MB#23:𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙮, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙖 𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙮 𝘿𝙖𝙮.

[MemoirBlogthon #23] November 14th holds special meaning for many in India. While it is officially recognized as Children's Day, for my father, it represented more than just a holiday; it was a day to honor the legacy of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. This day allowed our family to reflect on Nehru's contributions to the nation and to learn the values he cherished. In this post, I will share how my father cultivated a family tradition of discussing historical details on this day, emphasizing the importance of connecting a national holiday to our own local history.

That morning, watching my ten-year-old grandson jump out the door, his schoolbagbulging with treats, I couldn't help but smile. That bulging bag signals the arrival of Children's Day, November 14th. It’s a day we celebrate the pure joy, limitless innocence, and the legacy of Nehru.

MB#23-November 14 Children's Day Greetings

Thinking back to my school days, the approach of November 14th filled us with excitement for cultural programs and award ceremonies. However, for me, the day held a different, deeper meaning, instilled by my father, Sri Susarla Subrahmanya Sastry. He insisted that I attend the November 14th celebration at school every year, and that I treat the day not as a holiday, but as a "holy day."

For my father, "holy" meant an obligation to uphold Nehru's vision for the nation’s children. To motivate me, he always shared a unique piece of news or a historical anecdote about Jawaharlal Nehru just before the celebration.

One year, I remember him telling me about the monumental day Nehru visited our city. My father explained that Nehru, the first prime minister of India, had visited Vijayawada in December 1955 to inaugurate the Krishna River Barrage (later named the Prakasam Barrage). The most fascinating detail for me was that Nehru addressed a massive public meeting of nearly 50,000 people at the PWD grounds—a place just near our school!

My father described how a special platform was built and how Nehru praised the hardworking people of Andhra Pradesh while cautioning against what he termed "linguistic fanaticism" and the dangers of communalism and casteism. The visit highlighted Nehru's focus on post-independence nation-building and infrastructural development.

This story felt like a secret history of our local ground, connecting the national hero directly to the dirt where we played our mass drills. When my teacher asked us about the meaning of Children's Day, I shared my father's story. The local context made the history tangible, and my answer was met with keen interest from the teacher and my classmates alike.

The ability to connect a great national vision (like Nehru's commitment to children) to a local, personal landmark (like our city public meeting ground) was a subtle but powerful lesson my father taught me in every shared story.

We must consciously work to preserve that childish spirit and to remember the roots of our traditions. Just as my father shared stories to educate and motivate me, his inputs now teach me how to connect with the next generation. This year, I am planning to share this very blog post with my grandson, encouraging him to read it and spread the word.

A small commitment to remembering history makes a holiday a truly 'holy day.'

MB#23: Quiz

MB23 Question: Which national leader's legacy was the focus of the father's "holy day" commitment on November 14th?

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• A. Mahatma Gandhi.
• B. Subhash Chandra Bose.
• C. Jawaharlal Nehru.
• D. B. R. Ambedkar.

MB#23: Quote

"A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the souls of its people." – Mahatma Gandhi