Celebrating The First Independence Day: These Seniors Tell Us About The Day After Our Tryst With Destiny

How was India’s first Independence Day celebrated? These seniors take us back to August 15, 1947. 

Spending some family time on a national holiday, wishing each other Happy Independence Day, shuffling through TV channels to watch the live national flag hoisting program, listening to patriotic music and watching films on India’s struggle for freedom, taking part in some Independence Day exclusive events and relishing special lunch or dinner at home, – that’s how most of us generally observe August 15, our Independence Day. While all of us may have heard thrilling stories of our freedom fighters and their remarkable sacrifice, have you ever wondered what the first Independence Day back in 1947 was exactly like? How did India look like on her own after 200 years of colonialism? As we celebrate the 74th year of India’s freedom, Silver Talkies speaks to senior citizens who witnessed the first Independence Day celebration, over seven decades ago.

This nonagenarian was a part of the music band that performed on the first Independence Day

Rukmini Srinivas who is fondly called Rukka by her friends and family is 93 and her memories of the celebration of India’s first Independence are anything but faint. When Silver Talkies reached out to her, she was brimming with joy as she recollected those golden days.

Srinivas, who was born in Bangalore in 1927 and grew up in the British cantonment areas all over India as her father was an officer in the Military Accounts Department, had a dichotomy. “I went to British schools in Pune, Madras (now Chennai) and Jabalpur. There, our lives were about British customs and culture. We sang God Save our Gracious King for George the Sixth on every public occasion, we celebrated Christmas and read the King James Bible and Shakespeare. At home on the other hand, though my father loved English literature, and wore western clothes, the talk in the house was of the struggle for freedom. I remember distinctly my father took my sister and me to Yerawada Jail in Pune where Gandhiji and other freedom fighters had been imprisoned. He told us about the Dandi March and about Mahatma Gandhi’s life. We crossed the bridge at the Mula Mutha River and spent several moments staring at the cell where Gandhiji spent countless days, planning and hoping for a free India,” she says.

Rukmini Srinivas took part in the celebration of the first Independence Day on August 15, 1947

After finishing school in Pune, Srinivas went to Madras, joined the prestigious Queen Mary’s College in 1946 and was among the first generations of women to get a college education in free India.

“In college, I joined Manjubhashini’s Seva Dal and went every weekend from my hostel to practice drill and marching. She used to read to us stories of the freedom struggle, of Gandhiji’s and Nehru’s life. The following year of my joining Queen Mary’s College, India celebrated independence from British colonial rule. I was 20 years old then. Meanwhile, my professors had noticed that I had a good voice and was enthusiastic about the upcoming Independence day festivities. They selected me as one of six singers to train under Harindranath Chattopadhyay, the husband of Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, both noted freedom fighters. Harindranath played the harmonium and taught us the famous song, “Kadam kadam badaye ja, khushi se geet gaye ja!” I still remember the rousing tune to this day and sing it to my daughters.”

On August 15, 1947, Rukka, along with other students from the hostel marched in a parade all along the Marina to Fort St. George where the British flag, the Union Jack, used to fly on the ramparts. “On this momentous day, I remember how the Indian tricolor was hoisted and the British Union Jack was lowered. There were shouts of joy and applause while the band played. I felt very proud. We came back to a special dinner at the hostel mess that day. Our principal talked to us about the importance of education for girls and women in the new India,” says Srinivas who has written about her memories of pre-Independence India in her memoir and cookbook Tiffin: Memories and Recipes of Indian Vegetarian Food. At present, she is finishing a book on her memories of this exciting time in India’s history and other stories, titled Rukka’s Reminiscences.

India’s struggle for freedom shaped the life of this octogenarian

Indira Narsimhachar, 82, was 9 when she witnessed a new India on August 15, 1947. Recollecting the pre-Independence days, she says: My sister and I were living with our grandparents as my parents were in a remote place where there was no schooling facility. The elders at home excitedly used to read the newspaper and listen to radio news every day. They used to talk about freedom fighters which we listened to with excitement. We also got scared when we heard about the communal riots.

Communal riot before Independence

“I remember the first Independence Day very well,” she tells us.“There was excitement and joy everywhere. My grandfather hoisted the national flag on top of the house. We all saluted the flag. We had decorated the whole house with buntings. My grandmother made sweets and distributed them to all in the neighborhood. My grandfather sat glued to the radio. In school, we were taught the national anthem which we kept singing joyfully. Expressing how it felt to sing the National Anthem for the first time ever in free India is beyond words.”

Freedom was indeed precious for these super silvers and so it is for all of us. We thank them for sharing with us what liberty means in its truest sense.

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