Folks! It is Independence Day and the entire country is all set to celebrate the day with pomp and pride. But did you know that Kanpur was the first city in India to celebrate I-Day, that too 17 years prior to August 15, 1947? Then known as ‘Cawnpore’, the celebrations in the city started as early as 2 AM on January 26, 1930.
Read on to know more about this significant event in India’s freedom struggle that took place in Kanpur.
The first Independence Day was celebrated on January 26
On Kanpur’s first Independence Day celebration, huge crowds gathered for a peaceful procession that was carried out from Shraddhanand Park, behind Tilak Hall. The celebrations were a result of directive issued by the Congress, which stated that the country must celebrate its self-declared Independence Day on the same date every year, which was January 26.
During the parade, prominent freedom fighter Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi was also present. The parade, which saw people joining in from several Kanpur localities, was led by Pandit Balkrishna Sharma ‘Naveen’. Revolutionary Virbhadra Tiwari was also at the parade, taking up the responsibility of arranging the thousands of people in a proper line.
Acting as a catalyst that strengthened the freedom movement
The first Independence Day parade in Kanpur began at 3 AM lasted a total of four hours, before culminating at Shraddhanand Park, from where it started. On its journey, the parade passed through Sarafa, Moolganj, Sabzi Mandi, Collector Ganj, Naya Ganj, Karachi Khane, Roti Godaam, Feelkhana, and Sirki Mahaul.
This celebration of Independence in Kanpur and similar events that followed across the country are believed to have given immense strength to the country’s struggle for freedom from the British.
Looking back at the struggle now, it was events like these, backed by the relentless support from the people, that played a pivotal role in India’s Independence that followed years later.
