Srinagar: Like elsewhere in the country, several Tiranga rallies were held across the Valley on Wednesday.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha led a Tiranga rally on the banks of Dal Lake here as hundreds of people marched alongside him, officials said.
“A truly historic day! Proud to join the Tiranga Yatra and address the public in Srinagar today. On this sacred soil, the Tricolour is flying high as India’s living conscience and Vande Mataram echoes as its immortal voice. It embodies our shared strength, unity, and unwavering patriotism,” Sinha said in a post on his personal X account.
Following the Yatra, Sinha addressed the citizens, reaffirming the immortal spirit of India’s unity and the indomitable courage of its people.
The event marked the confluence of two monumental celebrations, the mass movement of ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ and the 150th anniversary of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’, an official press release said.
The LG said that the Tiranga (tricolor, the national flag) is the living embodiment of India’s consciousness and pride. He emphasized that the Tiranga Yatra in the Kashmir Valley sends a clear message that India must never stop and always move forward.
“In 2022, when the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign was launched under ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, its purpose was to rekindle in every Indian’s heart a sense of closeness, respect, and emotional connection toward the tricolour. When the Tiranga flutters simultaneously on millions of homes, 140 crore Indians’ hearts beat as one in a single sentiment, a single faith, a single resolve. Today, Tiranga Yatra has evolved into a festival of people’s consciousness, a tradition of patriotism, and a cultural value binding every citizen to the motherland,” he said.
The LG congratulated the people of Jammu & Kashmir for their remarkable participation in the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ and Vande Mataram campaigns. He noted that their enthusiasm has become a source of inspiration for the entire nation. He said the “Tiranga is the soul of our nation and ‘Vande Mataram’ is the immortal voice of that soul”.
The LG urged citizens to reflect on their contribution to building the India envisioned by the nation’s forefathers. He emphasized that while martyrs defended the nation with their blood, today’s generation must defend it with character, honesty, hard work, unity, and service.
He said that the confluence of ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ and Vande Mataram is not merely the meeting of two campaigns but the announcement of a new era.
“This is the symbol of a Jammu Kashmir filled with self-confidence and marching firmly toward the future where “Vijayi Vishwa Tiranga Pyara” is a life’s resolve in every citizen’s heart, where every home is a centre of patriotism and where every heart beats in rhythm with the pulse of national unity,” he said.
On this historic occasion, the LG called upon the people to take collective and personal responsibility for shaping Jammu & Kashmir’s and India’s future. He urged the people to ensure that the Tiranga will not only fly high at every home but also in our thoughts, our character, and our actions.
“Let us resolve that the sacred spirit of Vande Mataram will reflect in every action, every decision, and the discharge of every responsibility. We should take a pledge to repay the debt of our immortal heroes’ sacrifices by building a nation that is prosperous, secure, just, and opens doors of equal opportunity for every citizen. We should work together to realize the vision of a Jammu Kashmir where the three colours of the Tiranga are visible in the values of life. We should build a Jammu Kashmir that is economically strong and takes unbroken pride in Indian culture, civilization, and spiritual values. The future is ours. This century belongs to India. This is the era of India’s self-confidence, its courage, and its immortal national consciousness,” the LG said.
On the occasion, the LG honoured ‘Veer Naris’ and war heroes. He also inaugurated the Har Ghar Tiranga Exhibition and felicitated the nodal officers of the Vande Mataram campaign.
The celebrations also featured the screening of a special documentary by the Department of Culture, followed by Tiranga concert where artists paid a musical tribute to the “nation’s bravehearts”.
A Tiranga rally was also held in Shopian district, with the deputy commissioner and the senior superintendent of police of the district taking part in the event, officials said.
Tiranga rallies were also held in Kulgam, Anantnag, Pulwama, Tral, Pampore and Awantipora areas of south Kashmir and in many areas of north Kashmir too.
More such events have been planned in the Valley ahead of Independence Day as authorities prepare for a full dress rehearsal of the functions on Thursday.
