Hamari Maange Poori Karo.

For many of us in India it was a day off away from work. Few smart chaps, took an additional day's break on Monday and so they had four days straight on their fun bank or to put in an uncoiled way, to spend the way they wanted it. I am sure few went to their hometown and few had four days of stress busting mazza, masti and rollicking time in some resort or beach or hill station.

What was the occasion? May Day alias Mazdoor Divas. One of the theories about the history of May Day goes like this. The day rolls back to the United States labor movement in the late 19th Century. On May 1, 1886, unions across the country went on strike, demanding that the standard workday be shortened to eight hours. The organizers of these strikes included socialists, anarchists, and others in organized labor movements. Rioting in Chicago's Haymarket Square on May 4th including a bomb thrown by an anarchist led to the deaths of a dozen people (including several police officers) and the injury of over 100 more.

The protests were not immediately successful, but they proved effective down the line, as eight-hour work days eventually did become the norm. Labor leaders, socialists, and anarchists around the world considered this event as a rallying point, choosing May Day as a day for demonstrations, parades, and speeches. A day to voice their concerns and to fight for their rights, as the organisation structure was more union focused.

That was past and now in present scenario, lets consider the Indian working class framework. With the Indian jobs becoming more office and IT-centric, with plush campuses, glass ridged buildings, etc, the idea and concept of demonstrations, parades, and speeches is more attuned to the industries like textile mills, steel industries etc.

Well for this man past his retirement, May Day is just another day. This senior citizen needs to do backbreaking work for a living. Does this day really hold significance to both the class, the IT/Manufacturing job related class and the senior citizen class, if so how ?

Source of the Pic : answers.com

Keep reading and remain connected.