Celebrating India's independence

Saluting the national flag

Jawai is one of my favourite destinations to photograph leopards in the wild. After an exciting week there, I left the resort at around 5 am yesterday morning to return to Bangalore. The roughly, four hour drive to Udaipur airport passes thru many small villages and towns. As we drove through Sadri village, I noticed a youth selling Indian flags in various sizes. I realised that I had forgotten that it was the 15th of August, our Independence Day ! I bought a medium sized flag from him - my intent was to stop by our construction site on reaching Bangalore to hoist it at our site !

As I reached Udaipur I was pleased to discover via phone messages, that our construction manager had already organised a simple flag hoisting ceremony at site. I was delighted that he had the same thought and had executed on it very nicely.

The team had wrapped white tape around a stick to create a flagpole, and used sand to write "75th Independence Day; We Love India" below. Local wild flowers had been placed at the base.

A break for some refreshments

The flag hoisting was followed by a round of simple refreshments for the workers at site. Whether in a community, or at a work site, such events help to remind us of our larger national identity; they generate a sense of camaraderie, boost morale and the general sense of well being.

...Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication

... Alert ! Landslide !!!