How Independence Day is celebrated in India?

Independence Day Celebrations- India has gone through many years of dictatorship and has witnessed the suffering and sacrifice of many freedom fighters before getting its Independence in the year 1947. While celebrating Independence Day each year on 15th August, it gets mandatory to remember all those sacrifices that so many people have offered so that today we can live happily and comfortably in this free India. 

The History

Here are some of the events to show how India attained its freedom from the shackles of British rule. 

• The entry of the British in India

As per the pages of history, it was way back in 1608 AD when the British reached out to India with the motto of trade. India that time was a rich country that attracted the British empire initially to trade and then to take control of the country. Just after seven years, the first factory of the British Empire was started in India. 

• The Control 

Soon, by the year 1757, the East India Company took control of Bengal and slowly started expanding its rule and domination to other parts of the country too. Many of the kings of different states were forced to surrender under British rule.

• The Start of the Revolution

But not everyone was in favor of surrendering to British Rule. Eminent names such as Tipu Sultan and Lakshmi Bai started revolutions and defeated the British army so that other people of the country can also gain the courage to fight against British dominance.

• The First War of Independence

The first war of Independence was soon noticed in the year 1857 in which many of the important freedom fighters such as Mangal Pandey took place. 

Many of the freedom fighters of the country such as Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and many others took eminent part in fighting against British Rule to get a free India. 

• The Pressure on the British Empire

The fight for freedom was already on when a massive massacre took place in Jalianwala Bagh in the year 1920 where British soldiers killed 400 people in an enclosure with gunshots without any specific reason. This incident outraged the anger of the freedom fighters of the country even more and the fight became even violent. 

In such scenarios, Mahatma Gandhi came with the Non-Cooperative Movement and Swadeshi movement to defeat the British Rule without violence. He believed that the British are much advanced and this will lead to bloodshed of the Indians. Hence, he came up with the idea of defeating them through non-violence and started boycotting British-made goods and other activities. 

While Gandhiji was trying to defeat the British through non-violence, on the other hand, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was gearing up an entire regiment of soldiers to fight against the soldiers of the East India Company. It was in the year 1939 when he came up with the organization All India Forward Bloc that had some of the best soldiers. Netaji believed that India needs to have complete freedom and hence he came up with the Azad Hind Fauz. 

• Finally, the Independence

A combined effort of many such leaders and freedom fighters finally forced the East India Company to leave India. It was on 15th August 1947 when India got its Independence officially. 

How is Independence Day Celebrated?

The First Flag Hoisting

It was on the 15th of August in the year 1947 first when the Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted the tricolor National Flag of India at the Red Fort and gave his speech addressing free India. The event was celebrated with fireworks, parades, and many cultural events. From then onwards, it is a ritual that the Prime Minister of India will hoist the National Flag of India each year at the Red Fort. 

The Celebrations

Apart from the flag hoisting and the speech delivered by the Prime Minister of India, there is a series of events that take place at the Red Fort in honor of the country and remembering the freedom fighters and the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for freedom. Some of the activities that can be listed are here. 

• There are cultural events that take place to show a glance at different cultures that exist in the country. 
• The military group parade and the Air Force display airborne activities in honor of the country. 
• Awards are being distributed to the martyrs who have sacrificed their lives while fighting at the borders. 
• Special bravery awards are offered to the citizens who have done something extraordinary to save the lives of others. 

Celebration at Other Places

Apart from the Red Fort, flag hoisting is done at other different important places of the country too while singing the National Anthem. Different schools, colleges, and other places organize cultural activities to pay a tribute to the people who have been indulged in the freedom of the country. 

Each year Independence Day is celebrated with great pomp and joy. This year also the Independence Day activities will be held at the Red Fort at other places but special preventions will be maintained to keep the spread of coronavirus in check. 

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