Punjab has always been a land of mystery and fascination for me.
They are the biggest wheat producer in the country yet they eat Makke di
Roti. They are among the richest states in India, yet they have to
share their capital with two other states. They are one of the best
looking people on earth (Talking strictly about girls only), yet when
anybody visits their capital, the best thing they showcase to them is
made up of garbage. They export sardars more than strawberries and
wheat, yet their balance sheet never mentions them.
Talking
about sardars; I am most surprised by them. My first introduction to
sardar was by a sardar joke. I am yet to understand how sardar jokes got
into popular culture, when they are certainly among the smartest people
around. In fact Punjab has been coming up with iconic Sardars whenever
India needed them most. It’s like Lord Krishna saying to Arjuna “ Yada
Yada Hi Dharmasya..” . In reality Punjab has given us notable sardars
who did things only they could do.
Here is a list of some of those situations and respective Sardars Punjab gave us:
1)
When India saw that British needs to be shown that Indians are not all
about peaceful marches and hunger strikes; When it was necessary to
communicate to our tormenter rulers that we too have got sons of the
soil who can lay their lives for their mother country, Punjab produced a
Sardar called Bhagat Singh. You can imagine the contribution of him
when a boy aged 23 years is called Shaheed-e-Azam.
2)
When Australian cricket team was winning all matches; when cricketers
all around the world were scared of their deadly bowling and deadlier
sledging; when people like Andrew Symonds thought that no one could
look into their eyes; and When India needed someone who could let the
arrogant Australian team have a taste of their own medicine; Punjab
produced a Sardar called Harbhajan Singh. You don’t need to be told
what happened when Harbhajan faced Australian team. Neither Australia
nor Indian team remained the same there after.
3)
When India was shackled in Quota- license-permit raj; When getting a
phone at your home took 4 years; When Bajaj scooter was the most
efficient vehicle at 10 kms per lite; When red tapism ruled all across
country; there was not much to cheer up Indians, Punjab produced a
Sardar called Jaspal Bhatti . That man showed that We Indians are
capable of laughing at ourselves, our failures and our short-comings. He
reinvented the art of Satire on television. Well there are not many
shows bigger hit than ‘Flop Show’.
4) When a
lady was trying to get all lime lights; when she wanted to make name at
all costs, when she tried every trick in the book starting from going
under knife, wearing outrageous clothes, working in cheap video songs;
when she tried everything for getting famous but failed, Punjab produced
a Sardar called Mika Singh with the Midas touch. The day Mika Singh
touched her, she got more fame than Mother Teresa. It won’t be an
overstatement that Rakhi Sawant is still eating fruits of the Kiss , I
mean tree Mika Singh planted.
5) When
people thought people who can laugh loud should be used behind the
screen to provide laughter track; when people thought cricket commentary
is all the same whosoever be the commentator; when people thought a man
who remember cheap shayrees and quotes should be used only writing
those cheap shayrees on the back of a truck; when people thought defense
is the only valid technique for facing Shane Warne; Punjab produced a
Sardar to change everything. In fact this Sardar redefined the way how
to play Shane Warne, he redefined the way cricket commentary should be
done, he invented a new career called laughing on national TV and he
redefined the place for cheap poems and quotes. That sardar is called
Navjot Singh Siddhu.
6) When world thought that Japanese
are the smartest people, no one can cut a deal with them which didnt
benefit Japanese more than other party, when people thought
Japanese will never need to buy anything from outside as far as
technology is concerned, Punjab produced a sardar called Malvinder
Singh. He showed the world that only a sardar can get the best deal out
of Smart Japanese asses.
7) When
world thought India will never be able to break the shackles of ‘Hindu
growth rate’; When world thought India will never be a golden bird
again; When world thought India lacked the economic acumen and wisdom
that was required to be a superpower in 21st century; Punjab produced a
Sardar called Dr Manmohan Singh. Dr Manmohan with another Sardar named
Montek Singh showed that world that the Indian elephant can not only run
but it can run fast enough to scare the dragon and the bald eagle.
Nobody has dared to underestimate the economic prowess and acumen of
India since this sardar has arrived.
8) When
India saw that there will be a MBA batch called SCMHRD 08-10, who will
love to have batch parties to celebrate even smallest of the causes with
unlimited chicken and flowing Vodka, Punjab produced a sardar called
Amneet Singh Sodhi to organize those batch parties. But only organizing
those batch parties was not enough, You needed someone who could make
every female around feel safe in an room which smelt of chicken and
Vodka; Punjab produced another Sardar called Harvinder Pal Singh. Both
gentlemen touched neither chicken nor Vodka, yet were the integral part
of all batch parties. You don’t believe me, pick any picture of any
batch party. You will see what I mean.
