Red Fort, Old Delhi ( Source: Neera Sahni)
India became an independent nation from the British Raj in 1947. On 15th August 2021, thousands of kilometres away from Indian shores, Indian diaspora is celebrating the commencement of the 75th Indian Independence Anniversary year in Australia.
India's struggle for independence started in 1857 with the Sepoy Mutiny in Meerut and it gained momentum after the First World War. British rule in India began in 1757, following the British victory at the Battle of Plassey. Thereafter, the English East India Company began exercising control over the country. The East India Company ruled India for 100 years, until it was replaced by British Raj in the wake of the Indian Mutiny, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny in Meerut in 1857–58. The Indian independence movement gained momentum during World War I, led by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi), who advocated for peaceful and nonviolent end to British rule.
The Independence Day is celebrated on August 15 every year to commemorate India’s freedom from the British Raj in 1947, and the establishment of a free and independent Indian nation. After independence, India became the world's largest democracy after the United Kingdom Parliament passed the Indian Independence Act 1947, transferring legislative sovereignty to the Indian Constituent Assembly.
Independence Day also marks the anniversary of India’s partition into India and Pakistan which occurred at midnight on August 14–15, 1947. In Pakistan, Independence Day is celebrated on 14 August every year. During the partition of India in 1947, violent riots, mass casualties, and displacement of nearly 15 million people took place amid religious violence. As new borders were drawn by Cyril Radcliffe, the world map changed forever. This was the biggest mass migration in human history. Over 500,000 people were killed in hostile clashes in both India and Pakistan.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was appointed free India’s first Prime Minister and he delivered his inaugural address titled "Tryst with Destiny":
“Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall 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. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity."
Full speech can be accessed here
On 15 August 1947, the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru raised the Indian national flag above the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort in Delhi (now Old Delhi). On each subsequent Independence Day, the incumbent Prime Minister customarily raises the flag and gives an address to the nation.
The President of India delivers the “Address to the Nation” on the eve of Independence Day. Independence Day is observed throughout India with flag-hoisting ceremonies, parades and cultural events. In the national capital, Prime Minister hoists the Indian flag at Red Fort, historic monument in Old Delhi and twenty-one-gun shots are fired in honour of the occasion is concluded by singing of the Indian national anthem.
This day holds great significance in the heart of every Indian citizen living in India and abroad. Independence Day is observed with pride and honour in all Indian states and union territories. There are 3 National Holidays in India:
- Independence Day - 15 August, celebrate the freedom from British Raj
- Republic Day - 26 January, celebrate the date on which the Constitution of India came into effect on 26, January 1950
- Mahatma Gandhi's birthday - 2 October, is commemorated in India as Gandhi Jayanti and worldwide as the International Day of Nonviolence. This day is to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution to free India
This year, because of the pandemic, we all observe the day from the safety of our home, maintain all social distancing and safety guidelines, and keep us and our community safe. That would be the true spirit of Independence Day. To celebrate Independence Day Council is showcasing a range of historical articles and stories for the community to explore. Click here
As we celebrate Independence Day, take a look at these pictures captured when India 'made its tryst with destiny.'
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru addresses the nation from Red Fort on Independence Day, August 15, 1947. (Source: Express archive photo)
Jawaharlal Nehru, as he delivered his famous 'tryst with destiny' speech on the midnight of August 15, 1947. (Source: Express archive photo)
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru during the midnight session of the Constituent Assembly of India held on 14 and 15 August 1947. (Source: Express archive photo)
People throng North Block and South Block on August 15, 1947. (Source: Express archive photo)
Distinguished audience is seen watching Jawaharlal Nehru delivering his famous 'tryst with destiny' speech on the midnight of August 15, 1947. (Source: Express archive photo)
This rare 1947 photograph provided by the Ministry of Defence shows Lord Mountbatten, Edwina Mountbatten and Jawaharlal Nehru at the first Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi. A report in Fauji Akhbar said Mountbatten and Nehru rescued children lost in the crowds by making them board the state coach. (Source: Express archive photo)
Jawaharlal Nehru is seen delivering his famous 'tryst with destiny' speech on August 15, 1947. (Source: Express archive photo)
Mountbatten, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Dr. Rajendra Prasad in a pleasant interlude at the Independence Day session of the Constituent Assembly on August 15, 1947. (Source: Express archive photo)
Neera Sahni, Research Services Leader, Parramatta Heritage Centre, City of Parramatta, 2022
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/75th-Independence-Day-india
Independence Day pictures from 1947 you must see | The Indian Express
The Partition of India and Creation of Pakistan (thoughtco.com)