Srinagar, Aug 15: The iconic Clock Tower (Ghanta Ghar) at Lal Chowk came alive in the colours of the Tricolour on Independence Day as tourists joined locals in the celebrations, clicked photographs and shared their experiences of witnessing the national festivities at the heart of Srinagar.
For several visitors, the occasion carried a significance beyond the usual Independence Day celebrations. Tourists who had travelled to Kashmir specifically around August 15 said they had never imagined standing at Lal Chowk, holding the national flag and taking part in the celebrations.
“We feel so free here; there are no words to describe it. It is completely different from what we had heard. It feels completely independent and free. We specially came for August 15, for Independence Day,” said Rahul Jain, a visitor to Srinagar.
He said the experience at Lal Chowk was markedly different from what he had expected. “We never imagined that we would be holding the flag at Lal Chowk in Kashmir and talking to you like this, completely without fear,” Jain said.
Another visitor echoed the sentiment, saying there was no sense of fear or apprehension during the celebrations. “There is no fear at all. We had imagined feeling scared or encountering issues, but there is nothing like that. It is wonderful,” the visitor said.
Patriotic visitor returns year after year
The celebrations also drew visitors who have been coming to Kashmir around Independence Day for several years. Among them was Ahmedabad-based Arun Haryani, known for his elaborate patriotic body paintings and regular visits to Lal Chowk around August 15.
Haryani said he has been visiting Kashmir continuously since 2022, carrying messages of peace, brotherhood and harmony. “Hoisting the Tricolour at Lal Chowk used to be a challenge. First, our Narendra Modi Ji unfurled the Tricolour here when conditions were very difficult. After Article 370 was revoked, I have been visiting continuously since 2022,” he said.
Haryani said his visits are personally funded and that preparing for the celebrations takes several hours. “I cover all the expenses from Ahmedabad to here myself. I do all this body painting myself; it takes about three to four hours. I start painting around 3 AM and reach here by 6:30 AM,” he said.
The visitor recalled that children gathered around him during his visit this year as he painted himself in the colours of the national flag. “When I came here last night, small children sat with me, holding the Tricolour. Earlier, you wouldn’t see children here like this; today, kids come to take pictures with me. The enthusiasm here is incredible,” he said.
Lal Chowk reflects changing public mood.
The celebrations at Lal Chowk also offered a glimpse of how the iconic city centre has evolved over the years. Visitors and participants spoke of an atmosphere of peace and the changing nature of public celebrations at the landmark.
Haryani said the earlier atmosphere of frequent shutdowns and protests had affected businesses and ordinary life in Lal Chowk, while the present-day celebrations, according to him, reflected a growing desire for peace and normalcy.
“By God’s grace, everyone is patriotic and loves the nation. Insha’Allah, our country will progress further. By 2047, our country will become a ‘Vishwa Guru’,” he said.
He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for what he described as a shift towards peace, harmony and dialogue, while appealing to regional political parties to support the development process.
For the tourists gathered around the Clock Tower, however, the significance of the day was immediate and personal: holding the national flag, taking photographs and experiencing an Independence Day celebration at one of Srinagar’s most recognisable landmarks.
The Clock Tower became more than just a landmark; it became the backdrop to an Independence Day experience that visitors said they had never imagined witnessing in Kashmir.
