I google trended (just for India) both Independence day and Republic day and found that Independence Day was quite a bit more popular than Republic Day. In fact, I remember watching The Week That Wasnt once, where people on the streets were asked why Republic Day was celebrated and almost no one answered correctly. Independence Day is the day when the British packed their bags and left India, what India was defined then but what it wanted to be was defined on the 26th of January, 1950 when we adopted our Constitution.
The Gita defines who a Hindu is, the Koran a Muslim, the Bible a Christian, tribal rules and customs a Nishi and so on. But the Constitution defines who an Indian is. The cultural power of the first(s) combined with the legal power of the second is what can make India great. Until India becomes what its Constitution aspires it to be, it can be independent but not free.
I dont mean to spoil anybody’s Independence Day, but just wanted to put things in perspective. 🙂
India 
Errr I disagree. I think people are unaware about both. There is this story about a villager in punjab who wondered for decades why the Emperor on the stamp was replaced by a bald guy…..
Well, I am talking about the general attitude in the cities. Certainly, the google trends evidence proves my claim for Indian’s who have access to the internet.
By: odzer on August 15, 2008
at 5:47 am