I have never used a firearm with live ammunition. The closest I ever got to it was shooting an air-gun at the shooting range. The story is similar for most people. Guns are not a part of life in India for the most part. The elections are done, atleast here in Andhra and there is not one incident involving a firearm. Armed robberies are not reported frequently. Last time there was a shooting incident of note in Hyderabad was when the police fired on agitators protesting power prices back in 2001.
Yet a gun is a symbol that is not easily ignored. Movie posters have the hero wielding a gun, either as a weapon or as an accessory. The theory and the methods of using the gun are elaborately explained to the viewers. An average kid knows a revolver has six bullets, it is common knowledge. The fascination with guns is not limited to India, everywhere people are curious.
Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest
-Mahatma Gandhi
The peculiar situation with the gun control laws in India under the Arms Act create a state where very few citizens get hold of guns for any stated purpose. Admittedly there are illegal weapons in circulation, yet their penetration is limited. And ultimately the state has successfully limited the prevalence of guns in India among citizens. But the image of the gun and the sense of power it evokes is a constant. Gun is a symbol of power or a leveler of injustice or the perpetrator of crimes.
Nations have been built on citizens carrying arms. The United States of America was possible because of armed militias constituting of citizens. The flag of Mozambique has the image of an AK-47 rifle on it as a symbol of defending its freedom. But India has no significant history of guns, independence was gained but not through an armed struggle. The nation was unified by and large voluntarily. This is not to say India is a peaceful nation. There are riots and killings, but here too guns are not the weapon of choice. Swords and knifes, sticks and hands are the tools most preferred. But a gun does arouse a sense of awe.
The public encounters the image of the gun on a daily basis. Children have a special place among their toys for gun toys. I believe that this is because as children we understand the essence of what a gun is capable of, without the justifications. A gun gives the bearer the power of life and death, a realization that control over others is possible. Hence a instrument of this nature is most sought after. This same knowledge is at the back of our minds and every image of an arm summons and reaffirms this realization.
The above picture (street art by Banksy) is an example of the potency of the image of a gun and when it is replaced by say a banana, like in the picture the impact is just not there. Yet the picture makes for a compelling viewing. Without the guns, the characters played by John Travolta and Samuel Jackson (from the movie "Pulp Fiction") are not the same people. The fear, respect or admiration is replaced by, well bananas! It is like a drink after all the fizz is gone: a symbol of impotency.
Yet a gun is a symbol that is not easily ignored. Movie posters have the hero wielding a gun, either as a weapon or as an accessory. The theory and the methods of using the gun are elaborately explained to the viewers. An average kid knows a revolver has six bullets, it is common knowledge. The fascination with guns is not limited to India, everywhere people are curious.
Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest
-Mahatma Gandhi
The peculiar situation with the gun control laws in India under the Arms Act create a state where very few citizens get hold of guns for any stated purpose. Admittedly there are illegal weapons in circulation, yet their penetration is limited. And ultimately the state has successfully limited the prevalence of guns in India among citizens. But the image of the gun and the sense of power it evokes is a constant. Gun is a symbol of power or a leveler of injustice or the perpetrator of crimes.
Nations have been built on citizens carrying arms. The United States of America was possible because of armed militias constituting of citizens. The flag of Mozambique has the image of an AK-47 rifle on it as a symbol of defending its freedom. But India has no significant history of guns, independence was gained but not through an armed struggle. The nation was unified by and large voluntarily. This is not to say India is a peaceful nation. There are riots and killings, but here too guns are not the weapon of choice. Swords and knifes, sticks and hands are the tools most preferred. But a gun does arouse a sense of awe.
The public encounters the image of the gun on a daily basis. Children have a special place among their toys for gun toys. I believe that this is because as children we understand the essence of what a gun is capable of, without the justifications. A gun gives the bearer the power of life and death, a realization that control over others is possible. Hence a instrument of this nature is most sought after. This same knowledge is at the back of our minds and every image of an arm summons and reaffirms this realization.
The above picture (street art by Banksy) is an example of the potency of the image of a gun and when it is replaced by say a banana, like in the picture the impact is just not there. Yet the picture makes for a compelling viewing. Without the guns, the characters played by John Travolta and Samuel Jackson (from the movie "Pulp Fiction") are not the same people. The fear, respect or admiration is replaced by, well bananas! It is like a drink after all the fizz is gone: a symbol of impotency.
