What is the mood in the streets of India on August 14, 1947? If you expected cheering crowds and processions of jubilation on the eve of Independence, here’s the sobering truth: not everyone is celebrating. For some princely states, accession to the Indian Union is not a natural choice. Punjab, Sind and Bengal, cloven by Partition, witness scenes of horrific violence and the displacement of millions. The birth of our nation, as the facts reveal, is not without its share of labour pangs. In the season finale of The India Project with Josy Joseph, we observe the awakening of India as an unstoppable idea whose time has come. With memorable sound-bites from the leaders of a newly free nation, we end Season 1 on a note of nostalgic introspection. Thank you for joining us on the journey so far. Stay tuned for Season 2 of The India Project. Acknowledgements: Thanks to Confluence Media for the letters in this episode: Letter from CP Ramaswami Iyer replying to Indore’s invitation to be the Prime minister performed by Narayan Krishnaswamy Letter from Mir Osman Ali, Nizam of Hyderabad, performed by Ranvijay Pratap Singh Letter from Hamidullah Khan, Nawab of Bhopal, to Viceroy Lord Mountbatten, performed by Kafeel Jafri Credits: Akshay Ramuhalli, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi and Velu Shankar Audio excerpts: YouTube | MyGov India: Sucheta Kripalani, Indian freedom fighter and later first woman chief minister of an Indian state, leads the singing of Saare Jahan Se Achcha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLTLgWzpxOY&t=25s YouTube | Prasar Bharati Archives: First President of India Dr Rajendra Prasad's Constituent Assembly speech on Aug 14, 1947 https://youtu.be/owDZcbIuZ1A YouTube | Akashvani AIR: Bande Mataram :The Song that Became a Mantra https://youtu.be/uPtXdJOWUsQ?t=131 YouTube | Prasar Bharati Archives: 1947 - First House Adjournment by Dr. Rajendra Prasad in Constituent Assembly https://youtu.be/65YKKEXOZYI YouTube | Prasar Bharati Archives: The Moment of Freedom at midnight on August 15, 1947 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjIpHDR2CFc YouTube | Prasar Bharati Archives: 1947 - Hansa Mehta's Constituent Assembly Speech on August 15, 1947 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFC6_5yqM-U YouTube | Prasar Bharati Archives: 1947 - Jawaharlal Nehru takes oath as Prime Minister of India https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF-2S6Q6Dxk YouTube | Prasar Bharati Archives: 1947 - Lord Mountbatten takes oath as Governor General of India https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o_3_5wE0NE YouTube | Films Division: India Wins Freedom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vepQwxc0ekk YouTube | PIB India: Mahatma Gandhi’s Discourse on Ahimsa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvEixJd2CPY YouTube | Prasar Bharati Archives: 1947 - Dr. Rajendra Prasad's Constituent Assembly Speech | Hindi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z-nbysVUJk YouTube | MyGov India: President Dr Rajendra Prasad administers the pledge to members of the Constituent Assembly, August 15, 1947 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juEhZGccukg