The I-Day celebrations

August 15 - Our Independence Day!!

My mom, sister, Gopal and I - woke up early in the morning around 5:30 AM and got ready by 8:30 AM, to go to the Manekshaw Parade Ground in Bangalore. When we reached the MG Road, we saw a long queue in front of the Parade Ground. We got ourselves attached to the queue. Luckily, we have read the newspaper this morning regarding the Parade Ground security talks. Mobile phone, hand bags, electronic gadgets, cameras are not allowed. Hence, we had gone without those specified items. It took nearly 45 minutes to reach the Parade Ground entrance. There was tight security and we had to pass through metal detectors and frisking by police. Atlast, we entered the ground around 9:30 AM.

The programme has already begun. The trade mark "March Past" was the starting event after the Flag hoisting by CM. Then, there were lot of mass dances by various school children. Around 3 such mass dances were there. I became nostalgic seeing these dances. I remembered our school mass dances in Nehru stadium (Coimbatore). Especially the final dance performance ,'Nityotsava’, was very stunning. Very well organized and the song induces patriotic feeling.

The last cultural event was the daredevilry in bikes by the Shwet Ashw, a crack unit of the Corps of Military Police. Their bike riding skills were astounding. They had displayed reverse balancing, scissor crossing, parallel crossing, one leg riding, swimming, ladder climbing, break dance, fire jump, Sudharshan Chakra , sunbath on motorbikes and Pyramid formation. The event conductor announced that they had shown 50 different stunts during performance. An amazing event!!

Then there was prize distribution for thr participants , followed by National Anthem.

Enjoyed the day very well !!!