinning just like bees around a honeycomb;
but what really caught and captured the attention
of everyone was when the Apache, Chinook-helicopters,
Dorniers, Jaguars, Hercules planes flew in the air with speed
and exuberance that conquered everyone's sight and appreciation;

it made me feel so very proud to watch
my country's republic day parade which was so fantastic
and so full of perfection
yet it will take me a while to overcome the joy I feel;
but as I always hold my hopes so high
I know my peace-loving nation always resonates
it's commitment and upholds its promise
that democracy, secularism and freedom
is guaranteed to every citizen by our Constitution
so as to enable and elevate humanity,
so to escalate respect of one another,
for one another, by one another;

thus our nation rises to celebrate the Republic day,
with pomp and gaiety to demonstrate to the world:
our unity, our strength, our grace is in our patriotism;
and, as our people rejoice, our Navy, our Army, our Air Force
come to the forefront to display their valor
and to express that our nation is one big family which always
believes in fraternity and solidarity amidst any challenges;

and just as much as every Indian strongly believes
in dawns after every twilight,
when upon the pillow he rests his head to sleep
he wakes up to a bright sunlight everyday knowing
his rights are secured by a Constitution
that ensures equality, justice and liberty.