Indian Independence Day is celebrated across the country on August 15 every year. This day marks the end of 200 years of British colonial rule and is an occasion that needs not only celebration but also remembrance.
Indian Independence – An Introduction
Independence Day in India is a national holiday. The Indian National Congress (INC), the leading political party in colonial India, along with its subsidiaries and revolutionary organisations, had been demanding “Purna Swaraj” or “Complete Independence” from British rule for years. They finally came up with a resolution and demanded that the British leave the country in the capable hands of its native population. The date was 26th January 1930, a day that is now celebrated as Republic Day, while August 15 is officially the date of independence.
How did I-Day materialise?
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of free and independent India raised the National Flag of the country for the first time from the ravages of the Red Fort in Delhi. The date was August 15, 1947, and this was the day he delivered his famous speech to the Indian public – “Tryst With Destiny”. One must however remember that this independence did not come cheap. I-Day was a dream that materialized only with the sacrifices, blood, sweat, and tears that Indian political leaders and freedom fighters contributed. Some such freedom fighters include Mahatma Gandhi (“Father of the Nation”), Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Khudiram Bose, Bhagat Singh, Masterda Surya Sen, Sarojini Naidu and Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, among others.
Indian Independence Day is of utmost importance to every single Indian out there. It stands as the indelible symbol of sacrifice, of dreams becoming reality, and the dawn of a government for the people, by the people, and of the people. Natives who had been oppressed for centuries by the colonisers had finally found a way to fight back against the empire and won, once and for all.
Why is 15th August the Indian Independence Day?
Why 15th August 1947 though? After the Civil Disobedience, the satyagrahas (non-violent protests to uphold the truth) and the Dandi March, Indian leaders had asked for freedom through a resolution passed on January 26, 1930. However, on August 15, 1947, the Indian Independence Act came into motion, in a legislative sense. The British Parliament had already passed this act on July 18, 1947. With this, a historic judgment had been made – the legislative assembly of India had been passed into Indian hands, where it should always have been.
What kind of celebrations do we get to see?
On I-Day, people celebrate their freedom from the colonial hegemonic rule. What do they do? They hoist the national flag in schools, government chambers, residential buildings, parks, and in front of the martyrs stones. The Prime Minister of the country addresses the people from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort, talking about the history of independence and the goals he envisions India will reach someday.
What songs should you listen to on I-Day?
The following are some of the Independence Day songs that you could listen to:
- Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon – Lata Mangeshkar
- Vande Mataram – A.R. Rahman
- Ye Jo Des Hai Tera – A.R. Rahman
- Bharat Humko Jaan Se Pyara Hai – Hariharan
- Ae Watan – Sunidhi Chauhan
Jai Hind!
