<p>Independence Day may be just another holiday for many. But in Chandni Chowk it is a big deal. The Old Delhi area starts preparing for Independence Day from August 1 when security personnel start making their presence felt. From August 8 onwards, many shops would close down and entry to certain areas restricted. Shopkeepers suffer the most. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Some of them remember the good old days.<br /><br />A P Singh, 90, owner of Indian Home Industry in Meena Bazaar, located inside the Red Fort complex, says patriotism has faded among the youth because they haven’t seen what Independence Days used to be like.<br /> <br />In the 1940s, before Independence, there was always military around Red Fort. But people were free to move about anywhere.<br /><br />Now there are so many restrictions put in place “for security reasons” that shopkeeper have started dreading this day, Singh says.<br /><br />“The administration was good and everything used to be clean. Now the number of people taking care of the place has increased manifold. But inside Red Fort portions of building fall down every now and then and there is severe waterlogging in the area. Parking fees are also kept so high that people don’t even want to visit the place on regular days,” he says. <br /><br />Not long ago, even 10-15 years back, there were coffee shops and one restaurant in Meena Bazaar that served people even while the Independence Day ceremony was on, he says. “The restaurateurs would wake up at 5 am to start cooking and cleaning, to be ready to serve people who come in.” <br /><br />Regulars from Meena Bazaar, shopkeepers and their families, would make ‘volunteer’ badges without anyone’s permission and help people who streaming into the Red Fort grounds to find a place to watch the flag-hoisting.<br /><br />“We would sit in front of our shops and see dignitaries walk past. We would feel proud when the drums rolled and people sang.” <br /><br />The place used to be packed. “Yaha chappe chappe pe log bhare hote the,” he remembers.<br /><br />“Now we are not allowed to open our shops after August 8. This place is completely vacant, it only has CISF and PM’s security roaming around,” he says. <br /><br />Frisking and checks by security personnel get intense from August 1, says Singh. “It affects our daily earnings. But this is not only during Independence Day. Our earnings were affected since a ticketing counter was set up and parking fees started being levied on people, increasing as the years pass by.” <br /><br />“Before Independence, there was no difference between the government and the people, we were one. Now the government wants to show that it is doing something for its people. It wants to show that it is protecting its people by not letting them even come for Independence Day celebrations,” he complains. <br /><br />“People who want a seat now have to have passes, others stand,” he says. <br /><br />Just a little away from the Red Fort, in bustling Chandni Chowk, people start realising that the Day is near when the makeshift towers and chowkies for securitymen start coming up. “Jhanda Salami” is also gaining popularity in the area: a local MLA hoists the national flag and people salute it. <br /><br />“People invite the MLA of their area and some schoolchildren. They start with singing the national anthem. There is a speech about India by the MLA and then everybody either sings Mere watan ke logon, zara aankh mein bhar lo pani,or Kar chale hum fida jaan-o-tan saathiyon Ab tumhare hawale watan saathiyonfrom the movie Haqeeqat,” says Shakeel Ahmed, president of Urdu Bazaar.<br /><br />He says they have been working in coordination with Delhi Police for Independence Day for many years. <br /><br />“Security is a cause of concern so we have to cooperate. We never know when our neighbouring country decides to do something,” he says. <br /><br />The Urdu Bazaar and the MCD Meena Bazaar – not be confused with the Meena Bazaar inside Red Fort – are open till August 14. And on August 15 they open again <br />at 12.<br /><br />Ahmed says his patriotism has not gone down but excitement over Independence Day has. He used to go to Red Fort every year as a child, now he prefers watching the PM speak from his television. <br /><br />“Children are the only ones who feel scared of the terror threats and they are the only ones who are excited about Independence Day now,” he says. <br /><br />Israel Alam, a 14-year-old rickshaw puller, says he watches the PM speak on August 15 every year, part of the crowd that doesn’t get seats but watches from a distance. When asked if he is a ‘dekh bhakt’, he says no and doesn’t know why. But it is an important day for him because he gets to fly kites and be part of the Red Fort celebrations with his friends.<br /><br /></p>
<p>Independence Day may be just another holiday for many. But in Chandni Chowk it is a big deal. The Old Delhi area starts preparing for Independence Day from August 1 when security personnel start making their presence felt. From August 8 onwards, many shops would close down and entry to certain areas restricted. Shopkeepers suffer the most. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Some of them remember the good old days.<br /><br />A P Singh, 90, owner of Indian Home Industry in Meena Bazaar, located inside the Red Fort complex, says patriotism has faded among the youth because they haven’t seen what Independence Days used to be like.<br /> <br />In the 1940s, before Independence, there was always military around Red Fort. But people were free to move about anywhere.<br /><br />Now there are so many restrictions put in place “for security reasons” that shopkeeper have started dreading this day, Singh says.<br /><br />“The administration was good and everything used to be clean. Now the number of people taking care of the place has increased manifold. But inside Red Fort portions of building fall down every now and then and there is severe waterlogging in the area. Parking fees are also kept so high that people don’t even want to visit the place on regular days,” he says. <br /><br />Not long ago, even 10-15 years back, there were coffee shops and one restaurant in Meena Bazaar that served people even while the Independence Day ceremony was on, he says. “The restaurateurs would wake up at 5 am to start cooking and cleaning, to be ready to serve people who come in.” <br /><br />Regulars from Meena Bazaar, shopkeepers and their families, would make ‘volunteer’ badges without anyone’s permission and help people who streaming into the Red Fort grounds to find a place to watch the flag-hoisting.<br /><br />“We would sit in front of our shops and see dignitaries walk past. We would feel proud when the drums rolled and people sang.” <br /><br />The place used to be packed. “Yaha chappe chappe pe log bhare hote the,” he remembers.<br /><br />“Now we are not allowed to open our shops after August 8. This place is completely vacant, it only has CISF and PM’s security roaming around,” he says. <br /><br />Frisking and checks by security personnel get intense from August 1, says Singh. “It affects our daily earnings. But this is not only during Independence Day. Our earnings were affected since a ticketing counter was set up and parking fees started being levied on people, increasing as the years pass by.” <br /><br />“Before Independence, there was no difference between the government and the people, we were one. Now the government wants to show that it is doing something for its people. It wants to show that it is protecting its people by not letting them even come for Independence Day celebrations,” he complains. <br /><br />“People who want a seat now have to have passes, others stand,” he says. <br /><br />Just a little away from the Red Fort, in bustling Chandni Chowk, people start realising that the Day is near when the makeshift towers and chowkies for securitymen start coming up. “Jhanda Salami” is also gaining popularity in the area: a local MLA hoists the national flag and people salute it. <br /><br />“People invite the MLA of their area and some schoolchildren. They start with singing the national anthem. There is a speech about India by the MLA and then everybody either sings Mere watan ke logon, zara aankh mein bhar lo pani,or Kar chale hum fida jaan-o-tan saathiyon Ab tumhare hawale watan saathiyonfrom the movie Haqeeqat,” says Shakeel Ahmed, president of Urdu Bazaar.<br /><br />He says they have been working in coordination with Delhi Police for Independence Day for many years. <br /><br />“Security is a cause of concern so we have to cooperate. We never know when our neighbouring country decides to do something,” he says. <br /><br />The Urdu Bazaar and the MCD Meena Bazaar – not be confused with the Meena Bazaar inside Red Fort – are open till August 14. And on August 15 they open again <br />at 12.<br /><br />Ahmed says his patriotism has not gone down but excitement over Independence Day has. He used to go to Red Fort every year as a child, now he prefers watching the PM speak from his television. <br /><br />“Children are the only ones who feel scared of the terror threats and they are the only ones who are excited about Independence Day now,” he says. <br /><br />Israel Alam, a 14-year-old rickshaw puller, says he watches the PM speak on August 15 every year, part of the crowd that doesn’t get seats but watches from a distance. When asked if he is a ‘dekh bhakt’, he says no and doesn’t know why. But it is an important day for him because he gets to fly kites and be part of the Red Fort celebrations with his friends.<br /><br /></p>
