Independence Days of Yore

For our Independence Day special this year, we asked readers to send us their memories via articles or photographs. This year we got a number of responses that spoke of the awe and respect that great leaders like Pandit Nehru and Gandhiji inspired in people. We also have a very sweet account by an animal lover that tells of life in a world very different from now. Some of you also sent photographs with interesting stories. Here’s a look at our Independence Day special this year, created for our readers, by our readers. Jai Hind!

Dr. V Balambal, Chennai

I remember the first anniversary of our Independence day. I was studying in St. Peter’s school in 5th Std at Tanjavur. We were asked to come in white pavadai blouse with two plaits with white ribbons and flowers. We were happy to attend the function as our headmaster hoisted the flag. He spoke about Gandhi and Nehru and how we got our freedom. No outsiders were there. We sang Aaduvome pallu paaduvome and the National Anthem. We were given sweets. We chatted with our friends and returned home. The station, bus stand and shops were illuminated in the evening. There were no buses, only walking. Happy days.

Late KM Tiwari (Sent by daughter-in-law Rachna) 

These are pictures of KM Tiwari, who retired as President, Forest Research Institute in Dehradun. It has been sent by his daughter-in-law Rachna, who had this to say: He was the only person in India who received the Padmshree from Gyani Zail Singh for his excellent work and contribution in Social Forestry on 26th Jan 1984. He has written many books on Social Forestry and about his jungle experience, including tales for kids about animals named ‘Van Jeev aur Jan Jeevan.’ He settled in Lucknow after retirement and expired in 1994. The picture on horseback is from one of his jungle adventures during his tenure at work and involves probably, jurisdiction and exploring one of the jungles in UP.

Vijay Chawla, 69, Delhi

I am sending you the old memories of of the past which have faded in my mind. Once when I was studying in 7th or 8th class then Pandit Nehru had come in D.A.V. College, Ambala City. Then I observed a large crowd of people who came there for listening to Pt. Nehru. Then there was so excitement and josh in the mind of people. The sound of Pt. Nehru had so much impact and influence in the environment which I felt in my heart even today while thinking of the said day. During those days I after getting influenced by my Hindi class teacher joined Shakha which was the preliminary stage of R.S.S.( Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) I went to attend the same for one or two years. I also witnessed Independence day in Police Lines of Ambala City (Haryana) in my young age. There was a great rejoicing at that time. Policemen march past and the national flag was unfurled. One thing which struck my mind of old days that the atmosphere in which we play with our friends was altogether different i.e. , feelings of insecurity was very less as compared to the present state of things.

Ashok Jain, 75, Delhi

Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

We lived in a small industrial town in Bihar around that time and my mother and father had been active in the Independence movement. Once as we were growing upwe asked if we could meet Gandhiji and we went all the way to Patna to see him. There has been a huge change in the way we viewed political leaders and accessibility we had and I feel very hurt that it has changed. For me, this is one of the strongest memories. We were lucky as the environment was different. We felt part of nation building.

Why can’t I, in conversation and activities, no longer share with others the joy of being a proud Indian like I used to as a child or as college student during the early years of independence anymore? As children, collectively we spent hours making the Tricolor and trying to hoist it at the highest accessible point, with water streams for rivers, cotton pads for snow covered mountain peaks, taking out Prabhat Pheri processions shouting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, walking up to leaders to shake hands and get autographs. The country belonged to us; we saw ourselves as part of nation building.

That has changed. National building is now seen as a job of the Government. We have become passive beneficiaries, sufferers or protesters.

Rosline Valsala, 59, Bangalore 

This incident is not really about Independence Days and dates back to when I was about 7 years old. A friend of mine, who was also a neighbour living across the fence, had a feast at her place one evening. I was invited for the same. However being a vegetarian I was quite disappointed when she told me that they will be making dosa and chicken curry. She showed me a cock tied to a tree that they planned to behead in the evening as an offering to God and then cook into chicken curry. As a consolation my friend told me that she will bring me sweets in the evening and went away.

I love animals, so once she left I quietly went across the fence and untied the cock and put it in a bag and ran away from there. I took it to a well and put it inside telling that it will be safe there and I will come back next morning with a lot of rice for it the next day.

By the time I was home, the neighbours had discovered the cock was missing and were unable to place him. In the end they concluded that a fox must have taken it away. I kept quiet about all this and as promised I went next day with a bag of rice, the moment I could sneak away. However to my horror the rooster had been gobbled up by a snake. I was devastated and I cried for whole week. I could not relate this to anyone as I felt very guilty, not even to my grandmother. I was 20 when I told a soul about it.

Vathsala Madhavan, 65, Bangalore

This was while I was going to government all girls middle school. It was quite a chore for my mother to get us ready , with white uniforms (long skirt , blouse and white tape , kaakada or jasmine for my double long ‘pinnal’ or jade (in kannada) . My mother was busier than us as it was rainy season and she had to get the uniforms washed , dried and ironed . We never went to school alone! Along the way, we picked other classmates; we always walked to school, unless it rained! It was a km away. The function started with a prayer. I had two cousins, both good vocalists learning classical musicin my school ; invariably they always sang for all ocassions at school ! We did kolam, drill with lazeems, danced to ‘Tharakka bindige na nee reege hoguve/thare bindigeya bindige odedare moore kasu thare bindige ya.’ There was flag hoisting by some VIP ; then distribution of some laddu, candy or some goodies and we all dispersed shouting: Vande mathram , Bharath matha ki jai

Indu Ramesh, Bangalore

I was just ten when we became independent. We were living in a pace called Tarikere in the old Mysore state. I was ill , but my mother woke me up at near midnight to join the procession organised by some people. I wore all the warm clothes and went out to join them. I was farely well known as somebody who could sing at all occasions. At midnight my friend from school and me had the honour of singing VandeMataram at the town square. It was motley crowd of students, merchants etc, but we really thought we became fully independent on that day.

Rameeza Rasheed, Chennai

I celelebrated my first independence day when I was 5 years old and when I was in the 1st standard, i.e. in 1952.

The usual singing, flag hoisting and sweet distribution and a guest’s speech were there. One girl was decorated as Bhrath Matha in white sari and a crown and she was carrying a big Indian flag. Then she gave a speech on the relevance of independence and made mention of great freedom fighters like Gandhiji and Nehru and some local freedom fighters.

But when I was in the fourth standard, notices were pasted on Independence Day on the walls informing about a meeting in the evening in the ground near the Big bazar of our village I attended that meeting with a senior citizen known to me. All those who gathered there were given sweets, stamp size national flags and pins. All of us pinned it on our blouses and shirts. The loud speakers were playing Bharadhiyar songs. Then, the VIPs of the village belonging to different communities were seated on the stage. All of them gave short speeches and talked about Gandiji’s leadership and the sacrifices of every one. The village school girls presented a dance programme on Bharadiar songs.

But I vividly remember one thing. When the National Anthem was sung everyone stood in attention position in silence and the emotion of patriotism filled us from head to foot. The same feeling we had on every independence day celebration. Every house used to hoist the Indian flag. All the shops used to be decorated .

I am a college professor (now retired) But now I am very surprised when I see VIPs and the guest speaker invited for Independence Day and other occasions in colleges bend down their heads as if in mourning and stand at ease position when National Anthem is sung and the students talk without any patriotic feeling and many youngsters do not know to sing it. I often wonder whether their School teachers have taught them the courtesies to be shown to the flag and National Anthem or not.

Sasanka Sekhar Chakraborty, 71, Kolkata

If you ask me about one memory that’s seared in my mind, it is probably from sometime just before Gandhiji’s death in 1948. Gandhiji and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had visited Kolkata (then Calcutta) for a meeting. I went with my dad and must’ve been around 6 years old. I remember walking quite a part of the distance with a sea of people. We also boarded a bus at some point and all the tickets were free on that day. What I remember the most was the crowd of people to see Pandit Nehru and Gandhiji and hear them speak. More than anything there was the infectious excitement and energy of everyone around. These were leaders who gave us hope and people believed in them. To have been part of that even at such a young age, feel and understand it, was amazing.