This day, 75 years ago

The day India attained freedom is etched in my memory. I was a young boy then. My friends and I were playing on the ground behind the revenue office in Ponnampet, a small town in South Kodagu. Even in the 1940s, the town was important as it had primary and secondary schools, a revenue office, a treasury, a police station, a veterinary hospital, an inspection bungalow, a club and rice mills.

It was around noon when we heard patriotic slogans drifting from the road across the police station -- ‘Bharat Mata ki -Jai, Mahatma Gandhi ki - Jai, Jawaharlal Nehru ki - Jai, Vallabhbhai Patel ki - Jai; Vande Mataram’. My friend Ponnappa, about four years older than me, and I rushed towards the road, leaving others in the field.

What a sight! About 8-10 open trucks and a few cars, all held up on the road. Trucks were decorated with flags and buntings and filled with people waving flags and shouting slogans, which raised to a crescendo! An unusual scene in the otherwise sleepy Ponnampet. We joined the onlookers lining up on either sides of the narrow road.

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To our surprise, two elderly boys in the truck in front of us, called us to come nearer to the vehicle. As Ponnappa approached the vehicle, the boys signalled to raise his hands. They then bent over and gently pulled him up into the truck. When my turn came, I was reluctant but Ponnappa egged me on to join. We were nervous until the others assured us that we would be dropped off at the same spot on the return journey. We too joined others in shouting ‘Jai’.

The procession moved slowly towards the town centre, greeted and cheered by the crowds on the way. It then reached Ramakrishna Ashram, on the outskirts of the town. Many went inside the Ashram, probably to seek blessings from the gurus. Our guardians helped us to get off the truck, but instructed to stay nearer to the vehicle. We were glued to our vehicle lest we miss our return journey. An hour later, our guardians returned with two donnes filled with delicious payasam. Soon the procession was on its way back. It crossed the town centre and was moving towards the club. Then, on instructions from our friends, the vehicle stopped, and we were dropped off where we started. We heaved a big sigh of relief. We waved our friends good bye.

Now, a greater fear gripped us -- how to face our parents since we disappeared without their permission. Wishing each other good luck, we parted ways. To my great surprise, at my house, instead of an angry face, a happy smile of my parents welcomed me. Perhaps, they thought their young son could participate in the very first Independence day celebration.

Every August 15, my memory goes back to Ponnampet and revisits the first Independence Day celebration. ’Bharat Mata ki - Jai, Mahatma Gandhi ki - Jai, Vande Mataram’ resonates in my ears. I pay my grateful thanks without fail to the two unknown friends who made that unique day possible.

Long live India!