When did you celebrate Republic day last time? -Governance Now

When did you celebrate Republic day last time?

As it happens in north India, 26th January is generally a cold day. In the hills, where I did my schooling from, the republic day eve would either see an overcast sky or it would be raining.

Aasha Khosa | January 25, 2017 | New Delhi

#Rajpath #Delhi #parade #Republic Day #Kashmir

When did I celebrate Republic day last time? I am thinking about it while negotiating my way through a pin bend curve and the next one created by iron barricades that the police had put up on an east Delhi road. Three of them look at me, mercifully, not so disapprovingly.

It’s time for the annual security drill for Republic day in the national capital and the face-off between the police and the citizens.

Not that I mind the scrutiny, the road blocks and all the inconvenience after having braved much more during 10 years of my stay as a journalist in Kashmir. In the Valley, searches of houses and frisking and even identification of militants would begin a month in advance that too in the sub-zero temperature. On the R-day, on one hand, I would thank my stars after emerging unscathed from the official function which was always held under threats of being bombed and on the other felt humiliated at separatists - whose hearts beat for Pakistan - mocking at the very idea of India.

For the generation next, Republic day is a much awaited holiday; and time for the families to check on the discounted sales in the shopping malls with the catchy tricolour soaked ambience.

After making it through the naka, I wondered where the joy of participating in the Republic day celebrations of my childhood years had gone?

It used to take teachers months to cobble a team to represent our schools in the cultural competition on the day. As students, we begged for a small role in a skit, a dance or a chorus which was followed by weeks of practice. Those who didn’t participate in the cultural show would be content to be part of the marching contingent and saluting the national flag in the morning.

Preparation would spill over to the homes, with parents helping children ready the suitable dress for the cultural show and whiten the uniforms with lemon juice, bleaching agent etc. Mothers often worried about early transportation of children to school and everyone joined in efforts put up a decent show.

As it happens in north India, 26th January is generally a cold day. In the hills, where I did my schooling from, the republic day eve would either see an overcast sky or it would be raining. Our hearts would beat fast at the first sign of freak weather. A classmate told me the trick to beat the weather God who was trying to play spoilsport with the show. She suggested that all of us should go to the terrace late night, try to spot a star in the clouds and while looking at it make a knot in the kerchief. This, she said, would blow away the clouds by the morning.

Even if it could get us punishment from parents, we managed to sneak out of homes in the forbidden hour and go to the terrace in search of the elusive star. It worked.

The nostalgia of the day would cling to our minds till the next celebration. The next day would be a holiday, the much-needed one to sleep and get out of the fatigue.

As against this, my daughter’s school would be off on the Republic day due to security restrictions.

Being the daughter of two journalists, she had seen the grandiose Republic day parade at Rajpath in Delhi once; she would often describe her experience of seeing three colour spewing jets that created a tricolour in the skies. How often I thought of taking her again to the official celebration but was dissuaded by the sheer complexity of logistics.

Anyway happy republic day to all!

Comments

Other News

How the mind can help the body heal itself

Why do some people recover from illness against all odds? Can our beliefs, emotions and consciousness influence the body’s ability to heal? Drawing on over three decades of experience in medicine, research and medical innovation, internationally trained ophthalmologist and author Dr Dinesh Verma ex

1,364 anti-cancer formulations to cost less from today

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, has capped trade margins on the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of 137 anti-cancer drugs. This was based on the recommendations of an Expert Committee constitute

Who checks the books?

I read about the news about the Coimbatore library over coffee this morning. On the face of it, the headline was about a political ‘war’ between the DMK and TVK. But what stayed with me was something much more important than the blame game behind what had transpired. A writer walking through

Development paradox: Falling poverty miracle and an inequality problem

India’s reduction in poverty over the past decade is a development achievement of considerable significance. The World Bank’s April 2026 ‘India Development Update’ estimates that the share of Indians living below the international extreme-poverty line of $3.00 per person per day i

In Arunachal, a river we call mother

In Arunachal Pradesh, the Siang is not just a river. For many of us, especially the Adi people, it is part of our family. Our grandparents fished in it. Children learned to swim in it. Our farms drink from it. When someone says a huge dam will be built on it, we do not hear the word "project".

A new retelling of the Mahabharata delves into key moments

In a time when every decision carries consequences and questions of ambition, power, loyalty, identity and moral choice continue to shape our lives, Dr. Arun Krishnan’s new book, ‘Mahakshana’ (Penguin India) offers a strikingly relevant retelling of the Mahabharata.