Today, August 15th, India celebrates it's 67th Independence Day. It is a national holiday here with flag-hoisting ceremonies, parades, and meals celebrated with friends. It is also a dry day, meaning no alcohol is served.
On August 15, 1947, India (known as the British Indian Empire) acquired independence from British rule and, at the same time, was partitioned into the Dominions of India and Pakistan (which included, at that time, Bangladesh). An interesting fact is that this date was chosen by Viceroy Lord Mountbatten who chose it to coincide with the 2nd anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.
Back in 1600, the British East India Company had been given a Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth I to begin trading in India. More than trading went on, and it eventually began to rule different areas of India. By 1757, it had established official governance (Company Rule) in various regions in India, and it maintained rule until 1858, when the British Crown took over the rule of India, and held it until 1947.
A map of the Indian Empire in 1909 with areas colonized by British (orangish color), native states (yellow), railways lines also depicted.
India had been fighting for its independence for quite some time. In 1929, the date of January 26th was actually declared as Independence Day by the Indian National Congress, calling on people to pledge themselves to civil disobedience until India achieved its independence.
After independence was attained and the Indian Constitution was approved, it came into effect on this original date of the call for independence - January 26th in 1950. Since then January 26th has been recognized as Republic Day - another national holiday.
(Why doesn't the US have a holiday for the adopting of the Constitution? Or for when the revolutionary war ended?)
Some of the decorations in our building...
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| The swastika is frequently used decoratively in the Hindu religion to evoke goodness. |
Road to Independence
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Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment, we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.
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—Tryst with Destiny speech, Jawaharlal Nehru, 15 August 1947
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Jai Hind! (Hail to India)
