Re: 15 August 1997
V. Chowdary Jampala (cjampala@quark.dayton.net)
Thu, 14 Aug 1997 14:04:44 -0400 (EDT)
On Thu, 14 Aug 1997, Akkiraju Bhattiprolu wrote:
>
> namaskAram! I recently read that hoisting national flag in the
> (mid) night is an insult to the national flag. We are supposed to
> hoist the flag only between 6.00 am and 6.00pm. Very recently
> Karnataka government gave a public clarrification to this affect
> as many of the village heads were asking for it. I tried to
> go back and get you the article in Deccon Herald archives, but
> they didn't keep all the editions there. Please get the
> clarification on this and proceed.
> We don't want to insult our flag... isn't it?
Akkiraju gaaru is correct regarding the protocol. In 1947, the
consitution assembly held a special ceremony at midnight to mark the
transfer of power where nehru gave his famous speech. The flag hoisting
took place the next morning at Red Fort. (checkout redif India's website
for a description by Phillip Talbot of the famous events).
Why the transfer of power at midnight? Mounbatten announced August
15 as the day for transfer of power on the spur of the moment as a reply
to a reporter's question ata press conference (august 15 is a special day
for him as the Japanese surrenderd to him in the South Asian theater two
years earlier). The entire astrologer community of India condemned the
date as being inauspicious, and a compromise of sorts was made as august
14 was considered a better day and midnight was selected to be the time.
Collins and Lapierrre's Freedom at midnight gives a comprehensive accoutn
of the events leadign upto the day, the I-day, and he aftermath until
Gandhis' death. I recommend reading it on this fiftieth anniversary.
Regards -- Chowdary Jampala