August 15, 1947, a red-letter day for the Indians, is celebrated with great
fanfare and show, across the length and breadth of India. The day, which is a
national holiday, is dedicated to all those brave freedom fighters who fetched
India her due respect and the much desired independence from the British rule.
People in the country honor them, for sacrificing their lives for the freedom of
their motherland. The day is celebrated by hoisting national flag, flying kites
and organizing cultural activities in educational institutions. If you want to
know all about the history of Independence Day, then go through the following
lines.
History of Independence Day
Before the 18th century, India's relationship with the West had been
predominantly trade-related. All this changed, when the forces of the East India
Company defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Calcutta. That signaled the
arrival of the British as rulers. Until the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, the East India
Company, with the Governor General as its head, ruled the subcontinent. After
that, the Crown took over the administration, with the Viceroy served as its
representative.
In the 20th century, the country witnessed the rise of many leaders such as
Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Banded
under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and his doctrine of non-violence, the
freedom struggle moved ahead with new vigor. Milestones like the Quit India
Movement, Non-Cooperation Movement, Khilafat Movement and Gandhi's Dandi March
brought the inevitable freedom closer.
At the stroke of midnight, as India moved into August 15, 1947, India's first
Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, read out the decisive speech, proclaiming
India's independence from the British Empire. The moment ended three centuries
of British rule over India. The land was no longer the summer retreat of British
sahibs, who sneaked into the nation to fancy spices, shikar, elephants and
snake-charmers, and ultimately ended up getting a stranglehold over the nation
and torturing the natives in every possible way. Independence Day remained the
sole national festival until India declared itself a republic in 1950.
Independence was also the end of nearly a century of struggle for freedom,
battles, betrayals and sacrifices. It also created a situation, where we were
responsible for ourselves. However, it wasn't a period of unqualified joy. For
many people, in spite of a new era promised by independence, partition between
India and Pakistan was a painful reality and so was the bloodshed that
accompanied it. That was six decades ago.
Much has changed over the years - today the freedom struggle finds its place in
history books and memoirs, and on the tombstones of valiant martyrs. Politics
has undergone a personality change from fiery idealism to a pragmatic cynicism.
Karma drives the nation on its way forward, and population has crossed the
billion mark. Nonetheless, come August 15 and you will find the people
forgetting the drudgery of everyday life for a while, and coming together to pay
homage to the brave heroes of the freedom struggle and standing up for the
National Anthem.
Along with the soaring cadences of the anthem, the hopes and dreams for a better
tomorrow are renewed in political speeches and replays of the deeds of those,
who earned us our freedom. Independence Day is an occasion to rejoice in our
freedom and to pay collective homage to all those people, who sacrificed their
lives to the cause. The day also marks the coming together of the states into
one nation - India. This was probably our biggest diplomatic success.
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