The Independence Day of India is celebrated religiously throughout the Country on the 15th of August every year and it reminds every Indian about the dawn of a new beginning. It was the day when India was declared independent from British colonialism. Today, Independence Day is considered as a national festival and regardless of religion, class, race, and creed, it is celebrated and rejoiced with several events and cultural programs. It is a day of celebration when we rejoice our freedom and pay homage to those who laid down their lives winning it for us. A festival every Indian holds dearest to his heart, Independence Day commemorates the arduous journey that was undertaken by millions of brave Indians to break away from the shackles of colonial rule. Incidentally, India is not the only country to celebrate Independence Day on August 15, here are five more countries Republic of Congo, North Korea, South Korea, Bahrain and Liechtenstein celebrate their freedom on the same day.

India, world’s largest democracy, is one of the oldest civilizations in the world with a kaleidoscopic variety and rich cultural heritage. As the 7th largest country in the world, India stands apart from the rest of Asia, marked off as it is by mountains and the sea, which give the country a distinct geographical entity. Our Independence struggle involved wide spectrum of political organisations of India, their philosophies, and movements which were united only for one noble cause; to end the British Colonial Authority and thrive as an independent nation.

British rule in India began in 1757 when, following the British victory at the Battle of Plassey, the English East India Company began exercising control over the country. The East India Company ruled India for 100 years, until it was replaced by the British crown in the wake of the Indian Mutiny in 1857–58. In the decades following, civic society gradually emerged across India, most notably the Indian National Congress Party, formed in 1885. During the 1930 s, reform was gradually legislated by the British; Congress won victories in the resulting elections. In February 1947, Prime Minister Clement Attlee announced that the British government would grant full self-governance to British India by June 1948 at the latest. The new viceroy, Lord Mountbatten chose the second anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, 15 August, as the date of power transfer. The British government announced on 3 June 1947 that it had accepted the idea of partitioning British India into two states, India and Pakistan.

Independence Day is marked throughout India with flag-raising ceremonies, drills, and the singing of the Indian national anthem. Additionally, various cultural programs are made available in the state capitals. After the prime minister participates in the flag-raising ceremony at the Red Fort historic monument in Old Delhi, a parade ensues with members of the armed forces and police.