Happy Republic Day

As children, we have had the privilege to enjoy sweets on three occasions every year, 26th of January, 15th of August, and the 2nd of October. Though we enjoyed sweetmeats in different flavors but seldom did we try to differentiate amongst the three.

It was an innocent time, when all we cared for was a plate full of servings, and finishing it late than anyone else. The celebrations of the eve only meant to come school empty handed, sing Jan Gan Man in a chorus and run back home after a half day. It meant to wave tricolor paper flags, make badges and wear caps in saffron and green.

Years passed one after another but in no way did the meaning of the eve changed. With each passing year the craving for sweets increased, and the lines of the national anthem found a deeper corner to settle in us in learnt verses. Standing at attention, with not even the eyes moving, and bowing at the end of the anthem, a republic eve perhaps only meant to wave flags and listen to patriotic songs all across the town.

Ask a child what happened on the 2nd of October, and he will tell you in a learned-by-heart line, "On the 2nd of October 1869 Mahatma Gandhi was born in Porbandar, Gujrat."
Ask him what happened on the 15th of August, and he will say, "On the 15th of August India attained Independence from the British Rule."
Further test him by asking, why do we celebrate the 26th of January, and he would say, "It is our Republic Day."
Ask him what is it to celebrate the Republic day, and he would tell, "On this day our Constitution was enforced."

So good, so well, until now.

But ask them, or ask yourself, what's the Constitution, who was its chief architect? When was it made? How many days did it take to make it?

It's hard that one will find answers to all these questions in every common man. It's not our fault, "completely".

But YES it is somehow our IGNORANCE.

We humans, find an easy way to relate things, the most easiest way to relate to the three Indian gazetted holidays, is somehow Independence. So, mostly in our speeches and monologues we refer to the many martyrs and their martyrdom. We praise our soldiers and talk about nation building. We talk about the Nation's development and the paths to undergo to achieve those heights, but we seldom talk about what the Constitution grants us.

Our Republic Day, stands for our Rights. An easy way to remember it in future is by its initials. As kindergarten kids we were taught to relate words with alphabets. Similarly, an easy way to not forget what a Republic Day is for is by remembering that the same "R" that spells Republic is also the same "R" that spells Rights.

This day, 1930, Purna Swaraj was declared against the British Government, and the 15th of August marked its culmination. Thereafter under the guidance of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar a committee sat to build our constitution, that was completed in a hand written format (also the world's longest constitution) on November 26th, 1949. In praise to the Purna Swaraj acclaim of Jan 26th, 1930 the Constitution was enforced on the 26th of January 1950 at 10:18 a.m. The constitution marked the freedom and rights of every citizen in the Nation.

It was that dream of Dr. Ambedkar that made life less complicated and more convenient ever since. It is what brought the government to our service and its employees to our facilities. It is what gave us the freedom of speech and to live fearlessly with our hands stretched wide and heads held high.

Let not confuse, our Republic Day with our Independence Day, let not the efforts of all those great men go in vain.

Let not!

Let not!

Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!