Patna: India’s 80th Independence Day took on a special significance at Ram Nagari Colony Sector-2 in Patna on Saturday, where residents held the colony’s first-ever flag-hoisting ceremony nearly four decades after it was established.
The colony, which began with a handful of houses in the late 1980s and now comprises around 50 households with a population of roughly 500, saw nearly 300 residents gather for the occasion.
The tricolour was hoisted by 90-year-old Awadh Bihari Pathak, the colony’s senior-most resident. After the flag was raised, residents saluted the national flag and joined in the national anthem.
Children, young people and senior citizens stood together for the ceremony, giving the celebration a distinctly intergenerational character.
The flag-hoisting was followed by a cultural programme organised by the residents welfare society (RWS), during which residents shared their thoughts on Independence Day and took part in songs and dance performances. The enthusiasm remained high despite the hot and humid weather.
From Independence To Civic Responsibility
Addressing the gathering, Jagdish Upadhyaya, patron of the RWS, reflected on the significance of holding the colony’s first Independence Day celebration.
“Even though this colony was first set up with a handful of houses in the late 1980s and today the total population here is around 500, it is for the first time that Independence Day celebrations of the country are being held here. Today’s celebration is therefore not just about remembering our journey as a nation, but also about recognising our responsibility as citizens,” he said.
The cultural programme included patriotic songs performed by senior citizen Senhlata and young medical practitioner Madhu Kumari. Young girls, including Swastika Parmar and Zyvana Prakash, also performed dances to patriotic songs.
A Colony Taking Charge Of Its Civic Affairs
Residents were also briefed about the work undertaken by the RWS since its formation.
Anjani Sharma, secretary of the RWS, said the society had undertaken several initiatives over the past three months to improve civic amenities in the colony.
These included installing house number plates, putting up a colony signboard, repairing damaged manholes, facilitating new piped natural gas connections for households that had been left out, and arranging regular street cleaning and mosquito fogging. The society is also working to strengthen security by installing CCTV cameras and appointing a security guard at the colony entrance.
“These efforts are not only about improving civic amenities, but also about encouraging residents to become more aware of their responsibilities towards the community,” Sharma said. “Independence is meaningful when citizens actively participate in keeping their neighbourhood clean, safe and well-organised, and contribute to the common good.”
A Connection That Survives Distance
The celebration also brought together some non-resident Biharis who were visiting their families. Among them was Vibhash Jha, who works in London and had returned to Patna to spend a few weeks with his parents. Having grown up in the colony, Jha said the celebration brought back memories of his childhood.
“This is the colony where we have spent our childhood, playing cricket on the streets. We used to visit different houses during normal days and festivals as well,” he said.
“Seeing such bonding among the residents even after so many years makes me feel proud. This spirit of togetherness, respect for shared values and care for one another is what makes India truly great, and it is this sense of community that keeps our connection with our roots alive wherever we may be in the world.”
The gathering also had a familiar Independence Day touch, with jalebi, along with kachori and gulab jamun, distributed among residents as they listened to the speakers and watched the performances.
‘The Journey Has Only Begun’
The programme concluded with remarks from RWS patron and senior advocate M P Dixit, who described the celebration as a milestone in the colony’s history.
“This is a memorable moment in the history of this colony. With events like this, Ram Nagari Colony Sector-2 is gradually becoming an ideal society. The journey has only begun, and with the continued participation and cooperation of every resident, we can create a cleaner, safer and more harmonious neighbourhood,” Dixit said.
For a colony that had never formally marked Independence Day together in its four-decade history, the celebration became more than a ceremonial gathering. It offered a glimpse of a neighbourhood beginning to see community life itself as an exercise in citizenship.
