As I took out my white saree with red border, I loved to feel the crispness of the handloom material. The “Shada shaadi laal paat” as it is called in Bengal. I loved it. It reminded me of a lot of my childhood activities. How we used to wear it and dance the “Brotochari “dance – a dance typical of Bengal. How we used to wear it and sing songs on Sri Ramakrishna Paramahans sitting in a lorry with his big photo and a lot of us singing songs in his glory. It took me back to the time when during Independence Day in School we used to wear it and sing patriotic songs. Yes, the saree sure reminded me of many things and today my daughter was going to wear it.

After so many years in Kolkata, I got married and came to Mumbai. But today, we were on our way back to Kolkata. My daughter’s school had organized an All India Folk Dance Competition in which she got selected. She was to wear a Bengali sari in the dance as she was a part of the West Bengal dance. The Finals were to be held at a school in Kolkata. So I was to go back to my alma mater to see the Independence Day Celebrations at the school and the finals of the dance competition.

As the Gitanjali Express chugged into Howrah Station I was beside myself with nostalgia and emotions. Filled with pride that my daughter was to perform on August 15, Independence Day, I made all preparations to catch it on camera.

The next day was August 14, and it was the preliminary practice session time. The next day dawned and the stage was set.

“Why is Independence Day so important Mom?” asked my daughter with her grubby hands soiling my white kurta. With half her teeth gone in the front, she looked a picture of innocence. I told her that today was the day when India our land got freed from the bondages of British rule. We celebrate Independence Day in honor of that freedom I told her.

“So what do we do on that day>?” My daughter was under the impression that the day is celebrated only with such programmes. But she didn’t know that the day was to commemorate our independence. I told her how it is a national holiday and how there are ceremonies held all over India.

“We hoist the flag on this day, and sing the National Anthem. We salute the flag. In New Delhi, the capital of India, there is a big programme held with a lot of pageants and parades. The Prime Minister gives a speech at the Red Fort.” I said.

“Red Fort?” asked my daughter. I said yes the Red Fort, where the national flag is hoisted and there is a telecast all over India of the speech that the Prime Minister gives from here.

“What does he say in the speech?” asked Kavya my daughter. I told her just like she does her homework; the Prime Minister also does his homework by taking care of the needs of the country and then reports to the entire nation on this day. He raises important programmes, issues and asks the country to remain united.

“I like Independence Day because I get a holiday on that day!” exclaimed my daughter with a cry of glee.

Nodding my head at her innocence my thoughts drifted to 1946, when the Labor Government in Britain decided that the British rule has to end in India. This was due to a lack of exchequer which was completely eaten up by the World War II. Indians were getting restless and I remembered reading how in early days of the year 1947, Britain finally acceded to the restlessness of the countrymen in India.

Having made clear that the power wouldn’t be transferred till the year 1948, the growing turbulence between the Hindus and Muslims was a cause of worry for all.

“Mamma, tell me the story of India’s independence, please” tugged Kavya as we made our way into the dormitory of the school where we were put up. Tucking her into bed, she listened wide eyed as I told her how the British Viceroy Lord Mountbatten, decided that the date for submission of power had to happen before 1948 and how finally in June 1947, all the Indian leaders decided that the country had to be partitioned.

“Who were the leaders, Mamma?” asked Kavya. I told that they were Abul Kalam Azad, Pandit Nehru, B. R. Ambedkar, Mohammed Ali Jinnah and many others.

I told her how India got partitioned into India and Pakistan and how people crossed the borders and became refugees and how the Sikh region got divided into two. She was upset to learn about the amount of bloodshed that was there and was intrigued to know that Independence Day in Pakistan was on August 14, 1947 and in India is in August 15, 1947,.

“So what do we do on this day?” asked Kavya. I told her how Pandit Nehru became the first Prime Minister and gave his famous speech of the Tryst with Destiny and how Louis Mountbatten was the first Governor General of India.

“Yes, Yes, I know that bit. I know the speech and she started ranting away “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 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.”

I laughed at my daughter as she was out of breath. I laughed at how I had taught her this speech as part of a programme at school.

Flushed with all the information she just gave, Kavya asked more about the day.

I said, “Today on this day, the Prime Minister of India hoists the National Flag in the Red Fort in Delhi.”

“I also want to go there and see.” Said Kavya. I told her she can see it live on national television. All over the ceremonies are held. “Tomorrow you can see one of them here too.” I assured her.

The next morning we went to the school where the celebrations were to take place. At 8.00 a.m sharp the flag was hoisted by the Principal of the school. Before that they broke a coconut and then hoisted the flag. As the flag went up in the air, all of us saluted and sang the National Anthem. There were children from the school who also sang the National Song. Then we all stood to attention to the cry of Bharat Mata ki Jai and “Jai Hind”. We were all given a badge to wear bearing the tricolor. Then pedas were distributed as also chocolates.

WE then sat in the stadium and witnessed the march past by the school band. To the sound of patriotic tunes the school athletic group performed a march past. Then there was a tableau wherein all the states of India were showcased. There was a group performing bhangra, and then another performing garba, while there was a third performing the South Indian Kolattam. While one group performed the Rajasthani dance, there was another doing the Bihu dance of Assam, a third performing to the tune of the Santal of West Bengal. Kavya liked the Naga dance the best and she clapped till her hands ached.

With all this in tow, she was amazed to see the myriad of colors that were around her. After the dance pageant, there was a song parade. Each group was singing the song of their respective state. While one sang the Rabindra Sangeet, another group was singing the Baul Song of West Bengal; there were lavni songs from Maharashtra and Ras leela songs from Gujarat.

Laden with a lot of experience of the entire country and fully charged, Kavya was a picture of absolute patriotism and true Indianness when her programme finally started in the evening in the indoor auditorium of the school. Dressed like a true Bengali princess she looked every bit a participant of an Independence Day programme. As she enacted the song dance sequence to the tune of the song “Ek baar bidaai de ma” featuring the martyrdom of Khudiram Bose, I was happy we were here and was happy I could furnish her with all this experience which she certainly would cherish always.

Word to the Diary – Mera Bharat Mahaan. Jai Hind

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