“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment, we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.”

—Tryst with Destiny speech, Jawaharlal Nehru, 15 August 1947

• Pandit Nehru had the privilege of hoisting the national flag from the fortifications of the Red Fort 17 times on Indian Independence day and he addressed the nation as many times.

• We see various adoptions of the Indian national flag today. However, are you aware of the fact that khadi or hand-spun cloth is the only material allowed to be used for the flag and flying a flag made of any other material is punishable by law with imprisonment up to three years, besides a fine.

• When India became independent on August 15, 1947 there was no National Anthem. Even though the Bengali invocation of Jana Gana Mana was written in 1911, it was not considered as the national anthem till 1950.

• Mountbatten chose August 15th, as the Independence date because it also commemorated the second anniversary of Japan’s surrender to the Allied Forces. Also, North Korea, South Korea, Bahrain and Republic of Congo share their independence day with India.

• Bhagat Singh was highly fluent in five different languages. It made it easier for him to learn about the great philosophers and thinkers. He had a great command in English, Arabic, French, Swedish and of course Hindi, Punjabi and Multani.

• Records state that, in 1947, if Pakistan hadn’t sent in their tribesmen to attack and conquer Jammu and Kashmir, the state would have eventually gone to Pakistan. Lord Mountbatten had said, “By sending its irregular troops into the state, Pakistan spoiled the whole thing.”

• Bhikhaji Rustom Cama is the first person to raise the tri-colour in Germany on 22nd of August 1907. This flag consisted of three colors – the topmost being green followed by golden saffron in the middle and the red color at the bottom. It had ‘Vande Mataram’ inscribed on it.

Fair writing about these entire unknown facts feel me honored that I belong to a country of such Best Momentous things. I hope you will love this.