The tender feeling one has towards the country which he considers very good, praiseworthy and pleasant is patriotism. Patriotism is the desire to maintain close ties with the country. Patriotism is a feeling that is selfless and concerned with the all-round welfare of the country. The extreme or intense feeling towards the country that melts the conscience and is accompanied by immense affection is called patriotism.
Patriotism is the honey of eternal beauty. It is the necklace of the diamonds of Ur-Ur. There is light of the heart. Is a motivator of duty. There is recognition of life values. This is the basic mantra of success in life.
The question arises, why should one love the country? Answering this, Swami Vivekananda says, India is my life, my soul. The Gods of India sustain me. India is the carousel of my childhood, the joyland of my youth and the backwoods of my old age.’
Mahatma Gandhi says, ‘I consider patriotism as a part of my religion. Without patriotism, it cannot be said that the practice of religion is complete.’ (Indian Opinion) Revered Atal Bihari Vajpayee, explaining the reason for patriotism, writes – ‘This is a land of worship, a land of greetings. This is the land of tarpan, this is the land of offering. Its every pebble is Shankar, its every point is Ganga water. We will live for this, we will die for this.
We should be proud of our country. One must have the feeling and resolve to sacrifice one’s body, mind, wealth and everything to protect it.