Independence Day 2025:- Every year on 15th August, Independence Day is celebrated in India with great pride and enthusiasm. On 15th August 1947, our country was freed from the slavery of the British, and since then, this day gives us the message of the importance of independence, unity and patriotism. On the occasion of Independence Day, flag hoisting, patriotic songs, and speeches are organised in schools.
This day is very special and a day of pride for India. Do you know that a unique tradition related to Independence Day has been going on for years in the Purnia district of Bihar? Here, the tricolour is hoisted not on the morning of August 15, but the night before that, on the night of 14th August. This tradition began at the time of the country’s independence in 1947 and has continued uninterrupted since then.
For the local people, this is not just a flag-hoisting program, but it is like the opening bell of the celebration of independence. On the night of 14 August, people light up their houses, streets, and schools, sing patriotic songs, and salute the tricolour. The purpose of this unique event is to commemorate the historic moment of independence, when the country gained its freedom from British rule for the first time.
Why is the flag hoisted on the night of 14 August?
In the year 1947, independence was announced at 12.01 am through the radio. At the same time, freedom fighter Rameshwar Prasad Singh, along with his companions Ramratan Sah and Shamshul Haq, hoisted the tricolour at Jhanda Chowk in Purnia and celebrated independence by distributing sweets. This tradition began then and continues to this day.
Local people say that after the Wagah border, Purnia is the first place in India where the national flag is hoisted on a night. Even today, people gather on the night of August 14 to hoist the flag and celebrate their independence.