Aurangabad, Aug 14:
Spending some family time on a national holiday, wising each other Happy Independence Day on social media, watching national flag hoisting programme, listening to patriotic music and watching films on freedom struggle, that's how most of us generally observe August 15, our Independence Day. But have you wondered what Independence Day back in the old days was exactly like. Lokmat Times spoke to a few elders who witnessed the celebrations a few decades ago.
“I remember the old Independence Day very well,” says 72-year-old Shrisundar Admane-Patil, a resident of Nageshwarwadi. There was excitement and joy everywhere. My grandfather hoisted the national flag on top of the house. It was a special occasion for everybody, especially for kids. We used to decorate the whole house with buntings. My grandmother made sweets and distributed them to all in the neighbourhood. He and my father used to sing patriotic songs. Events like dance, skits, elocution competition, lezim and singing were held in schools. All students participated in the Prabhat pheris organised specially on Independence Day. As there was no electricity, we kept our school uniforms under our beds to make it wrinkle free. The pride and joy of being an independent nation was very different from today.
We used to sing the national anthem at the top of our voice on Independence Day, said 65-year-old Hari Paranjpe, a resident of the Cidco area. The atmosphere in the city used to be patriotic. I used to wake up early in the morning and go to my friends house to wake them up. Patriotic songs were played by band members in Aurangpura, Gulmandi and Chawni in the early morning. The day began with Prabhat pheri and lezim. Then we went around chanting 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. Saluting every national flag we saw was our goal of the day. Me and my friends used to eat Puran poli and Basundi at my home in the evening. Today, the celebrations have changed. I cannot say whether patriotism has changed, but I do not see that pride and joy among citizens, and especially youths. Now hoisting the flag is becoming a formality.