New Delhi, January 26: AFTER very very cold weather conditions for the last many days, nice sunshine greeted the Capital on January 26, 1950. It was India’s defining moment, the day our nation truly freed itself from the shackles of colonialism to become a republic. A truly sovereign State.
The mood was absolutely upbeat and people came in large numbers to celebrate the day. Unlike now, the inaugural Republic Day function was held at Irwin Stadium (now National Stadium).
It was a hectic day for the would-be first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad. Dr. Prasad marked the momentous occasion with a visit to Raj Ghat to pay homage to Bapu, the Father of the Nation. Immediately after returning, he was sworn in as the country’s first President at around 9 a.m. by the Governor General of India, C. Rajagopalachari. The swearing-in-ceremony was graced by over 500 guests had assembled inside the hall. President Sukarno of the IndonesianRepublic , his wife and several members of the Diplomatic corps, members of the Constituent Assembly and prominent citizens had graced the occasion.
It was a historic occasion when free India’s first President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, was administered the oath of his office. The Chief Justice of India, Sir Hiralal Kania, read the oath of office in Hindi. Dr. Rajendra Prasad repeated it sentence by sentence. The President was dressed in black achkan, white churidar and a white Gandhi cap.
The outgoing Governor General, C. Rajagopalachari, our first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, beaming with pride and joy, the Deputy Prime Minister, Sardar Patel, the Iron-man of India, Cabinet Ministers, Judges of the Supreme Court and the Auditor-General of India, were present in the hall to witness the historic moment n India’s history. Pandit Nehru and his other Cabinet colleagues were sowrn-in soon after. The Speaker of Lok Sabha, G.V. Mavalankar, the first Speaker, sat in the front row.
In the Darbar Hall, for the first time the national emblem of Ashoka Pillar with three lions was placed near the throne where in the past the British Viceroys used to sit. Also for the first time a smiling statute of Lord Buddha was placed behind the throne. The President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, who greeted the large gathering smilingly with folded hands, made a short speech in Hindi and English, stating that it was a memorable day in our annals. Let us begin with offering our thanks to the Almighty Power that has enabled us to see this day to theFather of the Nation who showed us and to the world at large his infallible method of Satyagraha and led us on along it to freedom and to the numberless men and women, whose suffering and sacrifice have rendered the attainment of Independence and establishment of this sovereign democraticRepublic possible”.
The birth of the Republic was celebrated by the masses by organising prabhat pheries. The day dawned with a clear sky and sun was bright throughout the day. It was one of the coldest days in Delhi and men, women and children dressed in their best, came out to participate in this great festival. They exchanged greetings and congratulated each other for the new era that dawned under the new Constitution.
Outside the Darbar Hall, there were unforgettable scenes of jubilation. Large crowds of men, women and children had assembled in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Many of them had come from the adjoining States to witness the ceremony. People raised slogans of “Gandhiji-ki-jai” and “Vande Mataram”. Thousands visited Rajghat, the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, to pay their respectful homage to theFather of the Nation.
After dignified ceremony was held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the scene shifted to Irwin Stadium. The new President traveled to the stadium in a horse carriage (something unthinkable in present times) and, like present times, Delhi’s roads were lined with enthusiastic crowds, standing along the five mile route with the tricolour in their hands. A huge crowd greeted the President’s entourage when it reached the vicinity of Connaught Place. And when Dr. Prasad reached Irwin Stadium, he was welcomed by with a booming 31-gun salute.
An Indian Civil Services officer of the 1934 batch, Dr. Badruddin Tyabji, who was instrumental in organising the function, once told this writer many years ago that after unfurling the National Flag at Irwin Stadium, Rajendra Prasad in his brief speech tothe nation said, “We must rededicate ourselves on this day to the peaceful but sure realisation of the dream that had inspired the Father of the Nation, and other leaders and soldiers of our freedom struggle, the dream of establishing a classless, free and happy society.”
After the speech, students from various schools of the capital presented cultural programmes. Old timers still recall there were very few policemen guarding the VIPs inside the stadium. After the programme, leaders mingled with the people. Nehru was mobbed by his admirers. He spent a good 20 minutes with them.
The whole function was over within two hours. There was no foreign dignitary specially invited for the occasion, nor was there a parade or a display of floats as in the present times. It was more or less a quiet affair.
Recalling that day, historian S.A. Abdullah, who was with his friends in Connaught Place, said it was bustling with people of all age groups, enjoying themselves and celebrating. The restaurants were crowded, each and every shop was illuminated, and the spirit of the freedom infectious. The atmosphere was electric, similar to August 15, 1947.
–Agencies