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Revolution (Wikipedia): A revolution (from the Latin revolutio, "a turnaround") is a

fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a

relatively short period of time.

I disagree!

A revolution, I believe, is an idea that is implemented with or without the motive of

fundamental changes but certainly as an act of assertion in ones own values.

However, one of its effects may be changing the way of life for an individual or a

community or a country.

If we limit our vision to history books, it may seem that in order to bring upon a

successful revolution one needs an oppressive ruler, a distressed population

(community or country), lots of arms and ammunition (not so in the Indian case)and

action! However, if one happens to peek thoughtfully in the pages of life the

smudges of revolutionary changes can be found all over, guised as nothing more

than the blots of ink. But since change is accepted as the underlying requisite forevolution, the vitality of the idea behind this change is forgotten. And thus the

inertia that has to be overcome for this revolt to succeed is elapsed just as old

books are rendered useless once they have been read over and over.

Revolution, thus, is no legacy of history books but belongs to life as we see it and as

we live it. It may be coined for the Boston tea party or signing the Declaration of

Independence or for the demand of complete independence by Congress or Quit

India Movement but that does not necessarily mean that it could not apply to

actions and ideas of one man against and for a system.

It is a revolution, thus, when a man clings to the stem of trees in hills of Uttaranchal

to stop them from cutting, when a young IAS officer goes to inspect a government

hospital in the middle of night, when another of his breed dips his hand in a stinking

naala to remind the municipal corporation of their work.

It was a revolution when my mother shed the traditional pallu and more of it when

my grandparents supported and defended her. When a small kid plants a sapling in

front of his house and vows to take care of it throughout his life, when a teacher

goes beyond the conventional meaning of lessons and enlightens his/her students

to realms of life, when a young woman in Noida breaks her engagement simply

because her would be in-laws were asking for dowry, it is a revolution. A teenager

born in slums promising himself that he will not die poor is an idea that will changehis life.

The change that this idea may bring upon in ones life may simply not be the end of

this revolution as the word itself may imply. The revolution is actually a process of

evolution that may go beyond the actual process of change of principles and

certainly the realms of time. And that is why though America declared its

independence from Britain in 1776 but it was not until Abraham Lincoln that it truly

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became United States and for the same reason, India truly became a republic in

1950 though independence had come 2 years earlier.

And for this idea is clad in steel of fortitude protected by the will of his impassive

mind, it becomes impossible to contain this revolution even though the action that

follows it may be shelved for some time. As they say, an IDEA can change yourlife