Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
The author recounts the most historic day in Indian History, 15th August 1947, as her grandparents were party to the day that did not unfold as everyone would have wanted.
In 1947, my grandparents lived in Faridnagar, a small town near Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. My grandfather was an engineer with the Irrigation Department posted at Faridnagar. Remember, Meerut was the place which saw India’s first revolt for Independence.
Serving under the British, any talk of the freedom movement was a taboo at work. But, the couple was deeply patriotic and followed the freedom movement closely. These were very difficult times.
As a child grandma was a volunteer with the ‘Gandhi Charkha Sangh’, which encouraged people to donate generously towards nurturing the khadi movement. Charkha spinning was regular activity as it synced you up with the movement even if you were not protesting on the streets.
Bibi, as everyone called my grandma lovingly, has vivid memories of the pre Independence days.
She recounts the harrowing journey from Faridnagar to Agra, to her father’s home, just before India plunged into civil war. The family was escorted to safety out of Faridnagar by the British in closed vehicles. The scene on the roads was far from celebratory. There was danger every step of the way. To find human bodies on streets was common sight.
As she says, “Freedom happened too early for India”.
15 August, 1947 was a day was filled with speeches, celebrations and sweet distribution. The rich and well to do lit up their homes and there were festivities all around. In small town India the affluent went all out to treat the townsfolk.
The celebrations were short-lived.
Indians were unprepared for the trauma of partition.
Within two days, every street and home was unhappy, insecure and in danger of mob fury. Streets had become war zones and mistrust and rumours led to ugly and riotous scenes all across the country. The secular fabric of the country was torn to shreds.
To say that Indian politicians were unprepared would be a mild statement. They did not know what hit them. Freedom for India came at a very high cost in terms of loss of human lives and lifelong trauma for those who lived through it.
Image Source: Pixabay
Born in small town India to professional parents in an age when working women were a rarity. Grew up among the bright,liberal and educated minds, who valued education, freedom for women, character and values. read more...
This post has published with none or minimal editorial intervention. Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
Please enter your email address