Under the scorching Sun we made our way to the revolutionary August Kranti Maidan which is a first-hand witness and evidence of the Civil Disobedience Movement. Although it hardly resembles anything from the historic day when the Quit India Movement was issued. As its been 79 year of Quit India Movement we can clearly see here how much we have achieved and changed over the years. The idea was to “Do or Die” back then, but that attitude which we can now see here tells us a totally different story. Newspaper in hand, idly sitting cross legged on the benches, playing around with a football and taking different slides and swings is the common sight now, the change is quite evident and the only thing reminding of the legacy this place carries is the long pillar marked with small inscriptions. The Maidan has always been subjected to change, whether it being turned from a tank meant to wash cattle to being part of momentous events in history to turning into a landscaped garden with modern style. The name Go-Walia tank Maidan derived from the activity the ground was used for bathing cattle from the tank water. While tracing back its history, we again see a change in culture where a place used to be the centre of an activity for a certain activity turning into a space for voicing opinions and bringing a change in the history of making of India. On 8th and 9th of August, the day when the Quit India Movement was announced, the likes of Gandhi and other major leaders of the INC got arrested and the movement was further carried on by Aruna Asaf Ali, this wasn’t all. It was this day when tear gas was lobbed on the masses for the first time in India and this also was the movement when the ones who weren’t direct participants unites and became a part of the movement, people living around the area came out of their houses and started throwing buckets of water to suppress the tear gas’s effect. The feeling of nationalism and patriotism was so dominating that the agitation turned violent and the areas around remained shut for about two weeks.
Unlike these events, the events which take place on an everyday basis are very different. Instead of herdsmen or 5000 people along with freedom fighters we see 50 odd people in the park using it for different purposes. Undoubtedly a lot has changed and while being away and free from everyday responsibilities in the park having leisure time it sure seems like a free country.
-Venessa Paul
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