Vivisected by the creation of Pakistan, and mutilated again by the violence brought on by the Hindu Nationalist BJP in the late 90s, India is still the mother country of South Asia’s wide and diverse peoples. Case in point, the artist featured in this song, AR Rahman, is a convert to Islam, and uses Islamic references to show his love for India, his (and really our) motherland. Maa, Tujhe Salaam (Mom, Upon you Peace).
Many can tell you that the Boulevard of Broken Dreams remains the Grand Trunk Road, spanning from Lahore to Multan, to Karachi. Pakistan represents the hopes of a prodigal child, struck down by far more self-made tragedies than any other place on earth. The septuagenarian artist featured in this music video is famous in both Pakistan and India for his contributions to traditional music forms–showing that nationalism aside, culture is culture. This song, Yeh Watan Tumhara hain (This Nation, it’s yours) is a desperate attempt to galvanize Pakistan’s ever wayward youth to give a damn, and save the country.
