Anupam Gakhar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people to put ‘Tiranga’ (Tricolour) as their display picture on social media profiles between August 2 and 15. In the 91st episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio broadcast on July 31, he flagged a movement called ‘HarGharTiranga’ (Tricolour on every house) being organised from August 13 to 15. “Let us further this movement by hoisting the National Flag at our homes,” he said. PM Modi, in the address, focused on events being organized to celebrate the 75 years of Independence. Local fairs from India’s diverse and rich cultural heritage found a mention in his address, as did India’s indigenous medicinal system Ayurveda. The following are edited excerpts from PM Modi’s Mann Ki Baat:
PM Modi mentioned that this episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ was very special because of the forthcoming Independence Day, when India will complete 75 years of her independence. The citizens were going to be witnesses to this glorious and historic moment and that the Almighty had blessed them with this great fortune. “Just think about it, had we been born in the era of slavery, how would have we imagined this day? That yearning of freedom from slavery, the restlessness for freedom from the shackles of subjugation – how formidable would that have been! In those days, every single day, we would be seeing millions of countrymen fighting, battling, making sacrifices for the sake of freedom,” he said. People would wake up every morning with this dream when their motherland India would be free. They would yearn for the dawn of that day in their lives when they would dedicate their youth and life in the service of the generations to come, chanting Vande Mataram and Bharat Maa Ki Jai.
PM Modi took this opportunity to ask the countrymen to join him in saluting the martyrdom of Shaheed Udham Singh ji. “I offer my humble tributes to all such other great revolutionaries who sacrificed their all for the country,” he said.
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
PM Modi was happy to note that the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the festivity around 75 years of India’s independence is taking the form of a mass movement. People from all walks of life and from every section of the society were participating in different programmes associated with it. He categorically mentioned an event that took place in Meghalaya recently where people remembered U. Tirot Singh ji, the brave warrior of Meghalaya, on his death anniversary. “Tirot Singh ji fiercely opposed the British conspiracy to control the Khasi Hills and destroy the native culture. Many artists gave beautiful performances in this programme. They made history come alive. A carnival was also organised as part of the event, in which the great culture of Meghalaya was depicted in a beautiful manner,” said the PM. He also stated that a few weeks ago, in Karnataka, a unique campaign named Amrita Bharathi Kannadarthi was launched wherein programmes related to the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav were organised at 75 places in the state on a grand scale. In these programmes, along with remembering the great freedom fighters of Karnataka, efforts were also made to bring to the fore the local literary achievements.
Role of Railways
The Prime Minister informed the nation that in the month of July an interesting endeavour had been undertaken, named Azadi Ki Railgadi Aur Railway Station. The objective of this effort, he said, was to make people know the role played by Indian Railways in the freedom struggle. He told the nation that there were many railway stations in the country, which are associated with the history of the freedom movement and that people will be surprised to hear amazing facts about these railway stations. “Gomoh Junction in Jharkhand is now officially known as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Junction Gomoh. Do you know why? Actually, at this very station, Netaji Subhash was successful in dodging the British officers by boarding the Kalka Mail. All of you must have heard the name of Kakori Railway Station near Lucknow. The names of bravehearts like Ram Prasad Bismil and AshfaqUllah Khan are associated with this station. These brave revolutionaries had displayed their might to the British by looting the treasury of the British being carried by train, he said and added, “Whenever you talk to the people of Tamil Nadu, you will get to know about Vanchi Maniyachchi Junction in Thoothukudi district. This station is named after Tamil freedom fighter Vanchinathan ji. This is the same place where Vanchi ji, 25 years of age then, had punished one British collector for his actions.”
“Friends, this list is pretty long. 75 such railway stations have been identified spread over 24 states across the country. These 75 stations are being decked up. Several events are being held at these stations. You must take out time to visit such historical stations in your vicinity. You will come to know in detail about such aspects of the freedom movement that you may not be aware of.” PM also urged the teachers of the schools nearby these stations to take their students to such stations and narrate the whole chain of historical events to the young learners.
Har Ghar Tiranga
The PM informed the countrymen that under the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, from the 13th to the 15th of August, a special movement – ‘HarGharTiranga’ was being organised. “By becoming a part of this movement, from August 13 to 15, you must hoist the tricolor at your home, or adorn your home with it. The Tricolour connects us, inspires us to do something for the country. I also have a suggestion that from the 2nd of August to the 15th of August, all of us can place the tricolor in our social media profile pictures. By the way, do you know, 2nd of August also has a special connection with our Tricolour. This day is the birth anniversary of Pingali Venkaiah ji who designed our national flag. I pay my respectful homage to him.” While talking about our national flag, the PM also made a special mention of the great revolutionary Madam Cama and the important role played by her in shaping the Tricolor.
PM Modi was of the opinion that the biggest message that emerged from all the events being organised in the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav was that all the countrymen should follow their duty with full devotion. “Only then will we be able to fulfill the dream of those countless freedom fighters and build the India of their dreams. That is why this Amrit Kaal of our next 25 years is Kartavya Kaal, a period of duty for every countryman,” he said.
BOON of AYURVEDA
Praising the role Indian traditional medicinal system Ayurveda played during the times of corona, the Prime Minister said, “The fight of our countrymen against corona is still on. The whole world is still struggling today. The increasing interest of people in holistic healthcare has helped everyone a lot in this. We all know how useful Indian traditional methods are in this. In the fight against Corona, Ayush has played an important role, at the global level.” He was pleased to share that there was a growing interest in Ayurveda and Indian medicine around the world, Ayush exports had witnessed a record growth and many new start-ups are also emerging in this sector. He particularly talked about the recently concluded Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit where to everyone’s surprise investment proposals of about ten thousand crore rupees had been received. He also informed that the corona period had led to an increase in research on medicinal plants and that many research studies were being published on this, which definitely was a good start. Talking about a unique initiative in this direction, PM Modi told the listeners, “Friends, another great effort has been made in the country in the field of varied medicinal plants and herbs. The ‘Indian Virtual Herbarium’ was just launched in the month of July. It is also an example of how we can use the digital world to connect with our roots. The Indian Virtual Herbarium is an interesting collection of digital images of preserved plants or plant parts, which is freely available on the web.
Sweet Story of Honey
PM Modi shares success stories of people on the programme. This time he was focused on laudable growth in honey produc tion. “These days our farmers are performing similar wonders in the production of honey. The sweetness of honey is also changing the lives of our farmers, increasing their income. In Yamunanagar, Haryana, there lives a beekeeper friend – Subhash Kamboj ji. Subhashji underwent training in beekeeping in a scientific way. After that he started his work with just six boxes. Today he has expanded it to about two thousand boxes. His honey is supplied across many states. Belonging to the Palli village of Jammu, Vinod Kumar ji is also beekeeping in more than one and a half thousand colonies. He has undertaken training in rearing the queen bee last year. Through this work, he is earning 15 to 20 lakh rupees annually. There is another farmer from Karnataka – MadhukeshwarHegdeji. Madhukeshwarji says that he had availed of subsidy from the Government of India for 50 bee colonies. Today, he possesses over 800 colonies, and sells tons of honey. He brought in innovation in his work, and is also making botanical honey like Jamun honey, Tulsi honey and Amla honey. Madhukeshwar ji, your innovation and success in madhu, honey production also makes your name meaningful.”
“Friends, you all know how much importance has been given to honey in our traditional health science. In Ayurveda texts, honey has been described as an elixir. Honey, not only imparts taste; it also gives us health. There are so many possibilities in honey production today that even the youth pursuing professional studies are making it a source of self-employment. One such youth is –Nimit Singh of Gorakhpur, UP. Nimit ji has done B.Tech. His father is a doctor, but after his studies, instead of taking up a job, Nimit ji decided to go for self-employment. He started honey production. He set up his own lab in Lucknow for quality check. Nimit ji is now earning well from honey and beeswax, and is also training farmers, travelling to different states. Due to the hard work of such youth, today the country is becoming a large producer of honey. You will be happy to know that the export of honey from the country has also grown. The country started campaigns like National Beekeeping and Honey Mission, farmers worked hard, and the sweetness of our honey started reaching across the world.
Fairs of India
A listener of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Sh. Ashish Bahl from Himachal Pradesh wrote to the Prime Minister informing him of the ‘Minjar Mela’ of Chamba. Talking about the same, PM Modi said that the inflorescence of the maize plant is called Minjar. When flowers bloom on the maize, Minjar Mela is celebrated and this fair attracts tourists from all over the country. The PM used the cue from the Minjar Mela and took upon himself to make people aware of various other fairs held in the country, especially those organized by tribals. “Friends, fairs have also been of great cultural importance in our country. Fairs connect people and hearts. When Kharif crops ripen after the rains in Himachal in September, in Shimla, Mandi, Kullu and Solan, Sari or Sair is also celebrated. Jagra is also going to arrive in September itself. In Jagra fairs, Bisu songs are sung after invoking the deity of Mahasu. This awakening of Mahasu Devta takes place in Himachal at Shimla, Kinnaur and Sirmaur; simultaneously in Uttarakhand.”
“Friends, there are many traditional fairs of tribal societies in different states in our country. Some of these fairs are associated with tribal culture, while some are organised in connection with tribal history and heritage. For example, if you get a chance, you must visit the four-day Samakka-SaralammaJatara Fair in Medaram, Telangana. This fair is called Mahakumbh of Telangana. The Saralamma Jatara Mela is celebrated in honour of two tribal women heroes – Samakka and Saralamma. It is a big center of faith for the Koya tribal community, not only in Telangana, but also in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The Maridamma fair in Andhra Pradesh is also a big fair connected with the beliefs of the tribal society. The Maridamma fair runs from Jyeshtha Amavasya to Ashadh Amavasya and the tribal society here associates it with Shakti upasana, worship. Here, in Peddhapuram, East Godavari, there is also a Maridamma temple. Similarly, the people of Garasiya tribe in Rajasthan organise ‘Siyawaka Mela’ or ‘Mankhan Ro Mela’ on Vaishakh Shukla Chaturdashi.”
“The ‘Mawli Mela’ of Narayanpur of Bastar in Chhattisgarh is also very special. Nearby, the Bhagoria Mela of Madhya Pradesh is also very famous. It is said that the Bhagoria fair started in the times of Raja Bhoj. Thereafter, the Bhil kings, Kasumara and Balun, organised these events for the first time in their respective capitals. Ever since, these fairs are being celebrated with equal enthusiasm. Similarly, many fairs like Tarnetar and Madhopur are famous in Gujarat. Fairs are, in themselves, a great source of energy for our society and our life. There must be many such fairs around you too. In modern times, these old links of the society are very important to strengthen the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’. Exhorting the youth to become part of this, PM Modi urged them to share their pictures on social media whenever they go to such fairs and they can use a specific hashtag if they want. “Through this, other people will also know about those fairs. You can also upload photos on the website of the Ministry of Culture.
Indian Toys and Games
PM Modi took pride in sharing yet again India’s growth story in the toy manufacturing sector. “My dear countrymen, you must have noticed, in one episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ I had said that India has the potential to become a powerhouse in toy exports. I had specially discussed the rich heritage of India in sports and games. The local toys of India are eco-friendly, compatible with both tradition and nature. Today, I want to share with you the success of Indian toys. Due to our youngsters, start-ups and entrepreneurs, what our toy industry has achieved, the success we have achieved, no one could have imagined. Today, when it comes to Indian toys, the echo of ‘Vocal for Local’ is being heard everywhere.”
PM Modi shared that India’s import of toys is in a state of continuous decline. Earlier, toy imports were more than 3000 crore rupees annually and such imports had reduced by 70 percent. It was a matter of pride that during this same period, India exported toys worth more than 2600 crore rupees to foreign countries in comparison to just Rs 300- 400 crore of exports earlier. Toy clusters are now everywhere in the country and small entrepreneurs who make toys are getting a lot of benefit from it. Their toys were reaching places around the world. “I also liked that our start-up sector is also paying full attention to the world of toys. They’re also doing a lot of fun things in this area. In Bangalore, a start-up named Shumme Toys is focusing on eco-friendly toys. In Gujarat, Arkidzoo Company is making AR-based Flash Cards and AR-based Storybooks. A Pune based company, Funvention, is engaged in kindling the interest of children in science, technology and math through toys and activity puzzles. I congratulate all such manufacturers, start-ups, doing a great job in the world of toys. Let us all together make Indian toys more popular all over the world.
Glorious Sportspersons
PM Modi also shared the laurels being earned by Indian sportspersons in the various international tournaments. “Friends, be it the classroom or the playground, today our youth, in every field, are making the country proud. This month, PV Sindhu won her first title of the Singapore Open. Neeraj Chopra also continued his excellent performance and won the silver medal for the country in the World Athletics Championship. At the Ireland Para Badminton International as well, our players have boosted the glory of the country by winning 11 medals. Indian players also performed well in the World Cadet Wrestling Championship held in Rome. Our athlete, Suraj, has done wonders in the Greco-Roman event. He has won the Gold Medal of Wrestling in this event after a long gap of 32 years.”
Alongside sharing the joy of the success of India’s young sportspersons, the Prime Minister congratulated all those students who had achieved success through their hard work and dedication in the Class 10th and 12th examinations whose results were declared a few days ago. “Due to the pandemic, the last two years have been extremely challenging. The courage and restraint shown by our youth in these circumstances is highly commendable. I wish everyone a bright future,” he said. The Prime Minister concluded his address by asking the countrymen again to hoist the tricolor atop their homes. “My dear countrymen, today we started our discussion on 75 years of Independence, with a visit across the country.
The next time we meet, the journey of our next 25 years would have already begun. We all have to join for our beloved Tricolor to be hoisted at our homes and those of our loved ones. Do share with me how you celebrated Independence Day, if you did anything special, this time. Next time, we will talk again about the different colours of our Amrit Parv. Till then, I will take leave of you. Thank you very much.”
