Happy Independence Day


(Caption for above pic: India-the 'Spices' of life)
Thought for the day: Freedom is too precious to be wasted on spreading negative, unproductive and harmful thoughts. ……Lulu Centre, UAE

Happy Independence Day, everyone. I’ve been getting smses, emails, wishes et al from various people. It’s always good to see everyone in a festive, joyous mood. But, tell me, how many people really know what the Day is all about? Just that we got Independence from Britain on this day, right? Some might remember the year, 1947. Others will remember that it’s 60 years since we got it, since the papers are saying it. School children who have the Freedom Movement as their syllabus, will remember data which they’ve crammed in their minds, but, only as a syllabus, not imagining the scenes as they happened. People will watch the patriotic movies on TV, and say’ what a nice piece of work’ and remember the director and actors.
But, what efforts went into making it happen? What efforts are we making to say that we are proud to be independent, that we want to be one of the best nations in the world, that we want to take Takkar with Uncle Sam, and, see a day when a rupee equals 50 dollars or more. Instead, I still keep reading about people setting fire to buses, or, smashing up a magazine office(Yesterday’s news about Shiv Sena v/s Outlook), riots, curfews….I mean, is this what freedom is all about?
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Changing the topic: Here, both the main newspapers, Gulf News and Khaleej Times have come out with fantastic supplements on this occasion. The Gulf News one had a quiz, which (I sheepishly admit) I could answer only 4 out of 20 questions. Want a try? (without googling,first)

1.Who designed the Indian flag?
2.They were referred to as the Tirunelveli Twins by Indian freedom fighters and the British. Who were they?
3.When did the Salt Satyagraha take place?
4.Who led the Salt March in South India?
5.In which year did the Jallianwala bagh massacre take place?
6.When was Bengal first partitioned?
7.Where were Gandhiji’s bloodstained garments stored after his assassination?
8.Where was Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad born?
9.Name the oldest Indian English newspaper established by Indians?
10.In which year was the Indian National Congress founded?
11.What does the word Satyagraha mean?
12.Who is the founder of the daily Swadesamitran?
13.Who was knon as Deshbandu among the Indian freedom fighters?
14.What was the precursor to the Indian National Army formed by Subhash Chandra Bose?
15.Who proclaimed ‘Swaraj is my/ our(?) birthright’?
16.What was the name of the shipping company established by V.O.Chindambaram Pillai?
17.Which famous trio beloned to the first army of Indian, and were handed?
18.Mukthi for the soul is freedom from all foreign bondages while Mukthi for a nation is freedom from all foreign control. Who said this?
19.Where did British Master strategist Robert Clive live?
20.Who was the first governor-general of India?
(Answers tomorrow)
If anyone answers 5+ without googling, hats off to you. Answers coming up next time.
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Smile of the day came from Mr. Laloo Yadav’s quote in the same magazine:Quote
“My mother always told me not to handle by it’s tail but by it’s horns. And, I have always used that lesson in everything in my life, including Indian Railways.” Unquote.

I was just imagining first, the literal part of it- Lalooji, in front of a bull, instead of the back, grabbing it’s horns…Grin grin…
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Interesting captions this time,again.
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I just read on 123greetings. Tomorrow is: Tell a Joke Day. It's also, 'True love forever' day.

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End joke:

"Janet," asked the Sunday school bible teacher, "Tell the class,please, who was the first man?" "I'd rather die first!" she snapped.

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Till next time, keep smiling.

Comments

austere said…
I think of this great nation in perpetual churn, like it has always been. the riots, disasters and narabaji notwithstanding.

It is a democracy, so these things will happpen, and equally vehemently people will stand up to protest. And from the churn, new life, new ideas, a new enegy will emerge. like it always has.
Unknown said…
@ Amitji: There u do it again again..Amitji :O.. you shift blogs faster than one shifts house in Dxb yaar! :D Now after u've made up ur mind lemme know if ur gonna change back to rediff so I can change on my link.. :P :P

The thought.. hilarious.. that too from Lu Lu center :))

Oh yea happy Independence day... and can u sing jana Gana mana fully???
Happy Independence day Amit!:D

Love the thought of the day!
San said…
Happy independence day!
Anonymous said…
I embarrassed myself by taking the quiz *nodding in shame*.... But hey, does forgetting dates count against your allegiance and love for your country? we still salute the martyrs collectively for their sacrifices on this day. Besides, I blame the govt. partly for not televising the history of Indian Independence (besides Mahatma Gandhi episodes ofcourse) effectively :P I learnt more about Gandhiji by taking a class out here in US than I ever did in my Indian school... Happy Independence Day tho :D
Keshi said…
Happy Independence Day Amit! Lovely pic of India there WOW!

sometimes we have to SEE the good in a nation...and forget abt the BAD. Cos every country has good and bad, tho not in the same manner.


Keshi.
ektaran said…
spicy map!!

& nice thought for the day :)

Yaa totally agree with your thoughts on what I day means to many of us.....A Holiday.

takin the quiz....without googling...not possible :p

Laloo Zindabad!!

Caption Contest mein Abhishek kaun hai??? apna Abhi??
Anonymous said…
I thought I had commented on this!! no problem, chalo farithi coment karu!

Happy Independence Day!!!

You know we might not have reached there yet, but at 60 we are still a VERY young country. The riots, the curfews and all that comes from a mind-set of a few uneducated morons, but then they are everywhere!!! India still needs a lot of cleansing but we are getting ahead like the tortoise who slowly but steadily made it.

Okay now to the part where I had to google most of the answers to that quiz. Hmmm,errrrr okaymove on the the jokes shall we ****sheepish grin****

BTW you should compile a list of all Indian jokes! Jai Hind!

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