An Ode to Indian Independence
Redeeming a tryst with destiny
79 years since the sun set on the British Empire.
79 years since the Indian flag was raised.
79 years since we redeemed our pledge for a tryst with destiny.
79 years since the stroke of that midnight hour when India awoke.
79 years of an eternal tale of glee, glory and growth.
79 years of Independence.
Jai Hind, Vande Mataram!
One of the days that I look forward the most to is Independence Day. For years now, I see this day as one in which we, Indians, can remember, reaffirm and reflect our never-ending love to the nation. It is a day where all of us, bound together either by the soil, or by heart, celebrate the ethos of being Indian.
Today, we remember the ones who made this dream possible. While in the oppressive shackles of the British, we could've kept quiet. But certain people did not. We call them today our freedom fighters, without whom, the dream of a free India could never have been true.
An upsetting fact about our freedom fighters is that there are a lot of who yet remain unsung. How I wish, we could sing praises for the ones who lost their names to time. I do believe in the notion that the impact of these unsung warriors has been paramount towards the unshackling of our nation. Had they not done what they did, I'm afraid, the timeline could change, for it might be the butterfly effect in all its glory.
Long years ago, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru delivered one of the greatest speeches in history. It began long years ago, and mentioned of "A tryst with destiny." As a poet, I am overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of these four words. This quote strikes deep, birthing a scintilla of emotion that shall spread into a wildfire.
Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.
As Shashi Tharoor once brilliantly said, "No wonder that the Sun never set on the British Empire — because even God couldn't trust the English in the dark." But that fateful day, the Sun did set on the British Empire, bringing in uncanny, haunting darkness.
India, officially 79 years young — historically, much the lauded cradle of the world. I offer my salutes to the motherland, and express my deepest wishes for everlasting glory to India, that is Bharat.