CELLULAR JAIL, ANDAMAN & BIRLA HOUSE: Birla House is a muse- NICOBAR ISLANDS: Also known as um dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi. It ‘Kala Pani’, the British used the is the location where Gandhi spent CELEBRATING FREEDOM jail to exile political prisoners at the last 144 days of his life and was SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 2021 03 this colonial prison assassinated on January 30, 1948 CLICK HERE: PAGE 3 AND 4 Pre-Independence slogans and its relevance in India today Slogans raised by leaders during the freedom movement set the mood of the nation’s revolution for its independence. They epitomised the struggle and hopes of millions of Indians. Author and former ad guru ANUJA CHAUHAN revisits these powerful slogans and explains their history and relevance in a contemporary India SATYAMEV JAYATE QUIT INDIA LIKE SWARAJ, KHADI IS (Truth alone triumphs) HISTORY: This slogan is widely associ- OUR BIRTH-RIGHT ated with Mahatma Gandhi (what he HISTORY: Inscribed at the base of started was the Quit India Movement India’s national emblem, this phrase is from August 8, 1942, in Bombay (then), a mantra from the ancient Indian scr- but the term ‘Quit India’ was actually ipture, ‘Mundaka Upanishad’, which coined by a lesser-known hero of was popularised by freedom fighter India’s freedom struggle – Yusuf Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya during Meherally. He had published a booklet India’s freedom movement. titled ‘Quit India’ (sold in weeks) and got over a thousand ‘Quit India’ badges to give life to the slogan that Gandhi also started using and popularised. ‘YOUNGSTERS, DON’T QUIT INDIA’: Quit India was a powerful slogan and HISTORY: Mahatma Gandhi’s call to as a slogan) was written by Urdu the jingle of an epic movement meant use khadi became a movement for poet Muhammad Iqbal in 1904 for to drive the British away from our the indigenous swadeshi (Indian) children. This song became an soil. It was a crucial movement that industry that spun yards of khadi. eventually paved the way for an inde- The father of the nation at his anthem of opposition during the pendent India. Ironically, now, many charkha remains the image synony- British Raj. mous with Gandhi and the freedom movement. Khadi isn’t just a fabric – DILLI CHALO THE PURSUIT OF TRUTH GOES ON: it was the symbol of Indian (Let’s storm Delhi) At this point of time when we are Independence movement and contin- Freedom fighter of Bengal – Subhas stuck between the confusing and ues to be one of the symbols of the contradicting layers of real and fake idea of India. OTHER ICONIC SLOGANS OF THE ERA Chandra Bose – had given the slogan news, to know the truth is far from ‘Dilli‘Dilli Chalo’Chalo’ whilewhile marchingmarching toto thethe easy. We are also living in times of KEEPING KHADI RELEVANT: In post INQUILABINQUILAB ZINDABADZINDABAD capital with his Indian National Army extreme polarisation of political Independent India, khadi became views and ideologies where there are stylish and a fashion designer’s (Long live the revolution) (INA)(INA) toto freefree IndiaIndia fromfrom thethe shacklesshackles different versions of the same story dream fabric. The journey of khadi, Coined by Urdu poet and freedom of Britishers. In recent times, this – so difficult to know the truth from becoming a symbol of India’s nation- fighterfighter MaulanaMaulana HasratHasrat Mohanib,Mohanib, expression has been revisited by vari- the lies. So, the pursuit of truth young people going abroad for higher al fashion heritage, is also the story ous political leaders and activists becomes more important than ever studies are ‘quitting’ India by settling of India’s growth – of its fashion, thisthis timelesstimeless sloganslogan waswas popu-popu- NOW. People rallying for RTI (Right there – it’s almost like a movement of style and cultural aspirations. Even larisedlarised byby oneone ofof thethe mostmost influen-influen- under different interpretations to to Information) Act is also the mod- sorts! I will say to the young, acquire now, khadi remains our birthright – tialtial revolutionariesrevolutionaries ofof IndianIndian free-free- fightfight forfor theirtheir rights.rights. ern interpretation of Satyamev knowledge and know-how from inter- it is a fabric we must include in our dom struggle – Bhagat Singh. He Jayate – truth shall prevail. national universities and organisa- wardrobe to keep it relevant and to dom struggle – Bhagat Singh. He VANDE MATARAM tions if you want to, but do come back salute the spirit of India. used ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ as a war ‘Saare Jahan Se Achha’ (Mother, I bow to thee) to India. Don’t Quit India! India needs cry against the oppression of the Freedom activist and the you – your hopes, ambition, skills. British and motivated the youth to was published by The poem by journalist and activist founder of Banaras Hindu joinjoin thethe IndependenceIndependence movement.movement. Muhammad Iqbal in the Bankim Chandra Chatterjee personi- University (BHU) – Pandit Madan fiedfied IndiaIndia asas mothermother duringduring thethe free-free- Mohan Malaviya – used the slogan SAARE JAHAN SE ACHHA weekly journal ‘Ittehad’ dom struggle. It was later translated The term ‘Quit India’ was HINDUSTAN HAMARA dom struggle. It was later translated ‘Satyamev Jayate’ for the first coined by a lesser-known hero as a song by Rabindranath Tagore time during his presidential (India is the best nation) on August 16, 1904 of India’s freedom struggle – and the first paragraph has been address at the Indian National The soul-stirring song (also acts Yusuf Meherally adopted as the national song of India. Congress convention in 1918 THE ART & CULTURE FRATERNITY ON THEIR MUSICIANS AND FILMMAKERS REVEAL THEIR DEFINING IDEA OF INDIA AND FREEDOM... INDEPENDENCE MOMENT JAYA JAITLEY, founder, SHOBHA DEEPAK SINGH, GEETA CHANDRAN, AMJAD ALI KHAN, music RAKEYSH OMPRAKASH SHANKAR MAHADEVAN, Dastakari Haat Samiti director & vice chair- renowned classical dancer maestro, sarod player MEHRA, filmmaker singer, composer When I think of India and its glorious person, Shriram Bharatiya To me the saree 1947 – there are so many defining The stories of how we What ‘fought’ for freedom signifies Indian history, what always comes to mind is Kala Kendra best represents moments. I was very young back then the image of a craftsperson engaging the idea of India, but the stories I heard have remained are my favourite sto- Independence for In my childhood days in creating his/her work with linking human with me. I never really understood the ries. And for me, iconic me is V at Modern School, deep concentration and medi- endeavour from importance of being ‘free’ but Ustad singer-actor KL Saigal Shantaram’s film Delhi, we were given tation. It signifies our creative the village to the Bismillah Khan’s performance at the is the poster boy of ‘Matwala Shair round plates with people and our precious living globe, from crop Red Fort on the eve of August 15, 1947, India’s Independence. Ramjoshi’. Ashoka Chakra on it. traditions. We must celebrate to creativity, from thread to cloth, struck a chord. It was my most mem- and preserve them. integral to festivals and rituals. SHYAM BENEGAL, filmmaker ASHWINI IYER, filmmaker orable possession. I think the year was 1952 when All I have heard about life immediately RAJA RADHA REDDY AND India Radio’s Vadya Vrinda platform post Independence and how it was not MANJARI CHATURVEDI, KAUSHALYA REDDY, expo- launched with Ravi Shankar as its first a bed of roses. The 1947 film of social significance, Kishore Sufi kathak danseuse nents of Kuchipudi dance director. The channel started to give an outlet to instrumentalists and provide Sahu’s ‘Sindoor’ rede- The image of the Indian flag The song, ‘Vande them with some income. That truly fined India’s at Lal Qila, that’s my India – Mataram’, filmed defined the spirit of ‘free’ India for me. Independence for me. a composite image of dif- on Geeta Bali ferent cultures, where secularism is and Pradeep VIKRANT MASSEY, actor OTT and other pay per view a lived reality. Once I had per- Kumar, comes to What signifies Independence to channels. That we have evolved formed Sufi kathak at the Red Fort mind when you me is the coming of age of so much and made a mark for with the same ramparts as the say freedom. backdrop and it was memorable. Bollywood; the emergence of ourselves on the world stage! DHUNDIRAJ SOHRAB MODI – DURGA KHOTE, was RABINDRANATH KADRI GOPALNATH GOVIND PHALKE actor, director, pro- known for her TAGORE, the poet – a Padma Bhushan 10 artistes or Dadasaheb ducer, made films patriotic dialogues and Nobel laureate winning saxophone Phalke made India’s like ‘Sikander’ in the movies of was also a musician player and a pio- of yore who first film ‘Raja ‘Pukar’, etc. His 1930s and 1940s. In with 2,230 compo- neer of Carnatic Harishchandra’ in films were made 1937, Khote pro- sitions; his music on the shaped popular 1913 and in doing so laid the foun- during the peak of duced and directed a film called Rabindrasangeet is unique due to instrument, is a legend of the culture and arts dation of the Indian film industry. India’s freedom movement. ‘Saathi’, the first woman to do so. its cultural diversity. pre-Independence era. PRITHVIRAJ KAPOOR, the patri- Artistes contributed to the DEVIKA RANI, known as the first ASHOK KUMAR, known as MS SUBBULAKSHMI, the titan of HOMI WADIA, master of the stunt arch of the Kapoor lady of Indian cine- ‘Dadamuni’, started Carnatic music, was film genre, por- freedom struggle by creating family, set out to ma, was the first his long innings as the first musician trayed women as awareness about democracy and be a lawyer but Indian woman to actor in pre- to win Bharat Ratna brave and independ- Swaraj (Independence) in their became a success- get into film pro- Independence India and the first Indian ent in his films.