Azaadi Mubarak!!
As you go about hosting the National Flag tomorrow morning, distributing sweets and appreciating the efforts by the founding fathers in securing the freedom for you, remember the story of a Pagal ie a man man of Lukhnow.
The year was 1928, and Simon Commission was in India to determine the future of India. It had seven members but none of them was an Indian leader, and as result India's political leadership decided to boycott it. Commission went from one town to the next but always met with protesters holding black flags.
When it reached Lucknow and was holding the meetings at the British Residency near Aminabad. British government had made sure that protest are broken up and no one is allowed near Residency.....
Azzadi ke Jiyale were frustarted as they could not voice their opinion openly. They were wondering what to do when a neighborhood pagal, a man with who never made sense and was considered useless suggested that we "fly kites with the message "Simon Commission Go Back" written on it". And that the kites battles should take place resulting in kites falling in the Residency with the message written on it..
Hundreds of kites were flown within hours that day.....It was raining kites in the English Residency.......Englishmen were embarrassed and surprised at the ingenuity of the Indians...
No one cared to pay respect to that Pagal who came up with the idea....a pagal whose name we don't know....a pagal who too wanted freedom just like you and me......a pagal who knew his life would not change regardless of India gains freedom or not....still he did his part in our freedom movement.
A un-named pagal who deserves to be remembered tomorrow.....by all means necessary!!
I am sure you all will.....
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