Project Tiranga (Mission Siachen) volunteers went to the Press office (on Friday) to get the Newspapers' to report about our Mission. It had dual purpose: one is to create awareness about Siachen among common people and then to give them a chance to express their feelings by filling up a postcard. We indicated that we would be there at Big Bazaar, Forum, Garuda mall, the following day (Saturday), between 1 and 6.
The Media helped us out by printing the article the very next day (Saturday). We reached the Malls with great enthusiasm. But then we could see nothing but Hesitation around us, from the very first person we met. The Person(s)-in-charge for the malls asked us Identification, permission letter etc. Then after some effort they allowed us to put a desk outside the mall and carry on with our work. Some of us had to convince nearly half a dozen people before we got the permission.
Then we placed our posters and postcards on the desk and waited for a while. Then we realized we could utilize the same time and get more postcards done and thus started making some postcards by ourselves.
People's Reaction: A few people thought they had to pay and write a postcard, while another few asked us if we get something for getting this done. A few of them asked us and filled them up, while another few of them walked away saying they couldn't think of anything to write. Few people stared from a distance and walked away while most of them ignored us. A lady approached us and asked "Is there any benefit for me, if I fill up a postcard?"
Highlights: Shocking, as it may seem, here are few more instances as highlights for the day. A lady who walked up to us told she forgot how our National Flag looks like. Another person, who forgot, tried to copy it from another postcard and still made mistakes. On the other hand little children had better and prompt messages to send to our soldiers. A boy in Big Bazaar drew two soldiers at war and wrote "WAR: What is it for?"
Very few people supported and helped us. It was in the form of filling up a card or help us get permission or by any other way they could think of. A security guard at Forum, who was an Ex-Army Officer who was also posted at Siachen, wrote a postcard and also tried not to move us away, as the other mall authorities tried to do.
Our Experience: We were disappointed with the response we received (after a media coverage of our Mission). We had hoped for more postcards to get filled up.
But finally, at places like these malls and shopping centres (commercialized places), what we realized was "As Economy grows, the emotions and feelings lose their value." - Rajat
Comments
Approaching schools
HI Rajat
I feel it would be better if we could approach few schools and make the children to participate in this good work.
Great Idea
Hi Kishore,
Actually the schools were on holidays druring the last one week. Just today our volunteers visited some schools/colleges in Malleshwaram and found very good response. Overall 800 postcards were filled up.
Cheers
The shocking experiences
The shocking experiences mentioned here are true for so many people around us.....many people would forward all the bla bla mails to all their friends and colleagues but if would receive a mail about the matter which is sensitive nation wise......They are Hesitent to do so.......
Come on people....Do not use the lines like "I am proud to be an Indian" as a fashion statement....Live up to it.....that feeling is there in everyone....Do not tend to hide it....Come on.....Join the cause..................
No Resolutions only Revolution. Regards, Barkha :-)
this is a very well written post that has been able to draw some attention to the response that the city had to offer to Mission Siachen.
One thing that I will like to highlight is the reason for choosing Garuda and Forum in the first place. The newspaper article, we thought, will trigger the senses of many people and we expected to receive a large number of calls requesting for postcards. If this would have actually happened, then we would have had to arrange for the transfer of the cards to the people. Since these malls were well known landmarks in the city, we decided to go ahead and name them in the news. Only sad part is that we got just 3 responses due to the news item in the newspaper.
Eventually I feel, people in Bangalore missed a golden change to share their sentiments (if any) with the soldiers in Siachen.
It's never too late. poeple can still call us and get the postcards :)