We all know that Indian republic day is celebrated on 26th January every year. It holds a special and different meaning for all the Indians, like for some it means being glued in front of the TV and watch the parade on Doordarshan, for some, it is the day their country became a sovereign nation while for many it is just a gazetted holiday, but the commonality among all is the celebration of signing India’s constitution in 1950.
India’s constitution came into existence on 26th January 1950, accomplishing the transition of the country into an independent republic.
History Behind Republic Day
When India got Independence on 15th August 1947, it did not have a permanent constitution at that time. So, the first draft was passed to the National Assembly on 4th November 1947 by the draft committee and it got signed by the National Assembly on 24th January 1950 for the two versions of the constitution, namely Hindi and English. And it came into effect on 26th January 1950. Indian constitution gave the power to citizens to govern themselves by giving them the right to choose their own government.
Celebration of Republic Day in the Capital of India
On this day, there is a large parade in New Delhi, which starts from President’s House (Rashtrapati Bhawan) and proceeds along the Rajpath, India gate and onto the Red Fort and continues for approximately 3 to 4 hours. This vigorous parade begins after the Indian flag hoisting by the president at sharp 9 a.m.
The Indian armed forces demonstrate their strength and determination by marching the whole length of parade path. Gliding down the procession path, you can see giant and decorative floats representing every Indian state.
The three divisions that lead the march are:
- The Indian Army
- Indian Navy
- Indian Air Force
Every year there is a chief guest and this year it will be HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, to access the area and watch the parade you need to purchase the ticket for this parade. But don’t worry if you can’t make it, as there is another way too and that way is called “Television”.
So, if you are going you attend the event then make sure:
- Leave your electronic devices somewhere safe, as they are strictly prohibited there.
- Delhi metro gets affected, check your route before you begin.
- Arrive as early as possible because all the entrances get closed before the National Anthem starts.
Some More Interesting Facts About Republic Day
- The Indian constitution is the longest in the world.
- US President Barack Obama was the first US head to attend the Republic Day ceremony as a Chief Guest in 2015.
- The Indian constitution has two original copies, one is written in Hindi and other is in English, which are kept in the Parliament of India.
- The song “Abide by me” is believed to be the favorite of Gandhi, which is actually a Christian song.
Freedom in mind, faith in words, pride in our hearts and memories in our soul let’s salute the nation on Republic day.
HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY!