India is desperately romantic, utterly unashamed of its

The words of Simon Beaufoy—“India is desperately romantic, utterly unashamed of its sentimentality, its generosity, its fierce pride and massive heart.”—resound like a hymn to an ancient land. They are not spoken lightly, but with the awe of one who has glimpsed a civilization as old as the mountains, yet as alive as the beating of the human heart. In these words, Beaufoy names not just a country, but a spirit, a soul that has endured conquest and freedom, sorrow and triumph, and yet has never let its heart grow small.

When he calls India desperately romantic, he speaks of a land where even suffering is clothed in poetry, where even poverty can dance in colors, and where love is celebrated not with hesitation but with abandon. Romance here is not merely the bond between lovers, but the romance of life itself—the songs sung to the monsoon rains, the festivals that light the streets with fire and faith, the ancient stories that weave gods with mortals. India’s romance is the belief that life, despite its harshness, must be adorned with beauty, music, and meaning.

To be unashamed of sentimentality is to live without fear of the heart’s vulnerability. In the modern world, where many cloak their feelings with irony or detachment, India remains bold, allowing its emotions to flow freely—through tears in cinema halls, prayers whispered at shrines, or songs sung across generations. This is not weakness, but courage: the bravery to let love, grief, hope, and joy be seen without disguise. Such sentimentality is a testament to the openness of a people whose spirit has been shaped not by cynicism but by devotion.

Beaufoy also names generosity, that quality for which India has long been known. From the traditions of hospitality, where a guest is considered divine, to the ashrams that feed the hungry, to the vast collective spirit that comes alive in festivals, India’s generosity springs not from wealth but from abundance of heart. One recalls the story of Mahatma Gandhi, who though dressed in the simplest cloth, carried within him a boundless compassion that could move millions. His life was a reminder that true richness is not measured in possessions but in the ability to give of oneself.

The fierce pride of India is not arrogance, but survival—born of centuries of invasions and colonization, yet never extinguished. This pride is the fire that carried the nation through the struggle for independence, led by men and women who bore chains but never yielded their dignity. One thinks of Bhagat Singh, who faced execution with a smile, declaring that freedom was worth more than life itself. That fierce pride still beats today, not merely in politics or armies, but in the daily resilience of the people who endure, adapt, and rise again with unbreakable spirit.

And above all, Beaufoy speaks of India’s massive heart. This is the essence of his tribute. It is the heart that holds a billion voices, a thousand languages, and countless traditions, yet still beats as one. It is the heart that welcomes both gods and strangers, both grief and joy. It is the heart that forgives, that hopes, that believes in the sacredness of all life. This massive heart is the secret strength of India: it may be burdened, but it is never broken.

The lesson for us is universal: to live as India lives—unashamed, generous, proud, and open-hearted. In our own lives, we must learn not to hide our emotions behind walls of cynicism, nor to shrink our hearts out of fear. Instead, let us give freely, love openly, and carry pride not in domination, but in resilience. Let us build lives and communities with massive hearts, able to hold both difference and unity, both struggle and celebration.

Practically, this means showing kindness where it is not expected, celebrating life with abandon rather than restraint, and standing proudly in one’s identity even in times of trial. It means choosing sentiment over indifference, romance over despair, and generosity over greed. For in doing so, we not only honor the spirit of India described by Beaufoy, but also shape our own lives into something timeless, something that future generations will remember as fiercely alive, passionately human, and filled with heart.