☆Intro☆ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ January 26th known as Republic Day is an important holiday in India representing freedom and democracy. Let's get into it and learn about some history behind this day! ☆The British Raj☆ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The British Raj or British Rule in India refers to the time period between 1854 and 1947 in which Great Britain ruled over the Indian subcontinent for trade benefits. Although beneficial to England, the British Raj lead to much famine, public health concerns, and violent prejudice in India. The people fought back through rebellions and protests throughout the years until finally achieving freedom. ☆The Constitution and Ambedkar☆ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Following the Indian Independence Act of July 18, 1947, freeing India from British rule, the Constituent Assembly began writing the constitution. Often referred to as "The Father of the Indian Constitution", Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar chaired the assembly and became the countries first law minister. He was also part of the Mahar/untouchable/Dalit caste of India. ☆The Caste System☆ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In short, the caste system is a Hindu social hierarchy in which every person falls into a given group, Brahmins (priests and teachers), Kshatriyas (rulers and warriors), Vaishyas (landowners and merchants), Sudras (servants), and Dalits (untouchables). Ambedkar advocated for the rights of fellow Dalits in the new constitution who faced many struggles in Indian society. Although legally banned, it is important to recognize that the caste system is still very prevalent all over much of India and South Asia today. ☆Republic Day☆ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The constitution was adopted on January 26th, 1950, officially marking India's sovereignty as a democratic republic. We use this day to celebrate independence, democracy, and the constitution. There are parades, speeches, awards handed out, military displays, and much more annually on this day, January 26th. :)
thank you to @-arofluixity- for reviewing<3 anyone feel free to correct me on anything if im wrong! despite my indian heritage i dont know all that much about my culture, it was really fun to do research for this though!! i wish i had more time to fact check my sources and research more reliable sources but this was all very last minute im sorry :( sources used: knowindia.india.gov britannica.com bbc.com
