Chennai: The hours ticking towards dawn of August 15, 1947 saw great excitement among the Indians who were eagerly waiting to watch the historic moment of the national tricolour fly high for the first time.
The multitude of crowds, also comprising a large number of women adorned with tricolour sarees and matching hued flowers strung to their plaited hair and children with the national flags pinned all over their shirts, were on the streets to witness the revelry. Triplicane and Thousand Lights, which accounted for a fairly large number of Muslims, saw them remarkably sporting the tricoloured flags on their shirts and join the Hindus in the celebrations in camaraderie.
The day and age was long before the advent of television, mobiles, internet, twitter or whatsapp. Such devices may bring events of such magnitude closer to the living rooms now, but there was a decided thrill about getting to the event and be there when it happens in those days.
In an evocative article written on August 24, 1947, Gopu (S. S. Gopalakrishnan), an assistant editor of Ananda Vikatan, captures the mood on the celebrations while joining fellow countrymen gleaming with pride all over the country obtaining her independence from foreign rule.....
With Nadaswaram music radiating from the temples in Teynampet and as patriotic songs rant the air, amidst slogans aired on radio from every house, it seemed as though the Sun rose rather early to watch the Independence Day celebrations on August 15, 1947. People marched in multitudes towards the historic Fort St. George to witness the hoisting of the Indian flag.
At some places, he noticed the people decorating their houses and streets and when he reached George Town he saw people walking towards the Marina beach. One of them replied, when asked, “We are going to capture the fort.” And Gopu followed him.
The roads leading to the Fort were awash with Indian flags and all government offices were decorated with the tricolour. At Fort St. George, the biggest symbol of British imperialism, suddenly, the mystery behind the slogan “capture the fort” dawned on him – people were eager to see the Indian flag fly from the ramparts of the fort (replacing the Union Jack) and so had swarmed the fort.
The whole night, the crowds, waited for the Sun to rise and were greatly delighted to see the flag flutter and fly high from the fort.
Muslims join the celebration in large numbers
On the Beach Road, the tricolour was beautifully tied to the hand of the statue of King George V “who was standing alone.”
At Triplicane and Thousand Lights where Muslims lived in large numbers, the Muslims – both adults and children decorated their shirts with the Indian flags, and joined the Hindus in the Independence day carnival.
The Ripon Building, housing the Madras Corporation, was beautifully decorated with Indian flags. Premier Omandur Ramaswamy Reddy hoisted the flag in the presence of the Mayor. After two o’clock in the afternoon, the Governor, Sir Archibald Edward, hoisted the flag in the presence of Prime Minister Omandurar Reddy who turned up little late and on account of traffic and apologised.
As if to punish the late comers, the flag got wedged and after sometime majestically flew high. By the time the function was over, it was well past evening.
Women wear tricoloured saree, sport similar hued flowers
The General Hospital resembled more like a lamp due to decoration and looked like a gigantic toy. The Central Station in front and also the Ripon building were decorated. The women clad in tricoloured sarees and similar hued flowers strung on their braids besides children who had their shirts pinned all over with the national flag and munching mouthful of sweets and staring at the motor cars and bicycles passing by, was a sight to behold! All the people returned home the following morning!
