INDIA’S UNITY IN DIVERSITY
India's diversity has always been recognised as a source of its strength. When the British ruled India, women, and men from different cultural, religious, and regional backgrounds came together to oppose them. India's freedom movement had thousands of people of different backgrounds in it. They worked together to decide joint actions, they went to jail together, and they found different ways to oppose the British. Interestingly the British thought they could divide Indians because they were so different, and then continue to rule them. But the people showed how they could be different and yet be united in their battle against the British.
Song
Don't forget the days of blood, O friend
In the midst of your happiness remember to shed a tear for us
The hunter has torn away every single flower
Do plant a flower in the desert garden dear friend
Having fallen to bullets we slept in Jallianwala Bagh
Do light a lamp on this lonely grave O friend
The blood of Hindus and Muslims flows together today
Do soak your robe in this river of blood dear friend
Some rot in jails while others lie in their graves
Do shed a few tears for them O friend
This song was sung after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in which a British general opened fire on a large group of unarmed, peaceful people killing many and wounding even more. Men and women, Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims, rich and poor had gathered to protest against the British. This song was composed and sung to honour the memory of those brave people.
Songs and symbols that emerged during the freedom struggle serve as a constant reminder of our country's rich tradition of respect for diversity. Do you know the story of the Indian flag? It was used as a symbol of protest against the British by people everywhere.
In his book The Discovery of India, Jawaharlal Nehru says that Indian unity is not something imposed from the outside but rather, "It was something deeper and within its fold, the widest tolerance of belief and custom was practised and every variety acknowledged and even encouraged."
It was Nehru, who coined the phrase, "unity in diversity" to describe the country.
More to know:
India's national anthem, composed by Rabindranath Tagore, is another expression of the unity of India. In what way does the national anthem describe this unity?
Note: “Jana Gana Mana” was translated by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore from Bengali to English in February 1919 at Madanapalle in the District of Chittoor.
India's national anthem
Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.
Punjaba-Sindhu-Gujarata-Maratha
Dravida-Utkala-Banga
Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga
uchchala-jaladhi-taranga.
Tava shubha name jage, tava shubha asisa mage,
gahe tava jaya-gatha.
Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.
Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,
jaya jaya jaya jaya he!
Translation of the National Anthem
Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people,
dispenser of India’s destiny.
Thy name rouses the hearts of
the Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat and Maratha,
of the Dravida and Odisha and Bengal.
It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas,
mingles in the music of Yamuna and Ganga and is
chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea.
They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise.
The saving of all people waits in thy hand,
thou dispenser of India’s destiny.
Victory, Victory, Victory to thee!
Source: This topic is taken from NCERT TEXTBOOK