On that momentous day of 15th. Aug 1947

IT WAS A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM :

At the midnight when the Union Jack was replaced with Indian Flag at Raj Bhavan, the atmosphere throbbed with ear shattering sounds of cheer and sloganeering. The gates of Raj Bhavan, Kolkata (then Calcutta) were thrown open for Indian for the first time. Enthusiastic crowds kept streaming into the mansion for the entire day. Many revelers had a hard time believing that the British had actually gone for good and were coming to Raj Bhavan just to check if the news was true.

While hundreds of people had free access to Raj Bhavan on that momentous day, one heartening memory is that nothing was damaged or stolen from the premise. Perhaps those were a people who knew that with freedom comes responsibility. Those were the times of honest , hardworking people who took the new-found independence very seriously . Things have gone sea change today.

(Source : Times of India of 17 Aug 09)