First we will have a quick look at the video of August 15, 1947 – The day we got our Independence…

Now below is a collection of few of my most favourite songs in praise of India…

Janani Janma Bhoomi

Vandemataram by A.R.Rahaman

Hum Karen Rashtra Aradhan

Bharat Ka Rahanewala hoon (from movie: Purab or Pashim)

Jahan Daal Daal Par sone ki Chidian

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do
HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.

Purpose of Having a Preamble:
The Preamble to our Constitution serves two purposes: –
A) It indicates the source from which the Constitution derives its authority;
B) It also states the objects, which the Constitution seeks to establish and promote.

The Preamble seeks to establish what Mahatma Gandhi described as The India of my Dreams, “…an India in which the poorest shall feel that it is their country in whose making they have an effective voice; …an India in which all communities shall leave I perfect harmony. There can be no room in such an India for the curse of untouchability or the curse of Intoxicating drinks and drugs. Woman will enjoy as the same rights as man.”

( Hindi Version )

“India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, grandmother of legend, and great grand mother of tradition. Our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only”.

So what happened? How the cradle of Human race and the grandmother of legend turned into a dominated colony of British rule. The answer lies here. And I suppose, every Indian must know this …

Speech of Lord McCauley dated Feb 2nd, 1835 in British Parliament.

“I have traveled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such caliber, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage, and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native self-culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation”.

I dare say, that even Lord McCauley may not have guessed extend of success his proposal would meet. Britishers Left 58 years ago, but we continue to be fascinated with all that is foreign and English. We continue to be dominated. We read our ancient literature and the wisdom and science contained in them and we dismiss them as fables. We read Philosophy of Life in Gita and dare not implement it as a part of the education system. Ironically, the ‘west’ we follow are still seemed to be more confident about our culture, history and literatures.

Its time we try to reverse the damage caused by Lord McCauley and pledge to revive India to the glorious strature suggested by Mark Twain.