3 min readAug 15, 2012 02:08 AM IST
First published on: Aug 15, 2012 at 02:08 AM IST
Seventy-five-year-old Pandurang Garsund of Khadki recalls the most important day in the life of Khadki residents.
“A day before India got Independence,Khadki was abuzz with high expectations. I was 10-year-old then and studied at Alegaonkar School. We students were asked to wear blue shorts and white shirt for the first flag hoisting function to be held in independent India. So a day before the function,we were running around looking for a tailor to stich a new brand school uniform for us. There was this famous tailor called Barah Machinewallah who had a shop in Khadki bazaar. Since we all rushed to him for stitching our uniforms,the poor tailor and his team had to work throughout the night.
“The enthusiasm among children was something that I had never seen before. We were all happy and discussing our new lives. At the stroke of midnight,flag hoisting took place in every basti of Khadki. The most prominent function was held at a ground in Gaddi Adda where even today the flag is hoisted.
“Meanwhile,the hoisting functioning which started at sharp 7 in the morning went on till noon with leaders after leaders delivering stirring speeches. Initially,we all loved the speeches and clapped,but later they got boring….We then left the school premises feeling proud and happy.
“But the real story started the moment we reached home. Our parents had gone to the market to get foodgrains through ration cards. But to our shock,they returned empty handed. All the grains in the ration shops had disappeared. On the other hand,shopkeepers had a field day resorting to hoarding. At some places,foodgrains were sold at higher prices. Thus,on the very first day of Independence,black-marketing started. Just a day before,we had plenty to eat and just a day later,we struggled to get food. The situation continued for days. Apparently,there was a feeling among these people that nobody could do anything to them. “Abhi apna raaz hain,angrezo ka nahin…” On August 14,1947,when we were preparing for midnight hoisting of the flag,my grandfather had warned us that now thieves would take over the country…We did not believe him then,but then he proved right and his statement holds good even today. But the country has sustained and thrived despite odds because of the majority of Indians who believe in good ways of life…”
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