"At the stroke of midnight, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom" - Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister on the eve of India's independence in 1947.
The Independence Day, celebrated on August 15 every year marks the day in 1947 when India achieved freedom from British rule.The most important celebration is held at the Red Fort in Delhi where the Prime Minister unfurls the Indian Flag and then addresses the nation.Around the country similar Flag Hoisting Ceremonies are held at the State, district and school levels.
Various celebrations are held to mark this day. The biggest function is held in Delhi near the India Gate where a spectacular parade is organized. The President of India unfurls the Indian Flag, which is followed by the singing of the national anthem and a 21 gun salute to the republic.
The President also takes salute of the contingents of Armed Forces which march by. Other participants in the parade include folk dancers and schoolchildren in colourful dresses.
One of the most awaited moments of each Republic Day parade is the elephant back parade of the children who have won the national award for bravery. Each year the government honors children for acts of bravery as varied as helping catch fleeing robbers and saving the life of a little brother by daring to fight a tiger!
A stunning fly-past of fighter planes and flower showering helicopters, decorated tableaus and pageants showing the culture of individual states are some of the major attractions watched by millions.
At the end of the ceremony balloons in the Indian flag colours are released in the sky.
Similar functions are organized at the State and district level.
Three days after the Republic day parade, a moving ceremony known as "Beating Retreat" is held at the Vijay Chowk in New Delhi. The retreat ceremony revives an ancient war custom according to which troops used to stop fighting at sunset. Bugles announcing the sunset used to sound in the battlefield. As soon as soldiers heard these bugles they would stand still in the battlefield the war would be stopped for the day.At the 'beating retreat' after the parade and ceremonial march by around 30 contingents of the armed forces, the notes of the old hymn, Abide With Me, are played. The bands fall silent midway and in the silence that follows a single bugler continues the hymn. The final notes fade away-marking the formal end of the Republic Day!
National Emblem
The National Emblem is used on all important documents of the country. It is also stamped on the currency of India.
The State Emblem was adopted by the Government of India on January 26, 1950.
The National Emblem features Four lions standing back to back on a platform. There is a wheel in the centre of the platform. A bull stands on the right of the wheel and a horse on its left. If you see the corners of the base you'll spot the outlines of other wheels.
The words Satyameva Jayate ('Truth Alone Triumphs') from an ancient book the Mundaka Upanishad are written below the picture in Hindi.
Did you know?
The design of the National Emblem has been taken from the Lion sculpture on the top of the Ashokan Pillar at Sarnath. But there are some differences. In the original, there are four lions, standing back to back, mounted on a platform carrying sculptures of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening wheels over a bell-shaped lotus.
National Song
The song Vande Mataram, composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterji is India's National Song.
Why Vande Mataram?The song was chosen because it had inspired many people during India's struggle for freedom.
The following is the text of the first stanza of the National Song:
Vande Mataram! Sujalam, suphalam, malayaja shitalam, Shasyashyamalam, Mataram! Shubhrajyothsna pulakitayaminim,Phullakusumita drumadala shobhinim, Suhasinim sumadhura bhashinim, Sukhadam varadam, Mataram!
Here is the English translation of the stanza by Sri Aurobindo:
I bow to thee, Mother,richly-watered, richly-fruited,cool with the winds of the south, dark with the crops of the harvests, The Mother!Her nights rejoicing in the glory of the moonlight, her lands clothed beautifully with her trees in flowering bloom, sweet of laughter, sweet of speech, The Mother, giver of boons, giver of bliss.
The National Animal
The National animal is the majestic tiger (Panthera tigris). The tiger is a big 'wild' cat with a thick yellow coat of fur, marked with dark stripes.
It's strength and speed make it one of the most feared animals in the jungle.
The tiger has been the favorite animal of hunters and much in demand for its skin. Poaching or illegal killing of the animal still continues in many parts of the country despite the government's ban on it.
Did you know? To check the dwindling population of tigers in India, 'Project Tiger' was launched in April 1973. So far, 23 tiger reserves have been established in the country under this project, covering an area of 33,126 sq. km.
The National Anthem
The National Anthem is the song Jana-gana-mana. It was written by the Nobel Prize winning poet, Rabindranath Tagore in Bengali, but it is the Hindi translation which is used officially. Tagore's poem Bharat Bhagya Vidhata has five stanzas but only the first stanza is the National Anthem.
The National Anthem was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 24 January 1950.
The playing time of the National Anthem is 52 seconds.
Here is the full National Anthem:
Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya heBharata-bhagya-vidhata.Punjab-Sindh-Gujarat-MarathaDravida-Utkala-BangaVindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga Uchchala-Jaladhi-taranga.Tava shubha name jage,Tava shubha asisa mage,Gahe tava jaya gatha,Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya heBharata-bhagya-vidhata.Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he!
Did you know?
Jana Gana Mana was first sung on December 27, 1911 at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress.
Rabindranath Tagore's english translation of the national anthem:
Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people,dispenser of India's destiny.Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind,Gujarat and Maratha,Of the Dravida and Orissa and Bengal.It echoes in the hills of the Vindyas and Himalayas,mingles in the music of Jamuna and Ganges and ischanted by the waves of the Indian Sea.They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise.The saving of all people waits in thy hand,thou dispenser of India's destiny.Victory, victory, victory to thee.
The National Bird
The Indian peacock (Pavo cristatus) is the National Bird of India.The peacock is a swan-sized bird with a tail of colourful feathers.
Did you know?
Only the male peacock has feathers. It uses its tail to attract the female by spreading them out and dancing a colourful dance.
Q: How many feathers are there in an average peacocks' tail?
A: Around 200!
The National flower
The National Flower of India is the lotus. This beautiful flower is found on the surface of lakes and even dirty ponds especially during the rainy season. Its stem and roots are not visible as they stay under the water.
Did you know?
The lotus is a popular symbol. Sometimes it is used to show how a good thing can grow out of a bad place.
The song, Jana-gana-mana, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly as the National Anthem of India on January 24, 1950. It was first sung on December 27, 1911 at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress. The complete song consists of five stanzas.
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The first stanza contains the full version of the National Anthem:
Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya he,Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.Punjab-Sindh-Gujarat-Maratha,Dravida-Utkala-Banga,Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga Uchchala-Jaladhi-taranga.Tava shubha name jage, Tava shubha asisa mage,Gahe tava jaya gatha,Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he, Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he!
The playing time of the full version of the national anthem is approximately 52 seconds. A short version consisting of first and last lines of the stanza (playing time approximately 20 seconds) is also played on certain occasions.
The following is Tagore's English rendering of the anthem: Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people, dispenser of India's destiny. Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind, Gujarat and Maratha, of the Dravida and Orissa and Bengal; It echoes in the hills of the Vindyas and Himalayas, mingles in the music of Jamuna and Ganges and is chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea. They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise. The saving of all people waits in thy hand, thou dispenser of India's destiny. Victory, victory, victory to thee.
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