Partition Horrors Remembrance Day: Sri Aurobindo’s First Dream and the Vision of an Undivided India
Partition Horrors Remembrance Day: Sri Aurobindo’s First Dream and the Vision of an Undivided India “India is free but she has not achieved unity, only a fissured and broken freedom.” — Sri Aurobindo, 15 August 1947 15 August 1947 was the day of India’s independence, and it was also Sri Aurobindo’s 75th birthday. On this historic occasion, in his celebrated message, Sri Aurobindo spoke of his “Five Dreams.” His first dream was the freedom and unity of India . He welcomed independence, but did not regard Partition as India’s final destiny. He believed that Partition must disappear and the unity of India must ultimately be restored. For this reason, Partition Horrors Remembrance Day (Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas) is not merely an occasion to remember the tragedy of 1947; it is also an occasion to reflect upon the unity of India. It commemorates the suffering of millions whose homes were uprooted, families separated, lives lost, and centuries-old social and cultural bonds severed by...