Lauren

Independence Day in India

This morning when I woke up, a group of more than one hundred men were crowded outside my house, hold flags and shouting. I felt a spike of panic in my stomach, I instantly thought that they had found out that a British person lives here and were going to get me. I soon realised that actually the truck leading their parade, carrying the sound system, had just broken down.

India became independent from British rule at the stroke of midnight on the 15th of August 1947, after three hundred years, India was finally free. Today is a day where Indian’s all over the world remember the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for their motherland. This day marks the end of bloody battles, torture and sacrifices. After all the blood shed, enslavement and stolen wealth, the British retreated after the nation wide independence movement, known for its nonviolent philosophy.

In the past I have teased my husband, saying that he is still under British rule. But laughing aside, I think most British people who have read the history feel some ‘post-colonial’ guilt. The actions of some of our ancestors are awful and inhumane, considering any land they stood on as their own and taking the wealth and freedom by brute force. I feel ashamed when I read about the brutalities and injustice.

That being said, I believe that people cannot be blamed for the actions of their ancestors, religion, nationality or race. I don’t think blame should be given to people by association. But, it is important not to wipe away history from our consciousness, to learn from mistakes and treat everyone equally, regardless of race, religion, gender or nationality.

As I watch the celebrations from my window, people dancing and little children waving their flags with joy, I can feel the national pride. India is now my home, and thanks to the passion, strength and sacrifices of the freedom fighters, a free country. Jai Hind!

“He will then have my dead body, not my obedience. Ultimately, therefore, it is I who am the victor and not he, for he has failed in getting me to do what he wanted done.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

22 comments

  2. @ Luaren

    Happy independence day to you and family. I present a link to the historic speech by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister at the on the midnight of 14th August, 1947. After hearing it you still get goose bumps. India independence also has a tinge of sadness because our country got divide leading to lot of blood shed. Imagine a country on the verge of independence getting divided, No wonder it was a sad event. I was absolutely in splits when I read that you were afraid that the crowd would get you because you are British. It was one of uniqueness of freedom struggle that we habour no hatred against the British. Perhaps Mahatma Gandhi had a lot to do with it.

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    • Hey Friend,

      Happy belated Independence day to you and your family!!
      Thank you for the speech! Yes, in hindsight it was funny, they soon started dancing once the truck was fixed. Definitely no anger, just celebration!

      I hope you are well

      Lots of love

      Lauren xxx

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  3. Happy Independence Day to you 🙂 I have never read about British Raj in India, but I can see what British rule does to some other places. Let’s see Hong Kong nowadays. It was returned to China by UK in 1997. And how the one can see Hong Kong now? Modern and well developed. So, British rule didn’t seem to give very bad influence on its economy. I doubt they would look better being the part of China 😛

    Anyways Happy Independence Day to you once again 🙂

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    • Happy Independence Day!!
      Yes, there was a lot of gain in development but the price of human suffering was very great. There was mass famine in India because the Brits exported all of their food etc. I know nothing about Hong Kong though 🙂

      Lots of love

      Lauren xxx

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      • Hm very familiar story which hapeend in Ukraine too. We had the same issue when in 1933 , 7.5 million people died from hunger extermination done by Russia. But still even now some people are starving in India and British are not there anymore. If you ever interested in reading about Hong Kong do this, it is very opposite to India effect of British rule ;

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  5. Thank you and wish you a Happy Independence Day. A quick comment though, we have read about our freedom fighters, and the attrocities and inhuman treatment of those britishers like the Jalianwala Bagh incident or the Andaman imprisonments etc.All these have only increased the honour and respect I hold for those great freedom fighters but me and for the most part others also do not carry any hatred towards current generation British.Bygones are bygones and we are happy that we live in an Independent India.

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  7. Your posts are always so inspiring. And what a timely post it is, my boyfriend and I were just talking about this: people shouldn’t be blamed for something their ancestors did.

    Happy Independence Day! 🙂

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  8. Happy Independence Day!
    I have also dealt with some post-colonial British hate directed towards myself, when I am not even British in the first place!

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  9. Hi,

    East India Company landed here in India sometime in 1601 or 1603… But it was year 1818 when British completely captured India. So it is around 150 years British ruled India. This is what we have learned in our schools :). Anyway, I don’t think Indians feel any anger etc etc. about British people. Its a history now and we have (hopefully) learned something from history.

    Happy Independence Day.

    – Shailesh

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