Republic Day

A sovereign democratic republic, in the Hindi language, is Sampoorna Prabhutva Sampanna Lokatantratmaka Ganarajya. Last week, that is what India became.After weeks of work, laborers with chisels and paintbrushes had managed to remove hundreds of crowns from furniture, doorways and walls of New Delhi's great sandstone Government House. The words "Royal" and "His Majesty's" had been taken off mailboxes, trucks and ships. India was breaking her last symbolic bonds to Britain. Declaring Jan. 26 Republic Day,* the government gathered in New Delhi's Durbar Hall to inaugurate its new constitution and install its first President, 65-year-old Rajendra Prasad.

And Three Cows. A huge crystal chandelier glittered above the pearl-grey top hats of diplomats, the snow-white Gandhi caps of Congressmen, and the flaming turbans and fezzes of princes in the marble rotunda. On the great throne where viceroys once sat, perched birdlike Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, retiring Governor General of the Dominion. Beside him on a smaller throne was the President-elect, in black achkan (coat) and tight white churidar (trousers). Prasad's timid wife Rajbanshi sat near by, looking bewildered and frightened.

Against the walls, Lancers in scarlet coats and blue-and-gold turbans stood like statues' through the blaze of trumpets and the solemn, brief ceremony that followed. Chakravarti Rajagopalachari proclaimed "India, that is Bharat"* a republic, and swore in Prasad. Next, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was sworn in as Prime Minister.

For Rajendra Prasad, who, like Gandhi, gave up a law practice to devote his life to Indian freedom, the presidency was a reward for years of faithful service to the Congress party. One friend said of pacifist, Puritan Prasad: "He detests controversy as much as he loathes liquor." Prasad is a strong upholder of tradition; he still opposes tractors' and factories for India.

An asthma victim, Prasad leads a Spartan life. His day begins at 3 a.m. with yoga exercises, the reading of the Ramayana, and the symbolic spinning that characterizes a devout follower of Gandhi.

When he moves into the 300-room red sandstone Government House ("in the labyrinths of which I may lose myself"), Prasad will take with him his wife, a sister, two sons, 17 granddaughters, two grandsons, and three cows.

A Million Thresholds. In the afternoon, President Prasad drove five miles through New Delhi's cheering streets. The magnificent viceregal coach (with crowns removed) was drawn by six horses, and escorted by the mounted viceregal bodyguard, in scarlet tunics and flowing rainbow turbans. In Irwin Stadium, 3,600 picked soldiers, sailors and airmen paraded for Prasad, who unexpectedly saluted as they passed. Said an observer: "This show is more British than the British would ever dare be."

Not all of India, however, rejoiced on Republic Day. In Calcutta, three people were killed when police fired on a Communist demonstration. In Bombay, scores were injured during a Red-provoked riot. In Hyderabad, the Nizam barely escaped injury when a hand grenade thrown at his car failed to explode. And in Madras, a government spokesman announced that the specter of famine "is already sitting on a million thresholds."

*This date was picked to commemorate Jan. 26, 1930, the day voted by the National Congress party in Lahore as the start of its campaign for Puma Swaraj (complete independence). *By act of its Constituent Assembly, India now has two official names: in Hindi, Hindustan; in old Sanskrit, Bharat. The name India is recognized as an English translation of Hindustan.

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