"Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav" is the legacy of India's freedom struggle

- Makrand Mehta

Since India gained independence from the British Empire on 15 August 19 and hoisted the tricolor flag, the country has made astonishing progress in many areas in terms of political and social values ​​in line with democracy and republicanism. Pakistan developed a military dictatorship, India developed the rituals of democracy. Therefore, it is natural for India to celebrate the nectar festival of independence in 2021. India's freedom struggle is unique in the history of freedom struggles around the world because it was a massive movement based on truth and non-violence. These were the strengths as well as the weaknesses of the Lok Sabha. His knowledge is important. There is so much to learn from this fight today.

The need for a composite culture

According to him, Mahatma Gandhi's "composite culture" and Hindu-Muslim unity could not survive. On the basis of religion, Muhammad Ali Zina and the Muslim League finally took Pakistan! "Hindus and Muslims are two different communities, cultures and nations" - a script written by Dhruv Sharchauh Riyadh in advance by the British imperialists. The British saw that Hindus and Muslims had united in a violent revolution against them in 15-7, which was in line with the American Revolution of 18-19. The British adopted a "divide and rule" diplomacy after crushing it. Of these, the All India Muslim League was formed in 1908 and after 190 it was transformed into the Pakistan Movement. Hind was divided. Gandhiji failed, Jinnah and the British came true.

From this point of view, the biggest lesson of India's freedom struggle is that if India today has progressed through its unbearable poverty, unemployment and economic inequality, it will have to develop the values ​​and institutions of civil society by separating religion from politics. For that, secular national identity has to be enhanced by keeping 'religion' under some control. How long is the religious craze at the expense of national unity ?! Apart from Gandhiji, Sardar Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, martyrs like Bhagat Singh had a liberal attitude towards religion, including friendship between Hindus-Muslims-Sikhs-Christians-Jains and untouchability programs.

India's freedom struggle: There is a huge mass movement ...

Another feature of Bharat Ratna's freedom struggle is its enormous mass movement. Tilak, Gokhale, Gandhiji Dadabhai Navroji, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Subhash Chandra Bose, Veer Savarkar, Shamjikrishna Verma, Madam Bhikhaiji Kama and Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya. Besides, without the cooperation of millions of farmers, tribals, dalits, industrial workers, farm laborers and other laborers, the British would not have been forced to leave India. Big movements are started by the leaders, but they lead the masses to success. Swadeshi Andolan (1906-1906), Kheda Satyagraha (1917), Asaharanu Andolan (120-9), Bardoli Satyagraha (15), Civil Disobedience Movement and Dandikucha (120-9)

Civil Society: A humble society

Bharat Ratna's freedom movement was manifested in modern thinking and rituals. Gandhiji's religious identity, his identity as a Hindu was also strong. Even so, his Hindu religion was not narrow-minded, it had a spirit of interfaith harmony and communal sincerity, and it was in tune with the most advanced democracy and republican system. This spirit of Gandhiji was derived from the elements of "unity in diversity" of Indian culture. Gandhiji's greatest contribution was that he drew the various strings of religion, spirituality, economics, politics and sociology and on the one hand fought non-violent struggle for freedom and on the other hand he fought for nationalism Joined the programs. In this way a tremendous "anti-imperialist mass movement" took place in India.

The schools held programs of national anthems and gave sweets to the students in padia

On 18th August, in addition to the Bhadra fort in the Kot area of ​​Ahmedabad, the Himabhai Institute, Manek Chowk, Victoria Garden and hotels, shops and cinema theaters, as well as the polo, streets and mahallas were lit up. Amidst dazzling colorful lights, scores of people waved small national flags and greeted each other. Colorful fireworks, sparklers, air were giving vitality to the atmosphere. The enthusiasm of the students of the school was nothing. Many schools held programs of national anthems and gave sweets to the students in padia. Cities like Surat and Vadodara also celebrated this festival with much fanfare.

A few days before independence there was a fundamental dispute between the Sardar and the Mahatma

Gandhiji was fasting in Bengal on this Zadi day. Bengal was ablaze with the bloodshed of Hindus and Muslims. In the border districts, Muslims were slaughtering Hindus and Hindus were slaughtering Muslims. Gandhiji said on August 15: "Tomorrow India will be free but the country will be divided. More important to me than freedom of mind is communal unity. ”August 15 was Gandhiji's day of good introspection and self-purification. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of Independent India at that time. They were Delhi. He was more realistic than Gandhiji. A few days before independence, there was a fundamental dispute between the Sardar and the Mahatma. Sardar said: "Today, independent India is not free without building a strong armed force. It will be much needed against enemies. Independent India will have to set up brand new state-of-the-art industries. ”In fact, there were sharp differences between Gandhiji and Vallabhbhai from within. Communal violence was rampant. Sardar's attitude towards that too was quite different from Gandhiji's. This kind of clear talk about Independence Day is like freeing me today. Vallabhbhai was not a Mahatma. They believed in the policy of "like with like" !!

'Kismat' film and freedom struggle

In the same year that the country-wide 'Leave India' movement took place on August 15, Ashok Kumar, Mumtaz Shanti, comedian actor V.H. The film 'Kismat', starring actors like Desai, Shahnawaz, David and Mubarak, was released in Indian cinema theaters. A play is played in this film. In addition to the bugles, drums and other instruments that pierce the ears, the freedom fighters sing along with the Hindi soldiers. In the background is a map of India and next to it is a statue of Mother India. Men and women from different communities like Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains, Christians sing this national anthem. He showed the leaven of patriotism like the 'Azad Hind Foj' during the freedom struggle and with it the spirit of communal sincerity. This song has been forgotten from the public memory today. But he drove the whole of India crazy at one time. It gave a new impetus to the freedom struggle. On the one hand, at the time of the "anti-imperialist war" in the form of the 19th World War, Japan had conquered Singapore and Burma and was preparing to strike at Calcutta. The "Azad Hind Foj" was prepared by Subhash Chandra Bose. The song was composed during such a crisis. It was composed by the poet Pradeep (Ramchandra Dwivedi) who later composed the song "A Mere Watan Ke Logo, Zara Ankhmein Bhar Lo Pani, Jo Shahid Hue Hain Unki, Zara Yaad Karo Qurbani" in memory of the Indian martyrs of the 19th Indo-China War. Leave Hind on the 19th or quote a song from the movie 'Kismat' during the August Revolution.

"Aaj Himalaya ki choti se phir humne lalkara hai

Far be it, far be it ye ​​worldly Hindustan is ours.

Here is our Taj Mahal, or Qutub Minara,

Here we have Mandir Masjid Sikho Ka Gurudwara,

The atrocities on this earth are yours, the atrocities are yours,

Far be it from the world, Hindustan is ours.

Shuru hua hai jung tumhara jag utho hindustani,

Tum na kisi ke aage zukna german ho ya japani,

Aaj sabhi ke liye ye hi to minara hai,

Far away, far away, far away, the worldly Hindustan is ours,

Jai Hind, Jai Hind, Jai Hind, Jai Hind. "

Poet Pradeep referred to "German Ho Ya, Japanese" so that the British regime would not seize the national anthem. But all Hindustanis knew from the inside out against whom this national anthem was composed and sung !!

Those who had home radio were listening to Azadi commentary on one side and music played by Ustad Bismillah Khan and his party on the other side.

India gained independence after one hundred and fifty years of slavery. The British flag was flown at Union Jack from the historic Red Fort in Delhi and the Indian tricolor flag was hoisted. August 14 was celebrated all over the country by towns, villages, educated and uneducated. There were huge fireworks in the courtyard. TV at the time. There were no sets and no mobiles. Even the rich did not have a telephone at home. The news of independence was relayed to our country on the radio along with the national anthems. At the moment when the Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru lowered the Union Jack from the top of the Red Fort and waved the tricolor flag, the world famous saranai player Ustad Bismillah Khan played Mars music from the saranai. Those who had a home radio were listening to freedom commentary on the one hand and music played by Ustad Bismillah Khan and his party on the other.