Independence of India – I was there on that day

Yes, I was present on 15th of August 1947. It was the Independence Day of India and I was a three-year old child at the time. On this, the 75th Independence Day, I still remember how people enjoyed the occasion. At that time, I stayed with my parents and younger brother in Belgachhia. It was in North Calcutta and my father owned a lorry. He with two of his friends had a business of sorts. They used to transport coal from the coalfields and distribute them to the local dealers. They had a very trusted driver who was a Muslim and played a crucial role. It was a period of unrest with riots between the two communities prior to the partition of Bengal. The driver would ensure that the lorry with my father and his friends would move out safely through sensitive spots. He carried a change of clothes in the lorry and the occupants wore them, as necessary, to avoid any local problems. These are what my father told me much later when I could understand the intricacies.

Anyway – to come back to details of 15th of August 1947. It was raining and I was in the lorry. It was crowded and my parents were there as were the families of his partners. There were many others and the, lorry was crowded as were the roads. They were jam packed with people who carried the Indian flag and shouted slogans of Bharat Mata ki jai. There were also lines of vehicles and all of them were moving at a snail’s pace in one direction. All of them wanted to see the huge statue of Bharat Mata that a shop in College Street had put up. The shop was a landmark. It sold readymade clothes and the statue was enclosed in a glass case on the first floor and visible from the road. It was still there in the 1960s when I used to travel to my school in Bowbazar Street and college in Park Street. I do not know if it is still there.

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Bengalis are a politically conscious lot

Bengal is probably the only state in India where politics begins literally from the cradles – at the grassroots level of schools and colleges. Bengalis mature very fast in this field and the training begins early because Kolkata is the only city where school going children have to grow up facing the wrath of political parties and politicians.
Their training begins with bandhs and rallies on any subject under the Sun – the children gradually get used to be sitting it out in the traffic jams as the protesters shout slogans and march on the streets. Obviously, the message goes out clear and loud to the kids that might is right and, if you want something, demand it as a right and take to the streets.

Once the Bengali children move on to the next level of education namely, college, they really get into the thick of things. They have to align themselves to some political party because politicians are firm believers in the logic that the college is the nurturing ground of future leaders. Naturally, the students step into a new world where a general feeling is that the party in power can dictate terms and others have to follow, else face the consequences which could be death.
It was there earlier and is still in vogue – only, earlier it used to be on a selective basis, and today it is free for all.
Believe it or not, one of my nieces passed out from a reputed school and got admission in the prestigious St Xavier’s College but she elected to in City College because Xavier’s was not politically oriented and she wanted to see action first hand!! (to be continued …)
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

(Image curtesy ikimediacommons.org)

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