We find in history that the availability of salt has been pivotal to civilization. The word ‘salary’ comes from the Latin word for salt because the Roman Legions were often paid in salt. Salt has been the best-known food preservative, especially for meat, for many thousands of years. Salt is truly an important ingredient in our life.
One of the five basic taste sensations, salt is essential to our health. Salt is kept in the dining plate or leaf to be added as per choice of taste. It is a common to find salt shakers on dining tables. In India the consumption of salt in a meal served by a person leads to an attitude of gratitude and loyalty to the server.
‘Maine Desh Ka Namak Khaya Hai’ has been a successful advertising campaign by Tata Salt. For over a decade, it depicted its branding as aligned to the faith of the citizens as seen in every day acts of honesty, loyalty and integrity born out of gratitude to the country for ‘feeding’ us.
However it is pertinent to note that true integrity cannot be visionless hostage to loyalty. For instance, if someone feeds us is not enough reason to blindly believe and follow him. Values are the litmus test before allegiance. Hence we must introspect as well look around to understand the situation and the stakeholders.
In fact, the real salt of the country is found in the salt pans created by natural evaporation. And loyalty to the country cannot exclude those who harvest salt and their tribe. When we ignore reality, we open ourselves to plastic patriotism that is mere faulty posturing and may well be against our land and its people.
Look within and without to escape fault…
Ensure that you are eating the right salt!
~ Pravin Sabnis
One of the five basic taste sensations, salt is essential to our health. Salt is kept in the dining plate or leaf to be added as per choice of taste. It is a common to find salt shakers on dining tables. In India the consumption of salt in a meal served by a person leads to an attitude of gratitude and loyalty to the server.
‘Maine Desh Ka Namak Khaya Hai’ has been a successful advertising campaign by Tata Salt. For over a decade, it depicted its branding as aligned to the faith of the citizens as seen in every day acts of honesty, loyalty and integrity born out of gratitude to the country for ‘feeding’ us.
However it is pertinent to note that true integrity cannot be visionless hostage to loyalty. For instance, if someone feeds us is not enough reason to blindly believe and follow him. Values are the litmus test before allegiance. Hence we must introspect as well look around to understand the situation and the stakeholders.
In fact, the real salt of the country is found in the salt pans created by natural evaporation. And loyalty to the country cannot exclude those who harvest salt and their tribe. When we ignore reality, we open ourselves to plastic patriotism that is mere faulty posturing and may well be against our land and its people.
Look within and without to escape fault…
Ensure that you are eating the right salt!
~ Pravin Sabnis
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