{"id":7041,"date":"2018-01-30T03:31:05","date_gmt":"2018-01-30T03:31:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/hindi\/?p=7041"},"modified":"2018-01-30T03:33:53","modified_gmt":"2018-01-30T03:33:53","slug":"indias-republic-day-january-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/hindi\/indias-republic-day-january-26\/","title":{"rendered":"India’s Republic Day, January 26"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Flag of India. (Image by Shalu Sharma on Flickr.com) India’s flag is known as the “tricolor” or\u00a0\u0924\u093f\u0930\u0902\u0917\u093e (tiranga).<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

This past weekend, friends and family in India enjoyed a long weekend in observance of India’s Republic Day \u092d\u093e\u0930\u0924\u0940\u092f \u0917\u0923\u0924\u0902\u0924\u094d\u0930 \u0926\u093f\u0935\u0938<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0(Bharatiya GaNatantra Divas),\u00a0 <\/i>which\u00a0is celebrated on January 26 each year. It marks the day that the Constitution of India came into effect (January 26, 1950), thus\u00a0cementing 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 \u0938\u094d\u0935\u0924\u0902\u0924\u094d\u0930\u0924\u093e \u0926\u093f\u0935\u0938<\/strong><\/span> (Swatantrataa Divas).<\/i><\/div>\n

Both days evoke patriotism \u0926\u0947\u0936\u092a\u094d\u0930\u0947\u092e<\/strong><\/span> (deshprem)<\/i>\u00a0and patriotic songs can be heard on television as well as blaring on loudspeakers in neighborhoods. Both days also remember fallen soldiers \u0938\u093f\u092a\u093e\u0939\u0940\/\u091c\u0935\u093e\u0928<\/strong><\/span> (sipaahi \/ jawaan)\u00a0<\/i>and celebrate those who are still in active duty in the nation’s armed forces.<\/div>\n

The Indian Armed Forces \u092d\u093e\u0930\u0924\u0940\u092f \u0938\u0936\u0938\u094d\u0924\u094d\u0930 \u0938\u0928\u093e\u090f\u0901<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0(Bharatiya Sashastra Senaaen)\u00a0<\/i>comprises the Indian Air Force \u092d\u093e\u0930\u0924\u0940\u092f \u0935\u093e\u092f\u0941 \u0938\u0947\u0928\u093e<\/strong><\/span> (Bharatiya Vaayu Sena),\u00a0<\/i>the\u00a0Indian Army<\/span> \u092d\u093e\u0930\u0924\u0940\u092f \u0925\u0932\u0938\u0947\u0928\u093e<\/strong><\/span> (Bharatiya Thal Sena)\u00a0<\/i>and the Indian Navy \u092d\u093e\u0930\u0924\u0940\u092f \u0928\u094c \u0938\u0947\u0928\u093e<\/strong><\/span><\/span>\u00a0(B<\/i>haratiya Nau Sena).<\/i><\/div>\n

India’s national anthem is\u00a0Jana Gana Mana\u00a0<\/i> \u091c\u0928 \u0917\u0923 \u092e\u0928<\/strong><\/span> which was written and\u00a0 composed by Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore. Another song that is synonymous with India’s independence and freedom struggle is Vande Mataram \u0935\u0928\u094d\u0926\u0947 \u092e\u093e\u0924\u0930\u092e\u094d<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0which was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya in the late 1800s and adopted as India’s national song \u00a0in October 1937 by the Congress Working Committee. It was made into a song with music set by Rabindranath Tagore. Vande Mataram \u0935\u0928\u094d\u0926\u0947 \u092e\u093e\u0924\u0930\u092e\u094d<\/span> <\/strong>translates to “I salute you, mother,” where mother refers to India or the motherland.<\/div>\n

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<\/em>, and beautifully sung by Lata Mangeshkar<\/a>. It is a scene that depicts the patriotic fervor and resistance that eventually led to a free \u0906\u095b\u093e\u0926<\/strong><\/span>(aazaad) India.<\/em><\/div>\n

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