15th August: counting Independence years would not suffice
“A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new… India discovers herself again.” – J.L. Nehru. On the eve of India’s independence, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru famous speech “Tryst with Destiny” marked the beginning of a free India with words symbolizing hope and triumph.
The Independence Day of India is a moment of delight and grandeur but to achieve it the nation had to put up a long battle for over two centuries against the British Empire. At last on 3rd June 1947, the last British Viceroy of India, Lord Mountbatten of Burma, declared the separation of the British Empire in India into India and Pakistan. The announcement was made under the terms of the Indian Independence Act 1947. We won freedom after a hard struggle.
15th August 1947 symbolizes the victory of Indian patriotism, which the nation got after uncertain yet brutal struggle from the repression of the British colonialism. The British, who oppressed India for centuries had primarily arrived to initiate business but steadily captured the entire government of the nation. They educated the Indians and in the process generated enthusiasts who weren’t hesitant in helping them expanding their regime.
Men and women from all over India joined hands and fought for India’s freedom. Many were acclaimed while others contribution went unnoticed. However, praise was not what they desired for. It was the dream of free and autonomous India that motivated them to walk the path of struggle unselfishly. Neither did they battle for their region nor for their natives, but for India and Indians.
15th August is a red-letter day in the Indian calendar is celebrated as the Independence Day of India. The date commemorates the day when India achieved freedom from the British rule in the year 1947. It has been a long journey for India 1947. After more than two hundred years of British rule, Indian finally won back its freedom on 15th August, 1947. In history, this date has a special significance as it gave birth to a new nation and a new era. Independence Day was also the end of a nearly a century of struggle for freedom, battles, betrayals and sacrifices. It gave us the freedom to choose between rights and wrong also created a situation where we were responsible for ourselves. Independence Day is an occasion to rejoice in our freedom and to pay collective homage to all those who sacrificed their lives to the cause.
I am 50s born and I had not see the ups and downs at the time of partition of India and Pakistan but I have read in the books like “Train to Pakistan” by Khushwant Singh, the dedication and sacrifice of various leaders and people of India. It will be a long list to mention but to name few are Jawahar Lal Nehru, Mahatama Gandhi, Subhash Chander Bose, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Chander Shekhar Azad, Shaheed Udham Singh and so on. Today, we are celebrating 66th Independence Day, only because of their sacrifices. The day reminds us of those patriots who fought and suffered to win freedom for us.
For some, it’s a day of celebration or simply chilling with family and friends. But Independence Day is just another day of struggle for millions living on the fringes of mainstream India.
Indeed the spirit of festivity is very much prevalent on Independence Day, which comes after the severe summer months that usually keep people indoor but simply buying nationalist symbols and exhibit the spirit of freedom on office tables, shirts or other useable materials would not suffice; the people have to do something concrete by showing the real patriotism. It is the day to introspect ourselves as to whether we are justifying to maintain the independence and to what extent? A real spirit and feeling for love to country, has to come in the minds of people.
If everyone starts doing our duty sincerely in the right perspective and take a pledge to defend our freedom with all our might, only then we can make the real India.
