Joy of seeing the tricolour fly

Our collection of flags comes off the streets, bought from urchins who festoon themselves with the tricolour in the hope of making an extra buck around this time

You’ll spot our house for the tricolour fluttering from the balcony, the only one on our street, and possibly in the colony. Around Republic Day or Independence Day, someone will be dispatched to the basement to select from the growing collection of flags we’ve been accumulating over the years. A suitable one will be found, ironed, fitted into a rod, and strung up (hoisting would be the wrong term) from the railing. There it will stay for a few days, perhaps a week, sometimes a little more.

We aren’t any more patriotic than the neighbours. Indeed, some of our views might