Har Ghar Tiranga Independence Day 2023 | Indian Independence Day 2023: 15 August 2023 | Har Ghar Tiranga’: Why it matters to constantly remind ourselves of tokens of our national identity

 

In a similar vein it is thus evident that the initiative of ‘Har ghar tiranga’ which the central government has carried out every year on Independence Day for some time now, is extremely timely and pivotal. When considering the question of national pride for a country like India, such celebrations are a must. It is a country that has forged its way into existence into a modern, nation state through extreme, hard-fought struggle against a powerful colonial power. It is a fact that we should be proud of and always remember in our day to day life as Indian citizens. The day of celebrating our freedom from a colonial power may not seem that important to many who seem to be divorced from history today, the day has been for some normalised as just another national holiday but this is in many ways a betray to the legacy of those who gave their all in the fight for the country’s freedom. It is through their endeavours that we enjoy our present freedom and we should always be mindful of this. Independence day, a symbol of that victory, is the culmination of years of that struggle and like our national flag it should be proudly celebrated as a reminder of that time. Symbols are helpful tools in many ways. They help to convert abstract concepts like freedom and fraternity and translate them into tangible objects one can look up to. They are also a good tool to inculcate such concepts into children. The initiative to host flags everywhere also shows a shared sense of pride we feel as Indians. It is also a laudable initiative as it helps signify and further bolster India’s unity. In a country of such wide ranging diversity as India, such national symbols help show how despite diversity we stand as a united nation. Detractors of such initiatives should also understand that many times even pageantry and symbolism go a long way to represent national values. While such initiatives may not seem to bear fruits instantaneously, they help build up a sense of national unity for successive generations. Power of imagery is extremely powerful and works more subconsciously. A relation between national pride, our sense of freedom and the national flag is established by such initiatives of proud display of national flags across the country. It fills citizens with pride who then work hard to build a nation they are proud of. In today’s globalised world, where national identities are slowly being erased, initiatives like this are even more important. Today we have huge amounts of populations looking up to Korena pop singers and Pakistani drama series and aping American culture is at an all time high. While all this is not bad by itself as the world becomes more inclusive, remembering and celebrating our history and national identity are also important and this is where initiatives like ‘Har ghar tiranag’ are so important.