The Republic of India celebrates - 75th year of Independence - Amrutha Mahotsava
We wish to remember our ancestor’s sacrifices to remind - that “Freedom is not free. It’s a responsibility”
Storyline of the show
A historical dance drama represents the freedom struggle against the British colonization of India. The production dates back to the 16th century leading to the arrival of the East India British Company for trading and culminating with India's Independence in 1947. This performance provides an artistic overview of the slavery of the Indian population under terrifying British rule, which shifted unimaginable wealth from India to the United Kingdom.
This dance production sheds light on the freedom of human beings.
Scene 1 – A short movie displaying the show’s cast, crew, and credits will be portrayed.
Scene 2 – An overview dance gives a brief view of the show. The song portrays the stability of a country amidst relentless invasion for 1400 years.
Scene 3 – British East Indian Company sails in their ships to India in the 16th century for trade
Scene 4 – India is prosperous. They are providing 25% of the GDP of the world economy. People are happy in India. East India Company tries to strike deals with small vendors and traders. But decide to move on a larger scale to settle trade posts.
Scene 5 – Darbar of Mughal emperor Jehangir. British seek the permission of Mughal emperor Jehangir to establish trade posts in Surat. Jehangir grants their wish with an official firman.
Scene 6 - War of Plassey - It is a battle fought between the East India Company force headed by Robert Clive and Siraj-Ud-Daulah (Nawab of Bengal). The rampant misuse by EIC officials of trade privileges annoyed Siraj. The continuing misconduct by EIC against Siraj-Ud-Daulah led to the battle of Plassey in 1757. Due to treachery by his people - an army of 30,000 Indian army was defeated by 3000 British soldiers. British got a vast land swath of Bengal under their control.
Scene 7 - Tamil Queen Velu Nachiyar fights valiantly to stop the British into Tamil Nadu. Rani Velu Nachiyar (3 January 1730 – 25 December 1796) was a queen of the Sivaganga estate from c. 1780–to 1790. She was the first Indian queen to wage war with the East India Company in India. Tamils know her as Veeramangai ("brave woman”). She was able to resist. After she passes away –the Maruddu brothers continue the fight. But in the end, the British were able to subdue them because of their superiority in weapons.
Scene 8 - Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan defeated East India Company forces in the 1st and 2nd Mysore wars. But after Hyder Ali's death, Tipu was defeated in the 3rd Mysore - British war. He will be made to give up the half kingdom an enormous tribute. Tipu cannot pay tribute. British asks to mortgage his two children until he clears the debt. In the 4th Anglo-Mysore war, Tipu was killed. Mysore came under British control.
Scene 9 - Paika Bidroh - Fight of Orissa people against British occupation. - The origins of the Paika Rebellion lay in several social, economic, and political causes. Odisha had four ports for trading, with the networks in the region involving millions of traders. However, the East India Company, to protect their monopolies, closed these ports for trade, alienating large swathes of the local population. The local administrators who were educated and wealthy, the Paikas, were alienated by the East India Company administration, who took over the hereditary rent-free lands granted to them after the conquest of Khurda.
Scene 10 - Kittur Chennamma – Queen of Kittur was forced to accept British rule since no successor existed. British mandated that if there were no successor, they would occupy the land and kingdom. Queen Chennamma fought bravely defeated in the first war of Kittur. But British mounted a strong army in the second war; she was defeated and put into jail. Chennamma stands as a figure of Independence.
Scene 11 - Sye Ra Narasimha ReddyRebellion – British Eash India company imposed and collected taxes from poor peasants, causing enormous distress in the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Sye Ra Narasimha Reddy was a past paalegar who came to their help to fight against injustice. He accumulates 5000 farmers to fight a war against the Madras regiment. Despite a brave fight from rebel leaders, their rebellion was crushed by a trained army. To create fear in the masses, the British executed Sye Ra in front of thousands of people and hung him for several decades. British ruled south India with fear.
Scene 12 - British defeat Maratha Empire under Peshwas. The great war of Marathas ended with British control of the West and the middle parts of India. When emperor Ranajit Singh passed away, there was a dispute for power in the Sikh kingdom. British took the side of one o the shareholders and suppressed the entire Sikh Empire. By 1950, there was no palatable force to challenge British hegemony. This condition became a preamble to the 1857 War of Independence.
Scene 13 - Rise of the queen of Jhansi. Lakshmi Bai ruled the princely state of Jhansi but under the thumb of the British under their "Dalhousie rule" of giving protection to Indian princely states. The royal family was given control of the administration. But the British had control of the military. British soldiers always traumatized the people of Jhansi. In one incident, they steal a calf from a kid to eat. Queen fights with the British soldier and returns the calf to the kid, showing compassion.
Scene 14 – British were very insensitive to any feelings of Indians. They were very arrogant as Masters of India. They ill-treated Indian soldiers with poor pay and disrespect. Carelessly, they used Pork and Beef fat for cartridges disrespecting both Hindu and Muslim feelings. This became an explosive situation in all cantonments across India.
Scene 15 Mangal Pandey was a British soldier in the Bengal regiment. He openly killed an army colonel for forcing him to use corrupted cartridges. He was captured and hung. Instead of creating fear, it rose anger. Every Indian soldier rebelled against the British and killed them in places like Barakapur and Meerut. This created unrest among British Indian soldiers, thus starting the first Independence war.
Scene 16 - Queen Lakshmi Bai was waiting for a chance to hit back at the British. She fought with rebel soldiers to fire her country from the British. She proclaimed that she was independent. This led to a British invasion. 20000 army of Jhansi fought valiantly against 60000 British army - a mix of European, Nizam, and Mysore armies. Due to traitors, Jhansi loses the battle. To save her adopted son Damodar, Lakshmi bai jumps the fort and escapes from Jhansi.
Scene 17 - Queen Lakshmi Bai reaches Kampli and regroups her army. She attacks Gwalior and kicks out coward king Sindhia. East India Company requested the British crown to send extra troupes. British crown agrees to send its Reputed Captain - Hugh Rose. Captain Hugh Rose watches the exceptional bravery of the Queen and showers appreciation. Queen fights her final war and dies on the war field. Queen Victoria is unhappy with the management of India. She dissolves the East India company corporation and takes control of the Indian subcontinent. British Raj BeIn.
Scene 18 – In the 1860s, the British government starts hiking taxes to make for the war losses. They also started financing projects elsewhere in the empire using Indian money. Heavy taxation on Farmers sucks the wealth out of rural India and makes them immensely poorer. It leads to indiscriminate looting of Indian wealth. Meanwhile, a great ascetic raises in India. Swami Vivekananda raises above the horizon and inspires the people.
Scene 19 - Famines in India in the years 1876- 78. The British government is unable to help with any relief work. Instead, they focussed on the profitability of their industries and corporations. At the same time, Great Britain was implementing liberal capitalism; more than 8 million people perished in hunger. Although there were sufficient food reserves, they were being exported by The British creating a famine locally. This tragedy was due to misguided British rule.
Scene 20 – A O C Hume, an ICS officer, who was disgusted by British policies, gathered English – educated people to govern the country. The Indian National Congress was established when 72 delegates from all over the country met in Bombay in 1881; representatives included Dadabhai Naoroji, Surendranath Banerjee, Badruddin Tyabji, Pherozeshah Mehta W. C. Banerjee, S. Ramaswami Mudaliar, S. Subramania Iyer, and Romesh Chunder Dutt. The freedom fight started with Lala Lajpat Roy in Punjab, Bal Gangadhar Tilak in Maharashtra - Bipin Chandra Pal of Bengal led the freedom movements.
Scene - 21 –Maharashtra was vibrant in 1902 with a passion for independence for India. But Bombay’s presidency was ruthless in crushing down any such ambitions. Despite draconian measures, Bal Gangadhar Tilak invented new methods to assemble people. He used Ganesh Festival to prepare for Independence movements proactively. But when the dictatorial behavior of the British Indian government became ruthless, he proclaimed - “ Swaraj is my birthright” (Self-rule is my birthright). He was jailed for many years for his views.
Scene – 22 - The rise of many organizations such as Muslim League, and Hindu Mahasabha demanded freedom.
Scene 23 – Winds of Freedom weave through the northern planes of India. People were pushed under repressive regimes. They were denied basic civic rights. Every Indian was made into a second-class citizen.
Scene 24 – Fervor for the Indian freedom struggle was all across India. There were massive protests in Tamil Nadu. Freedom poet Bharathiyaar wrote –“Achchamillai Achchamillai” (“I am not afraid , I am not afraid”). This inspired millions to take a stance against British rule. He inspired millions to march for freedom. His words encouraged many hundred business people to boycott British services. V O Chidambaram sets up a new shipping company to have lesson dependency on British shipments. People revolt. In 1911, a fearless man – Vanchinatha Aiyer, assassinates Robert Ashe, a Tax collector of Thirunelveli.
Scene 25 – 13th April 1919 is a dark chapter of the Indian independence movement. In the state of Punjab, in Jalianwalaha Bagh park, people have gathered to celebrate Baisakhi and to listen to their favorite freedom leader’s speeches. This was a peaceful gathering. General Dyer arrives with hundreds of armed soldiers and orders fire. General Dyer killed more than 900 unarmed civilians in cold blood to teach Indians a lesson. The World decries this atrocity. But the British’s ego never agreed with the human massacre, which led to more resistance against British Raj.
Scene 26 - Simon Commission was set up to help Indians by setting up a constitution, which worked for the British interest. This Indian Statutory commission was formed under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon, whose main work was to implement the constitution of India, and it had seven British members and no Indian. Every Indian opposed it, as it was deciding their fundamental rights. Large-scale protests erupted all across India. In a peaceful protest, Lala Lajapath Roy was brutally murdered by police beating on the order of Col. Sanders. Punjab breathed revenge.
Scene 27 - Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekar Azad, and Rajguru plot and kill Col. Sanders, who was responsible for Lalaji’s death. They are not satisfied; revolutionaries - Bhagath Singh & Rajaguru throw bombs at British Indian Parliament in Delhi. Willingly both revolutionaries surrender. Judges give them the death sentence. Gandhiji warns against the death penalty. British don’t listen. Bhagat Sigh and Rajguru happily sacrifice their lives, inspiring millions to take up arms to fight against the British.
Scene 28 – British Raj had made it illegal to collect and sell salt by Indians. Indians were forced to buy salt from British rulers, who had a monopoly on salt manufacturing. In 1930, Gandhiji wrote to British Raj that he would break the laws by making salt on his own. He walks to Dandi. Millions follow—the government arrests 60,000 people. The British government used violence against satyagrahis, but they reacted non-violently. All protestors walked without responding to violence. Gandhiji was arrested. In 1931, Viceroy Lord Irwin released him so that he could negotiate with Gandhi for a better India.
Scene 29 – 2nd World war happening across Europe between allies and axis powers. Prime Minister Churchill ordered all the grain from Indian warehouses to supply to the 2nd world war effort. With a great Bengal famine happening in India, moving such life-saving food away from India caused more than 3 million deaths. All leaders, including Gandhiji, Nehru, and Patel realized it was necessary to send a final message British Raj. The All India Congress Committee launched a mass protest demanding what Gandhi called "An Orderly British Withdrawal" from India. Even though it was at war, the British were prepared to act. Almost the entire leadership of the Indian National Congress was imprisoned without trial within hours of Gandhi's speech. The quit India movement failed. But it invoked fury among the students, who followed Bose’s theory of armed struggle. It became tough to govern. British started to think of leaving India with grace.
Scene 30 - Subhash Chandra Bose rejects Gandhiji’s idea of non-violence. He inspires millions to join Indian National Army. People hear him and walk singing the patriotic song – “Kadam Kadam badaaye jaa”
Scene 31 – . In Singapore, thousands of British soldiers switch sides to support Indian Independence. This creates shivers in British Elite. Indian soldiers constituted1/3rd of Royal British Army. If it revolts - no British soldier or officer will be left alive in India.
Scene 32 – British Still the hang on to power. A severe warning came when many Royal British ships revolted against control. This leads to the Bombay Naval Mutiny. Indian soldiers occupy British vessels and control the Navy. The situation gets solved only under Vallabh Bhai Patel.
Scene 33 – British government wishes to close the chapter on their occupation of India. They saw complete rebellion, which might kill all 200,000 British military officers and administrators controlling India. They lost control of India. They called in Cyril Radcliff on 8th July 1947to draw a line between new countries, India and Pakistan. A tragic partition happens. New India was born on August 15th, 1947
Scene 34 - People rejoice and dance. Indians celebrate Swaraj or Self Rule.
Samarpan is performed by Guru Hema Sharma (Florida), Guru Prasanna Kasthuri (St. Louis), Guru Sanjeeb Bhattacharya (Cincinnati), Bianca RadhaKrishna (India), Guru Lalita, and other 80 artists from Saint Louis and other cities of USA.
Lighting Design and Theatrical Advice - Gaurang Bhavsaar
Performed by artists from Soorya Dance Company and artists from other organizations
Joined by artists from India, California, Florida, and Kansas.
Concept by Guru Prasanna Kasthuri