On 15th August the whole of India, and Indians across the world will celebrate Independence Day. I have always been troubled by this notion of ‘Independence Day’ and the associated celebrations. I ask myself what is it that we are celebrating?
Is it that we allowed the British to rule Bharat for some 250 years?
Is it that we have a history of being ruled by invaders over 1400 years?
Is it that we had Sepoys who sold the nation and its people for their bounty?
Is it that we had some Dharma Gurus who connived with the invaders?
Is it that we had some ‘elite’ families who worked hand-in-glove with the invaders?
Is it that we had allowed the invaders to define our territory?
Is it that we allowed the invaders to corrupt our Dharmic scriptures?
Is it that we allowed the invaders to impose a constitution that was anti-Dharmic?
Is it that we allowed the invaders to impose an education curriculum to undermine the nation?
Is it that we allowed the invaders to implement their Caste system, which plagues us even today?
Is it that we allowed the invaders to re-write our ancient history?
Is it that even today Bharat is chained to the evil practices of these invaders?
What is it that we are actually celebrating?
The official Government of India statement states, ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements’.
You see, even today when we attempt to celebrate the glorious history of the people of India, its culture, and its achievements, we do so by referring to ‘independence’.
The history of Bharat Varsh is thousands of years old. It is rich, as it is unique and all encompassing. When the west and the middle east was nothing short of barbaric, the people of Bharat were civilised and refined. One can write a library of books to narrate the history of Bharat, its dharmic traditions and about the diversity of its people. Yet today we still remain tied to the invader’s definition of our ‘independence’.
Is it now not time to rename this day to reflect the glory of Bharat that steeped in its history of Dharma?
Surely the time has come for Bharat to define itself in its own image.
Instead of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, why not have something like ‘Bharat Varsh Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
I am sure there are many clever people who can come up with an even better name – a name that we can all embrace and truly celebrate our Bharat Varsh.
We become independent when in our thinking we are truly independent. It is time under the premiership of PM Modi to have our own constitution, our own legislation, our own educational curriculum, and our own narrative of our collective history.
It is time to resurrect and safeguard all our ancient places of historical significance. It’s time to tell the world of our contributions to Science, Mathematics, Philosophy, Medicine, Literature, Music, Drama and much much more. Our discoveries and inventions have been hijacked by invaders, it’s time to expose this truth at the global level. And the Government of India should demand that all international institutions comply with this truth.
How ironic that even today India remains part of the Commonwealth – the origin of which was responsible for mass atrocities against India.
To be free, we must first emancipate ourselves from mental slavery. We are free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice freedom.
