Independence Day of India 15 August, 1947

 "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."
- Jawaharlal Nehru
(Speech on Indian Independence Day, 1947)

On 15 August 1947, India attained freedom from the British Rule. Every year, August 15 is celebrated as the Independence Day in India. This national festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over the country.
The Independence Day of any country is a moment of pride and glory. On this special occasion, rich tributes are paid to the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives and fought to free their motherland from the clutches of the oppressors - British who ruled the country.


Significance of Independence Day

                  The day when India woke up to freedom back in 1947 was a day of great celebration. A country got rid of her foreign yoke and became a sovereign nation, she celebrated her sovereignty on this day - the triumph of numerous martyred souls. It was a day of fulfillment, it was the day of a new beginning, a birth of a nation.On the stroke of midnight, a country came into life again as the british handed over the governance of India to the Indian leaders.The long and difficult struggle had borne fruit at last, though the happiness was marred by the fact that the country was divided into India and Pakistan and the violent communal riots had left the countries permanently scarred.

That was the price that India paid for her dearly bought freedom. The british government declared the country independent and left for their own shores. On the 15th of August, 1947, India became completely independent. It was on this historic date that Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime Minister of India, unfurled the Indian tricolor on the ramparts the magnificent Red Fort, symbolically marking the end of the british colonial rule.
Independence Day celebrations in India

---- Independence Day is considered as a national holiday in India. The arrangement begins a month before the D-day and the roads are embellished with ribbons and Indian flags.
---- Flag-hoisting ceremonies are executed all over India by state governments. However, the chief event is conducted in the capital city of India, New Delhi where the Prime Minister of India unfurls the tricolor at the barricades of Red Fort which receives a salutation of 21 guns, and addresses the nation with his speech.
---- The Prime Minister’s speech holds major importance as it pays tribute to the great souls who sacrificed their lives for nation’s independence and reveals the achievements of the nation during the past year beside discussing significant issues and proposing steps for further growth.
---- A vibrant parade exhibiting India’s cultural multiplicity, emblematic portrayals of the nation’s developments in science and technology, a collaborative parade of India’s armed competencies by the three forces and patriotic skits and dramas by school children are an integral part of the Independence Day festivities.
---- On this day the skyline of the capital city gets sprinkled with innumerable multicolored kites. People indulge in kite flying competitions and children cheer aloud elevating the spirit of the day.

Role of religion in INDIA

In India, religion is a way of life. It is an integral part of the entire Indian tradition. For the majority of Indians, religion permeates every aspect of life, from common-place daily chores to education and politics. Secular India is home to Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and other innumerable religious traditions. Hinduism is the dominant faith, practised by over 80% of the population. Besides Hindus, Muslims are the most prominent religious group and are an integral part of Indian society. In fact India has the second largest population of Muslims in the world after Indonesia Common practices have crept into most religious faiths in India and many of the festivals that mark each year with music, dance and feasting are shared by all communities. Each has its own pilgrimage sites, heroes, legends and even culinary specialties, mingling in a unique diversity that is the very pulse of society.

Incredible INDIA

India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: भारतगणराज्य Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also Official names of India), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.18 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world.Mainland Indiais bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the east; and it is bordered by Pakistan to the west;China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north ; and Bangladesh and Burma to the east. India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, and the Maldives in the Indian Ocean, its Andaman and Nicobar Islands are also in the vicinity of the Indonesian island of Sumatra in the Andaman Sea, and in the Andaman Sea India also shares a maritime border with Thailand. India has a coastline of 7,517 kilometres (4,700 mi)

About India

In India, religion is a way of life. It is an integral part of the entire Indian tradition. For the majority of Indians, religion permeates every aspect of life, from common-place daily chores to education and politics. Secular India is home to Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and other innumerable religious traditions. Hinduism is the dominant faith, practised by over 80% of the population. Besides Hindus, Muslims are the most prominent religious group and are an integral part of Indian society. In fact India has the second largest population of Muslims in the world after Indonesia Common practices have crept into most religious faiths in India and many of the festivals that mark each year with music, dance and feasting are shared by all communities. Each has its own pilgrimage sites, heroes, legends and even culinary specialties, mingling in a unique diversity that is the very pulse of society.

SCINTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGIICAL MESSAGE OF INDIA

Iron tools and materials excavated by the Indian archeological survey group of scientists produced before 600 BC,from various archeological sites from India are axes, sickles, knives, tongs, building rods,pins, nails, clamps, spade, plough shade, hoe, chisel, discs, rings, spoons, pipes, sockets,plumb, bowl, chains, door hooks, door handles, hinges, tweezers , anvils, hammers, and scissors. Now you asses our technological capability existed 2500 years ago.

Changes in India by British upto 1947

British Imperialism brought about a lot of changes – both positive and negative — to India’s political and social reality. .

Let me give you some examples.
                                    The present Indian system of law is completely based on the British model. There existed a system of law prior to this, which is completely discarded. While there are a lot of advantages to this system of law, there are also great costs incurred in the loss of the original system. The present Indian schooling system also originated with the British. The railways – the largest in the word – were brought by the British. T S Eliot in England first suggested the teaching of English in Universities – this subject was not taught at universities until 1900 – and English was first taught in India as an experiment. The British set up major universities at places like Calcutta, Bombay and Chennai. The traditional practice of sati was abolished, which to me is a fantastic thing. The Brahmo Samaj was formed, and was influenced by Europeans. The English language itself was a very positive thing – in some respects – to have happened to India. There were many wonderful Britons who came here and did some great work.
                                     Every time a country is ruled by another,  there are advantages and disadvantages working at many levels on both sides. The British rule of India is no different. I’ve already cited some positive examples for you, now let me cite what might be perceived as negative – because of the British, the indigenous handicrafts industry was pushed out of the mainstream and till date, remains in the sidelines. The hierarchy of languages is such that English must be known and spoken in order to obtain a so called “respectable” job especially in urban India. There are no computer programs in any of the vernacular languages in Indian educational institutions, indeed the vernacular languages do have less of a currency than English.
                                     The cultural divide between Britain and India at the time of colonization was such that much of original Indian music, culture, arts and sciences and other disciplines lost out due to imperialism. One of the biggest political problems in India today – the strife between the Hindus and the Muslims – was first observed only after the British came to India. Prior to this, the Hindus and Muslims did not have major conflicts in the 1000 years of coexistence that they shared. Today, riots and endless warring over Kashmir are big political features. The partition is a big scar that both nations of India and Pakistan have had to endure. And I haven’t even talked about Bangladesh here. These are very tangible examples, and there are a other, more intangible ones which I will illustrate for you if you want. Everyone should have to read this .