How India celebrated 67th Independence Day

There was a display of grandeur, laced with India’s rich cultural heritage, when the country celebrated her 67th anniversary of Independence from Britain. From Andhra Pradesh to Arunachal Pradesh, Bombay to Bengaluru, Chennai to Chhattisgarh, Delhi to Durgapur, Gujarat to Goa, Haryana to Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala up to Tamil Nadu and Tripura, display […]

There was a display of grandeur, laced with India’s rich cultural heritage, when the country celebrated her 67th anniversary of Independence from Britain. From Andhra Pradesh to Arunachal Pradesh, Bombay to Bengaluru, Chennai to Chhattisgarh, Delhi to Durgapur, Gujarat to Goa, Haryana to Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala up to Tamil Nadu and Tripura, display patriotism rented the air, with the entire nation – men, women and children – participating.
Located in the south of the Asian continent, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, India is a member of BRIC [Brazil, Russia, India and China] nations and one of the fastest growing economies of the world. The country is also as diverse as it is unique. India has a population of 1.2 billion people (as at 2011), over 1600 languages, 15 of which are recognized as national languages, and at least six major religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity and Jainism.
The country is also believed to be the most populous democracy in the world.
From the places I visited in the North, South and East of the country, I found that the country has so much variety in food, people and culture. India covers an area of 3.29 million square kilometres and is the seventh-largest country by area. Due to this size, it requires many days of train journey or hours in the plane to go round the entire country. For instance, a Muslim pilgrim from Nigeria travelling by air will reach Saudi Arabia and comfortably rest before an inter-state Indian traveler reaches his destination. It is like visiting different countries within a nation.
Nothing conveys this more than the fact that GSM service providers will be charging you on roaming, when using ‘a local SIM [subscriber identification module] card meant for a different state. Most of the states have different languages and scripts that a person from Andhra Pradesh who speaks Telegu could neither read nor write in Tamil which is used in Tamil Nadu.
The seven sister states of Northeastern India have their unique and distinct features also. Yet they remain as one nation. 
In terms of diversity, by the figures of 2011 census, Uttar Pradesh as state has the population of 199.5 million which is bigger than the most populous African nation – Nigeria. Most of the states I visited in Indian are bigger and more populated than many countries in Africa. I saw the Nigerian motto of “Unity and Faith Peace and Progress” effectively deployed, domesticated and exploited.
The long time thirst for travelling abroad to widen the scope of my intellectual horizon spurred me to leave Africa for Asia. I embarked on what many will refer to as transcontinental expedition. The popular Hausa musician Dankwairo says “Yawo yana kara ilimi” meaning travelling widens one’s knowledge.
Wherever I visited, I was given a red carpet treatment, shown invaluable hospitality in a friendly atmosphere. It, no doubt, showed me the courteous culture of the inhabitants of what I have come to constantly refer to as the Incredible India. It was an exhibition of Indo-African fraternity wherever I visited – Kolkata, Hyderabad, Delhi and Bombay.
I found in them the true meanings of the benefits of travelling as enunciated by Imamu Shafi’i – relief adversity, earning of livelihood, knowledge acquisition, etiquettes and noble companionship. Hence, the imperative of the Qur’anic injunction that says “travel in the land” was crystal clear and palpable to me. 
Then, came August 15, 2013.  It was the day India got Independence from British colonial rule. This year was the celebration of the 67th Independence Anniversary with early morning hosting of the tri-color flag, patriotic songs and floral tributes to the founding fathers, and many other forms of patriotic display.
President of India Shri Pranab Mukherje said in a speech he delivered to nation on the eve of the anniversary celebration that: “My thoughts turn first towards the Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, who shaped our liberation struggle and the martyrs who made supreme sacrifice for the freedom of our country and great patriots whose relentless struggle liberated our motherland from the colonial rule of nearly two hundred years.
“Gandhiji sought freedom from both foreign rule as well as the indigenous social chains that had imprisoned our society for long. He launched   every Indian on a path of self-belief and hope for a better future. Gandhiji promised Swaraj – self-rule based on tolerance and self-restraint,” he said in a televised speech that was broadcasted live across the length and breadth of the country.
Legendary figures such as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh, Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam wrote their names with golden ink on the indelible history of India’s freedom from British colonial rules and prior to partition of Pakistan and separation with Bangladesh.
President Mukherje said that the country has reached a level of self-sufficiency in food production, adding that it is the largest exporter of rice and second largest exporter of wheat in the world.
With a sound steps on information technology, health care delivery among others, he said that the country has emerged as one of the fastest growing nations with an annual growth rate of 7.9 per cent.
Mukherkjee also renewed commitment to poverty eradication, industrial transformation, rapid creation of employment of opportunities, orderly urbanization process and heavy investment in various ramifications of the education sector saying, “We cannot aspire to be a world class power without a single world class university”.
On trans-border relationship, the president said “despite India’s consistent efforts to build friendly relations with neighbors, there have been tensions on boarder and repeated violation of Ceasefire on Line of Control, leading to tragic loss of lives”.
“Our commitment to peace is unfailing, but even our patience has limits. All steps necessary to ensure internal security and protect the territorial integrity of the nation will be taken,” he said.
Pomp preceded by explosion
Despite the pomp, the celebration was preceded by an explosion that rocked a navy submarine in the commercial city of Mumbai with 18 of the country’s navy personnel reported missing on the eve of independence. The likely deaths and damage, described as the worst blow to the Indian navy since a 1971 war with Pakistan, prompted a review of the country’s submarine.
Indian National Dailies report that explosion which ensued on board INS Sindhurakshak, a Russian-made Kilo class submarine of the Indian Navy; occurred 3am on Wednesday. The smoke of the incidence was seen in many parts of South Mumbai.
The incidence was considered as a major setback to the nation’s navy as the fate of 18 on board of 2,300 tons submarine powered by a combination of diesel generators and electric batteries is shrouded in mystery.   
“There are some people who are trapped on board, we are in the process of trying to rescue them, we suspect it to be in the range of 18” navy spokesman PVS Satish said.
Many sailors on board were said to have jumped for safety as the submarine sank in the dockyard while the injured were reportedly taken to naval hospital INHS Ashvini in Colaba.
Whatever the case, the celebration of Independence in India was something to reckon with. It remains a celebration of the emancipation from the shackles of alien domination.