Remember, remember

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,

Gunpowder, treason and plot.

I see no reason why gunpowder, treason

Should ever be forgot.

On 5 November, 1605, a conspiracy to kill King James I was unearthed in the cellars of the House of Parliament when a man, Guy Fawkes, was caught with several barrels of gunpowder. Fawkes, along with his co-conspirators, was subsequently tried as traitors for plotting against the government. He was hung, drawn and quartered as punishment.

The next year onwards, the day was a celebration of sorts: It became to be known as Guy Fawkes Day. They hung him again every year since then as they burnt his effigies, made bonfires and celebrated with fireworks. Sometime during the turn of the century, the celebration was forgotten along with the man, who at least tried to defy an establishment single-mindedly.

Guy Fawkes may have been some random person to have tried to do something and failed. But today, over four centuries later there is another man, another figure who defied odds and now stands testimony to 'impossible is nothing'.

On November 5, 2008, Barack Hussein Obama became another Guy Fawkes. The difference -- a significant one at that -- Obama will always be the harbinger of change.

He has given "Change We Can" motto a new dimension. Hail Obama and change

Witnesses to History

On November 4, 2008, Barack Hussein Obama II made it to the history books as the first African-American man to be elected the President of the United States. As a nation, it is insignificant us — but as an emerging neo-world, where barriers are falling to give way to change, it is a huge step. And as people living in these times, we are privileged to have been a witness to such historical moment in our lifetime.

It’s not as if we haven’t witnessed other historical moments. As a generation we saw America, the symbol of power and success, falling victim to terrorism that we Indians had been born with and could only feel and not explain.

We had our own significant moments: We tested our own nuclear weapon in our desert backyard and incurred global wrath; we gave the world a magician cricketer; our big small car made front-page headline all over the world. But these moments were not as significant as this: A half-black man, with a Muslim middle name, becoming the most powerful man in the world is something that doesn’t happen everyday.