Ahmedabad’s 1st Independence Day celebration

AHMEDABAD: On August 15, 70 years ago, India’s Independence Day celebration was a spectacle that Ahmedabad had never seen before. More than a lakh people had gathered at Lal Darwaza maidan — the place where the Sardar Baug and the bus terminus exists today. At 8.30am sharp the tricolour, erected at the centre of the maidan with the Ashoka Chakra was unfurled by Ahmedabad city Congress president Gulam Rasool Qureshi.
But a minute before the flag was unfurled, thousands of hands were raised in honour of the country. City policemen and soldiers of Subhash Chandra Bose-led Azad Hind Fauj occupied the centre of the venue. As soon as the flag was unfurled all saluted in the Azad Hind Fauj style. People sang Vande Mataram, ‘Jhanda Uncha Rahe Hamara’, and chanted Bharat Mata ki Jai.
Qureshi said, “Be faithful to the national flag. Today we pledge for our country peace, tranquillity, harmony, liberty and progress for all. It is a historic day today, but Gandhiji is in Calcutta trying to forge peace between Hindus and Muslims.”
The then city Congress president, had added, “We should not forget that after thousands of years of being ruled by Maharajas, Badshahs and the British, today we have ushered in Swaraj.”
Present at the venue were collector Dumry, city municipality president Manilal Shah, Gujarat provincial committee president Bhogilal Lala and others. In fact, soon after the speech, a football match was played between Rifle Association and Jupiter Mills in which the former had won.
“I have recently collected a detailed account of the first Independence Day celebrations from seven widely read Indian language dailies of the time. I was amazed by the energy and excitement that existed then,” says city-based historian Rizwan Kadri.
Celebrations had begun on August 14, noon across the city. By 10pm people began to gather at Bhadra fort where a huge cut-out of Mahatama Gandhi was placed in front of a tricolour. By midnight, fireworks lit the skies atop Bhadra fort among cries of Azad Hind Zindabaad!, Hindi Union Zindabad! At 4.30am prabhat pheris from every pol in the walled city emerged chanting national songs. After the flag hoisting the following day at the zilla panchayat office a temporary tent was made for paying homage to martyrs.