Many come out to celebrate India's Independence Day

india independence day

Gordon Patel's emotions said it all. "I remember everything," he said to the crowd of over 60 people who came to celebrate the 62nd Independence Day of India on Aug. 15. The event was held on the lawn of the First Presbyterian Church of Iselin.

Patel, who received much praise from the crowd, was one of the freedom fighters for India who fought to end British rule, which finally came at midnight on Aug. 15, 1947.

"I haven't spoken about what happened in 88 years," he said, clutching the microphone.

The Rev. James Thomas of the First Presbyterian Church of Iselin said Patel fought and made many sacrifices for the freedom that the Indian people celebrate today.

"I recently read the book 'Freedom at Midnight' [by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins], which portrays what happened," Thomas said. "The book gave me just a glimpse of what happened, but some here have parents and grandparents that have lived the book, and some here even lived the book."

The celebration was organized by the Indo American Cultural Society and Man Making Group with the cooperation of the First Presbyterian Church of Iselin. This is the 11th year that the groups have hosted the event, which included a flag-hoisting ceremony and traditional Indian dance and music.

The American flag and the Indian flag lined the trees. Little Indian flags were handed out to the people as well as wristbands with the Indian flag colors.

Many dignitaries attended the celebration, including Woodbridge Township Council President Robert Luban, Councilmen Charles Kenny and James Major, Assemblymen Sam Thompson, John Wisniewski and Upendra Chivukula, Edison Township Councilman Sudhanshu Prasad, Edison mayoral candidate Antonia Ricigliano, Franklin Township Councilman Rajiv Prasad, Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey, Loretta Weinberg, various business owners in the area, and others.

Various flag-hoisting ceremonies are conducted throughout the country. The main event takes place in New Delhi, where the prime minister [Manmohan Singh] hoists the national flag at the Red Fort and delivers a nationally televised speech from its ramparts.

"Some cannot make it to the Red Fort, so it was great that Peter [Kothari, one of the organizers of the event] could bring us to the red brick building, [which described the church's exterior]" said Wisniewski, whose comment brought laughter from the crowd.

Kothari said the purpose of the celebration is to never forget.

"We can never forget where we come from, and we have to honor the ones that made the sacrifices for our freedom," he said.