“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we will 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…. We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again.”
(Speech on Indian Independence Day, 1947)
Indian Independence Day is today, August 15th. Now I know you probably don’t want to learn a lot of history, heck this is supposed to be fun right? But Indian history is cool!
Did you know India has only been a free democracy for 64 years?? If you are anything like me (and for your sake I hope not :-)) you may be thinking “But India has been around forever.” And the thing is, you are right. When I think of India I think of ancient
cultures, a timeless religion and a country that has stood the test of time. But up until 1947, India was ruled by the British. They took over in the 1600s and it was actually the East India Trading Company that ruled India. Now I love that because it reminds me of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies! Sorry I digress … having a Johnny Depp moment.
Anyway, back to India. So England ruled India and they actually prospered as a country for many centuries. However, in the early 1900s as a result of European attacks on Islamic countries, the Muslim population started to withdraw their support of the British rule and start to focus on a country of their own.
At the same time, in response to a demonstration protesting some British rulings, the British killed 400+ unarmed Hindus, men, women and children (1000+ according to Indian records) in one event shattering any hope of a peaceful union. In response to the mess the British were making of India, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (also known as Mahatma Gandhi), and other national leaders broke all cooperation with them boycotting goods, schools, elections and the court system. The English rule had run its course. According to historian Paul Johnson:
“The reality is that the British government simply lost control. In 1945 India was over 400 million people: 250 million Hindus, 90 million Muslims, 6 million Sikhs, millions of sectarians, Buddhists, Christians; 500 independent princes and maharajahs; 23 main languages, 200 dialects; 3,000 castes, with 60 million untouchables at the bottom of the heap.”
Thus, at midnight on the 15th of August, 1947 India became the largest democratic society
in the world, a title that they still hold today.
So, this year we celebrate 64 years of independent India. Now they don’t celebrate exactly like Americans do, no fireworks usually, and no parades (those are saved for Republic Day in January … but that is another blog). One of the biggest events is the Prime Minister will raise the Indian flag at Red Fort n Delhi in honor of the first Independence Day in 1947 when the very first Indian PM did this.
At school, children will have a dance with freedom songs and socializing the day before the holiday.
Oh, and they fly kites! Kite flying and especially kite fighting are HUGE in India, particularly around Independence day. The typical Indian kite is made of tissue paper, usually in a diamond shape, and a bamboo center spine and cross. It is a neat sport and includes all ages flying kites of every shape, size and color!
Hindiprincess 