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India’s Republic Day, January 26 Posted by on Jan 30, 2018 in Hindi Language

Flag of India. (Image by Shalu Sharma on Flickr.com) India’s flag is known as the “tricolor” or तिरंगा (tiranga).

This past weekend, friends and family in India enjoyed a long weekend in observance of India’s Republic Day भारतीय गणतंत्र दिवस (Bharatiya GaNatantra Divas),  which is celebrated on January 26 each year. It marks the day that the Constitution of India came into effect (January 26, 1950), thus cementing India’s transition into an independent republic after it’s independence from British rule on August 15, 1947, which is observed as India’s Independence Day or स्वतंत्रता दिवस (Swatantrataa Divas).

Both days evoke patriotism देशप्रेम (deshprem) and patriotic songs can be heard on television as well as blaring on loudspeakers in neighborhoods. Both days also remember fallen soldiers सिपाही/जवान (sipaahi / jawaan) and celebrate those who are still in active duty in the nation’s armed forces.

The Indian Armed Forces भारतीय सशस्त्र सनाएँ  (Bharatiya Sashastra Senaaen) comprises the Indian Air Force भारतीय वायु सेना (Bharatiya Vaayu Sena), the Indian Army भारतीय थलसेना (Bharatiya Thal Sena) and the Indian Navy भारतीय नौ सेना (Bharatiya Nau Sena).

India’s national anthem is Jana Gana Mana  जन गण मन which was written and  composed by Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore. Another song that is synonymous with India’s independence and freedom struggle is Vande Mataram वन्दे मातरम् which was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya in the late 1800s and adopted as India’s national song  in October 1937 by the Congress Working Committee. It was made into a song with music set by Rabindranath Tagore. Vande Mataram वन्दे मातरम् translates to “I salute you, mother,” where mother refers to India or the motherland.

Although the original song is a beautiful composition in its own right, the version that has always resonated in my memory is this one below from the movie Anand Math, and beautifully sung by Lata Mangeshkar. It is a scene that depicts the patriotic fervor and resistance that eventually led to a free आज़ाद(aazaad) India.

BLOG VOCABULARY

भारतीय गणतंत्र दिवस Bharatiya Ganatantra DivasIndia's Republic Day
भारतीय स्वतंत्रता दिवसBharatiya Swatantrataa DivasIndia's Independence Day
दिवसdivasday
भारतीयBharatiyaIndian
गणतंत्रganatantrarepublic
स्वतंत्रताswatantrataafreedom
देशप्रेमdesh prempatriotism/love for the country
सिपाही/जवानsipaahi/jawaansoldier
भारतीय सशस्त्र सनाएँBharatiya Sashastra SenaaenIndian Armed Forces
भारतीय वायु सेनाBharatiya Vayu SenaIndian Air Force
भारतीय थलसेनाBharatiya Thal SenaIndian Army
भारतीय नौ सेनाBharatiya Nau SenaIndian Navy
आज़ादaazaadfree
जंगjungwar
सुरक्षाsurakshaprotection
सरहदsarhadborder
शस्त्र shastraweapons
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About the Author: Nitya

Namaste, friends. My name is Nitya. I was born and raised in Mumbai (formerly Bombay). I'm a native Hindi speaker. However, as life took me through school, college, work, and waves of friends from different parts of India, my repertoire of Hindi flavors and dialects grew and added dimension to my native fluency. Casual, formal, colloquial, and regional ... Hindi is a language with incredible variety and localization. Through this blog, I will help you learn Hindi through conversations, vocabulary, colloquialisms, and glimpses of Indian culture. आओ, मिलकर हिंदी सीखते हैं। (Aao, milkar Hindi seekhte hain!) Come, let's learn Hindi together.