Impressive & Unique – Camel contingent of Border Security Force, India Republic Day 2015

The last time I watched an India Republic day parade was probably in grade school when we were coerced as school kids to go watch it live at Parade grounds in Bangalore. So, it’s been awhile.

This year with the chief guest being Barack Obama, I couldn’t help but tune in to the live stream of the action in the Indian capital. It was getting past my bedtime so I quit after about an hour or so but the pomp and circumstance that surrounded the event was certainly impressive.

President Barack Obama with PM Modi and other dignitaries

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Regarding the entire “2015 Obama visit to India“, I really had only two gripes: 

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1. Does it take the visit of an American president to clean up the Taj Mahal?

Granted his visit was cancelled but in just a few days, India cleaned up so well that the Taj Mahal and its surroundings apparently shone with the efforts.

I remember my last visit to Taj a few years ago. As I got my first glimpse of this fabulous monument, it was so overwhelming that I got goose bumps. Literally. It truly is that fabulous. But I also had to put up with the filth and stench that surrounded it, as did all the other tourists.

An Indian worker cleans a water pond inside the grounds of the Taj Mahal ahead of US President Barack Obama’s visit in Agra Photo: AFP – Click photo to read article

It sounds like all it took for the Indian government to act was the motivation of Obama. Really? How about this – how about having enough pride in this remarkable heritage to keep it immaculate all the time?

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2. Modi Showcasing Modi the Narcissist

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Enough has been written about Modi’s “pinstripe” suit to fill several journals. Ah, but I haven’t had my say yet. 🙂

Imagine having none other than Hosni Mubarak as a  role model and ordering pinstripes that spell out his full name! Idiocy!

The supporters of Modi said something like this: US media’s excessive attention on Narendra Modi’s jacket was to make up for an inconsequential Barack Obama visit

My view is more like this: Narendra Damodardas Modi suit was a PM sized fail: Here’s why.

Just when I was beginning to respect some of the things this guy is attempting to do for the country, he goes and shows off in the most bizarre manner. Even for someone with his sartorial sensibilities, this was a bit too much!

I can just imagine Obama chuckling to himself or to Michelle once he learned/read about it. Because I doubt that he could have imagined anything so outlandish about those pinstripes when he actually met the man.

What an unnecessary distraction it’s caused. Methinks the chaiwallah PM of India could do himself and his country a whole lot of favors by being more true to his humble roots. If he can.

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Photo Credits:

Barack Obama et al By Pete Souza [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Camel Parade by BSF By Lawrence Jackson [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Taj Mahal Clean-up from article in The Telegraph

Modi’s pinstripes from feature at NPR

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