More Than a Flag

A boy named Akshay lived in a small town.

- Dr. Ranjana Jaiswal

He was a very calm and curious child.

For the past few days, he had not been going to school because he was unwell. It was the month of January, and the bitter cold had become worse due to light rain. He had probably caught a cold.

Since early morning, khat-khat sounds were coming from the kitchen. The sound woke Akshay up. His mom was busy cooking, but he noticed that she was working hurriedly.

“You are awake, my child. How are you feeling now?” his mom asked.

“Mumma, I am feeling a little better today,” Akshay replied.

Just then, he sensed a sweet and familiar aroma.

“Oh wow! Mumma, are you baking a cake? Is something special happening today?” he asked thoughtfully. Suddenly, he remembered which day it was!

“Because of my illness, I completely forgot. Today is the 26th of January, which means it is Republic Day,” he said.

“You are absolutely right. Today is Republic Day, our national festival. It deserves to be celebrated,” his mother said, gently arranging his messy hair.

“Mumma, the colours look so beautiful,” Akshay said excitedly, staring at the cake.

On the plate, his mother had arranged a cake in three colours—saffron, white and green. “Akshay, what does this cake remind you of? Tell me quickly,” his mother asked.

“Mumma! These are the colours of our national flag. It is hoisted on our school roof. I see it every day during assembly prayers, so how could I not recognise it?” Akshay replied.

“My Akshay is very smart,” his mother said lovingly.

She patted his cheek and fed him a piece of cake.