Friday, August 11, 2017

Celebrations of 70th Independence Day in India

15th August marks the day when India overthrew the yolk of British colonialism and became independent. “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom” said Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of independent India in his very famous speech titled “Tryst with Destiny”. The Indian independence struggle went down in history as one of the most politically charged, non-violent struggle against Imperialism. The movement was spearheaded by none other than Mahatma Gandhi who is affectionately called Bapu by the Indian diaspora. 2017 is slated to be the 70th Independence Day in India and can be termed as a golden opportunity for international tourists who are interested in taking part in these glorious celebrations.

The Independence Day celebrations is kick started by paying homage to the ‘father of the nation’ Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat by the Prime minister of India. This is followed by hoisting of the Indian flag at the ramparts of Red Fort which was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and symbolises the glorious history of India before the English usurped the throne. The Prime Minister then addresses the nation in the presence of a humongous amount of onlookers. However the cultural programs performed by artists from different nooks and corner of the country is the most eye catching event. India is a country which peacefully accommodates diversified cultural and ethnic groups and Independence Day is one of the occasions where the motto of ‘unity in diversity’ is showcased in a full-fledged manner.

The head of states of different countries are invited every year to witness these celebrations. This day is also celebrated by Indians all around the world and as a result of this the footfall of international visitors on Independence is swelling year by year. International visitors throng the sites of historical significance like the Jallianwala Bagh where numerous Indians who were taking part in a peaceful meeting were brutally massacred by the English forces on the orders of General Dyer. The bullet marks on the walls of the Jallianwala Bagh compound tend to flash the whole series of events which might have unfolded on that unfateful day. The Indian Independence movement is characterized by the co-ordination it had with various international political outfits trying to vest control of their native land from their colonizers. As a result of this it has always been in due consideration by the politically motivated people internationally as one of the preferred destinations for learning more about the history of Independent movements and grabbing an insight into the socio-political conditions which led to the downfall of the mighty British empire.

The international visitors who want to be witnesses of this year’s pompous celebrations need to apply for a tourist visa to gain access to the Indian soil. The Indian government has facilitated the whole process by enabling the visitors to apply for E visa for India and there are also facilities for visitors who could not apply for the E visa and wish to get urgent E visa for India. The whole process is streamlined and tend to be hassle free in nature. As it is the 70th Independence Day this day is set to be a larger than life event and will surely remain etched in the memories of the visitors for years to come.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.