As a child, i always used to wonder what’s Republic Day ? I easily understood that on 15th August, we got freedom from vicious Britishers  and on 2nd October, its the b’day of a Mahatma Gandhi, who forced English away, but how come another third day, which is celebrated in-line with them ? We used to have ladoos in school, some patriotic programmes like songs etc. I am faintly recalling that once i was participating in a group song, and was remarked as worst of all and during the final day, i was trying to hide behind the tall girl standing in front me and was just murmuring. Mine only song performance ever …   Our school management also used to distribute various prizes and i invariably used to get at least one shield for coming 1st or 2nd or 3rd in the class, so again thats another reason for my intimacy with Republic day.  As i grew older, i also observed that 26th Jan is ‘dry day’ across the nation, so it must be something special !

Now, i hope that i understand. This is the day when we got our constitution and we become a republic. We got our independence, no doubt on 15th August, 1947, but still King George IV was the head of the state and we were living under a monarchy. Whats constitution then ?  I think, our constitution is we, the people. Our own very set of ideas, values, ethics, thinking, philosophy, rules developed by our very own people and to be followed by our people. Its this day, when we become totally independent. Our body got freed on 15th August but we put soul in that body once we developed the constitution. Its a fact that we have the biggest constitutions in the world comprising of 444 articles and 12 schedules as well as numerous amendments.

The date also holds its significance. During Lahore summit somewhere in 1930, a pledge was taken by then congress  party to celebrate independence day on 26th Jan every year. I guess, Indians were having little or no choice in choosing their independence date but they chose 26th Jan to call themselves republic and be part of sovereign world. The day is marked by grand parade where our army displays its gallantry. A thousands of people watching the multi ethnicity of the nation in perhaps the biggest shows of the world.

Happy Republic Day !!!