Independence Day: From ‘Anandamath’ To ‘Midnight’s Children’, 5 Essential Books On India’s History & Culture
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India Gets Set To Celebrate Independence Day 2023
At the stroke of midnight, 76 years ago, India gained Independence once and for all, from her colonial masters. Over the years, many authors have explored India’s struggle for Independence and interpreted this historical phase in various ways. As India prepares to celebrate yet another Independence Day, next week, here are a few of the must-read books on our country’s tumultuous struggle for autonomy.
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‘The Discovery Of India’
What better way to celebrate Independence Day than read the history of India narrated by our first PM Jawaharlal Nehru? Written when Nehru was languishing in jail from 1942-1946. The book traces the country’s history from Indus Valley Civilisation to the era of British domination.
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‘Freedom At Midnight’
Written by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins, ‘Freedom At Midnight’, is a must-read book if you are looking for a detailed history of the British Raj, particularly, the last year. The book encapsulates the reaction of the Princely States to Independence as well as events leading up to the bloody Partition.
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‘Midnight’s Children’
One of the most seminal fictional works when it comes to portraying India’s transition from a British colony to a fledgling democracy, this book is a hell of a thrilling ride! Salman Rushdie’s lucid narrative of the life and times of Saleem Sinai, who was born at the very moment India gained her Independence, remains immensely enjoyable even today.
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‘Anandamath’
‘Anandamath’ (‘The Abode Of Bliss’) is considered a masterpiece that will ignite feelings of patriotism in even the most aloof Indian reader. Penned by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, one of the greatest writers of Bengal, the book is set in the backdrop of the Bengal famine of 1770 as well as the Sanyasi Rebellion. The notion of Bharat Mata or the concept of viewing India as a Mother Goddess is said to have been popularised by this book.
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‘The Last Mughal: The Fall Of A Dynasty’
When it comes to semi-fictional historical books, no one can engage the reader’s attention and imagination quite like William Dalrymple. While this book is not about Indian Independence, the book offers an intimate glimpse into the last years of the Mughal rule (the reign of Bahadur Shah Zafar) as well as the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857.
