Now that we are almost THERE...

"Main Narendra Damodardas Modi, eashwar ki shapath leta hu...."

( I, Narendra Damodardas Modi, do swear in the name of God...)

This has been ringing in my head for a couple of weeks now. I say it off and on, with a blank mind, even though there's nothing to it, until I stop to realize what I was speaking.

For the last year or so, I have been on twitter, reading, sharing, fighting, blocking, getting blocked, all to put my two bits to support the BJP and Modi. The elections are over and results due in a few hours. All exit polls have given clear signs of a convincing victory for the NDA, lead by the BJP and headed by Modi. There are apprehensions over tampering of EVMs and not without reason, but in our hearts we all know "Modi Aanewala hai" (Modi is coming)!

The feeling closest to what I have now is probably one that I had in anticipation of my engineering final year results. I knew I had done well, I knew I will get good marks, I was hoping I'll get a distinction, there were apprehensions about something going unexpectedly wrong, but there was faith that I'm on course and then there was a life stretching beyond, in sight. A life which would be different, the world would change for me, I would change for the world, there'll be freedom, end of dependence on my parents, the joy of earning and being able to give something back to my loved ones and the pride of being on my own.

The hours that lead up to the 2014 LS election results have a similar promise. A nation in distress sees hope, excitement is abound, there is a promise of a resurgent India. We have fought hard and we know we have done well. There is a dream that India would be, where there'll be growth, economic, social and intellectual, where there'll be pride of being recognized in the world, where there'll be the joy of seeing Indian nationals excel in various disciplines and it all looks within reach. From a hopeless existence a couple of years back, in times marred by corruption, terrorism, extremism, failure of diplomacy, concerns over security, to the courage to dream again as a nation is no mean achievement in 6 months of election campaigning!

As I write this, I'm wondering how Modi supporters would be feeling right now. Many have already complained of insomnia-attacks, many of us from across the world have joined a group "We the MODIfiers" on WhatsApp to find an excuse for staying up all night. The news channels have announced that they'd start off at 6 am tomorrow morning and I'm sure quite a few of us will be seeing their first sunrise in a long long time. Some are complaining of goosebumps, at every mention of the words "Modi" and "PM" together. 

I remember the final scene in the movie "Pursuit of HappYness", that was one scene where my logical mind and the emotional heart were engaged in a pin-down contest. I have still not forgiven Will Smith for making me look like a sissy in front of my friends. It was a marvellous performance! If cameras were to be fitted in homes of all Modi supports, at the time of the formal announcement of results, I expect India to discover millions of Will Smith's in that singular moment of exuberance.

The apprehension around EVM rigging loom large in many minds, but come what may, we will have our day of victory today (its 1:05 a.m now). Our victory stands in the hope of new beginnings, it stands in knowing, that results notwithstanding, that we are a community of people with choices alike and hopes rekindled. The victory is in being proud of our history, our legacy, our past and in being vocal about it. We are free from the clutches of self-professed intellectuals who have for centuries now, incessantly attacked and subdued the pride in our being. Our goals are clear, we know what we want and we believe we can get it. We have belief in ourselves and faith that we will not be alone. We have learnt to fight and we have victory in sight. The impediments and divisions assiduously created through decades of indoctrination are fast evaporating in the fire of rekindled nationalism. A sulking mind will see chinks but the fact is that many barriers have been breached and we have come together as one nation.

A victory of mammoth proportions has already been achieved, the stamp of formality remains. We shall relish this day and we will be there to fight another!

As moments of anticipation trickle through, I'll reflect on this journey, the struggles, the scares, the exhilaration, the fun, the friendships... all of it. It all brought us to this day, it culminates here. I'll see the night through, thinking of it all, I'll see it through weaving dreams. I have learnt to hope and hope I will, Now that we are almost THERE....