Tilak’s imprint on Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
Nations that celebrate together, bond together. Therefore, the role of festivals in acting as a glue that binds the country cannot be missed
In September 1897, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak was tried for sedition for publishing two articles in Kesari, the weekly he published from Pune. The first was a poem “Shivaji’s utterances” and the second was an account of the proceedings of a festival held to commemorate Chhatrapati Shivaji’s coronation. The jury found Tilak guilty of sedition and sentenced him to 18 months in prison.
Why were the British threatened by the description of the proceedings of a festival that was meant to mark Shivaji’s coronation? Since the early 1890s, Tilak strove to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi and Shivaji’s coronation as public events with large-scale participation. Jan Bhagidari (community participation) in these festivals led to the organising of various events: Public debates, recitation of hymns, and cultural programmes.
Tilak felt that such occasions would build unity, instil a sense of pride in one’s culture and heritage, and inculcate a sense of patriotism towards the country. The article in Kesari carried observations Tilak made during the coronation festival. He said: “A country which cannot unite even on a few occasions cannot hope to prosper … We should not forget that Ram and Ravan felt no difficulty whatsoever to meet in the same temple on the occasion of worshipping Shankar”.
Nations that celebrate together, bond together. Therefore, the role of festivals in acting as a glue that binds the country cannot be missed. National festivals such as Independence Day and Republic Day play a huge role in reminding us of the travails, struggles and sacrifices that our forefathers had to suffer to overthrow British colonialism and forge a new paradigm of governance.
Community and religious festivals such as Makar Sankranti, which is being celebrated today, are important since they connect us to our heritage and civilisational ethos, spanning many millennia. Although most Indian festivals are often region-specific, the message they convey is always universal. This clearly distinguishes Indian festivals from those in the rest of the world. Festivals such as Eid and Christmas have always been embraced with open arms in India and the universal values that they offer are celebrated by a majority of people.
The harvest festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated across the nation under different names such as Uttarayan, Pongal, Ghughutiya, Lohri, Poush Sankranti, Suggi Habba, Makara Chaula, Maghi Sankrant, Magh Bihu, Shishur Saenkraat, and Khichdi Parv. This festival has different manifestations, based on the region: In the hills of Uttarakhand, children feed roasted flour with jaggery to crows to welcome migratory birds, in Gujarat the skies are filled with kites while people feast on Undhiyu. The Telugu state festivities involve decorating entrances of houses with rangoli and providing alms to the Gangireddu community which visits each house along with decorated bulls. Across many cultures, languages, and rituals, Makar Sankranti evokes the same love and joy. It stands testimony to our geographical diversity and rich cultural heritage.
Such festivals also require platforms where they can be hosted and celebrated. In this, the role of temples, religious places, and river fronts cannot be understated. For festivals to resonate and gain traction, the government is taking proactive steps to ensure that the infrastructure and access to our spiritual heritage, rivers and religious places have adequate facilities.
The creation of Buddhist, Krishna and Ramayana circuits, the inauguration of the Parshuram Kund in the easternmost tip of India and providing improved facilities at the temples in Somnath have been attempts in this direction. Further, with the inauguration of the Shri Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi at the Kedarnath Temple and the first phase of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi, the construction of a beautiful Ram Temple at Ayodhya, providing facilities at the Hazratbal mosque in Kashmir and the Hayat Bakshi Mosque in Hyderabad, the development of Guru Gobind Singh’s birthplace at Patna Sahib, the construction of an international airport at Kushinagar to facilitate Buddhist pilgrims and the development of churches in Goa and Velankanni show the government’s commitment to restore and protect the country’s rich cultural heritage. Once these places are developed, they will improve the spiritual experience of our devotees so that they can celebrate our festivals with fanfare.
India’s 75th year of Independence is being celebrated under the theme of “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi sees this as not just a celebration of our past achievements but also as an opportunity to provide a template for India in its 100th year of Independence.
Much like Tilak envisaged in the 1890s, the various programmes and commemorations being planned and executed until August 15, 2023, aim to instil a sense of patriotism through public participation and celebrate our unity in diversity. While Tilak was driven by the need to root out a common foe, the British, today’s need is to foster brotherhood so that we can realise the goal of an “EK Bharat, Sresht Bharat.”
G Kishan Reddy is the minister of culture, tourism and development of the Northeastern Region. He represents Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency
The views expressed are personal