Hyderabad woke up to the sights and sounds of Independence Day woven into everyday life - children leaving for schools in colourful costumes, neighbours meeting for flag-hoisting in their colonies, shopkeepers adding a touch of the Tricolour to their displays, and patriotic songs and short films from school and community events carrying through the streets.
In Ramanthapur, ten-year-old Sanvi walked out of her school clutching her father’s hand, her small frame draped in a bright saree, the pallu firmly adjusted over her shoulder. She was dressed as Rani Lakshmi Bai, a role she had chosen long before the celebrations began.
“I grew up hearing stories of ‘Jhansi ki Rani’ from my mother. I wanted to dress as her and feel powerful,” she said, her eyes gleaming. Her father explained that Sanvi’s mother, a native of Uttar Pradesh, had made bedtime tales of the freedom struggle a ritual, leaving the girl with an enduring fascination for its heroes.
Elsewhere in the city, the Tricolour found its way into workplaces.
At Kompally’s newly opened TNR North City Mall, retail staff swapped their usual uniforms for white sarees, kurtas and splashes of green and saffron. “We rarely get to wear something beyond our dress code. I was very excited to drape a saree,” said one store employee. Her colleague, dressed in white Chikankari kurta and green bottoms with an orange dupatta, added with a smile, “This day is a matter of pride for all of us Indians. Every year I look forward to dressing up, and also engaging with our customers about the importance of the day.”
