[Sticky] Submit your Freedom Writing Contest Stories Below this Thread as a Reply

Dear Writopreneurs,

You made the “Monsoon Story” theme quite successful through your mind-blowing stories. This time our theme is “Freedom”. 

So, what are you going to write about?

– Your childhood memories of celebrating “Independence Day” at your school/home?

– A movie/book that ignited the emotion of patriotism in you?

– Finding your true love/crush on Independence Day?

– Preparations and celebrations you have done on this auspicious occasion?

Give us a general idea about your story by hitting the “Add Reply” button.

Rekindle your feelings of patriotism and share your memories by participating in this writing contest. Make it a “Grand Success”.

All the best!!!!! 👍 👍 👍 👍 

“Freedom” ; this word’s meaning is completely changed in today’s context. Need to give it a thought, school-time Independence Day Celebration or today’s free world with freedom of speech/choice/education/  to freedom of happy life!

Let’s see what’s cooking with other DWH Community members’ heads 🧠

Very innovative topic on the eve of independence day. Freedom or independence can have different meanings in life of every person. My patriotic feelings ignited when I read a Marathi book Mazi Janmathep written by Swatantravir Vinayak Damodar Sawarkar. 

1. My dance experience on the 50th year independence day.

2. My experience as a guide on the independence day parade in New Delhi.

3. My experience when I sing/ teach patriotic songs on the occasion of independence day.

4. The feel you get when you visit the Wagah border to see the independence day parade.

5. Your experience when you meet a soldier and their family in the independence day.

1) The principles of freedom in modern society

2) Changing definition of freedom

@risha15 maam u r right…..it takes me down the memory lane where independence day celebrations at school was something big🙂

I’m excited about this theme…

Heartfelt gratitude to our dear Mentor who comes up with new activities to keep us writopreneurs engaged… 

Thank you sir 😀

All senior members of Digital Writopreneurs Hub are invited back to participate in writing contests. Now we are removing the previous capping that you can only join contests three times. The previous 9 writing contests included this rule but we have changed this now. So be happy and participate with an open heart. 😊 Join back: https://hi.likeminds.community/d/digital-writopreneurs-hub

Here are few prompts I could think of:

• A short fiction where the character experiences freedom
• Freedom to Love in India (from an LGBTQ+ perspective)
• How has the 1-year lockdown changed our view on independence/ freedom?
• Do the youth feel free under social/ family traditions (parampara)?

Let me know what you think of them 👍 

Hello All,

This time the innovative theme makes me so nostalgic that I am going to pen down my thoughts during the Independence day celebration at school since my childhood. The celebration was so excited and grand that all the junior kids, as well as seniors, used to participate on the auspicious day of the occasion. The local reporters used to take interviews and snaps and it was published in our school magazine every year. 

Are you excited to know more? I will share my theme and let me know How 1 and half year lockdown changed your view of Independence?

I agree with all my community members’ perspectives. The meaning of freedom is different for everyone.

I will be sharing my “Freedom to Speech” story soon. 

My “Freedom of Speech” Story: I said it and I mean it!!

“Freedom” – just hearing this word gives us a sense of relaxation. Our mind paints the picture of a place that depicts peace, calmness, and victory. This word holds different meanings for a person depending on their perspective. It could mean:

• Walking out of an abusive relationship.
• End of years/months of slavery.
• Expressing our opinion without hurting somebody’s sentiments.

Fortunately for us, we live in a democratic country where every citizen can exercise their fundamental rights. Among all these, “Freedom of Speech” holds the utmost importance. However, when it comes to religion, the matter becomes sensitive. There are many incidents when a movie/series/book created a massive uproar by hurting the religious sentiments of several people. 

– Do you remember the “Tandav” web series released on Amazon Prime Video? There was a scene that led to a huge controversy. The audience demanded a boycott of the whole series as that scene displayed disrespect toward Hindu Gods.

– Another hot topic was the arrest of stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui. He cracked a joke on the song “Mera Piya Ghar Aaya O Ram Ji”.

People must be cautious because matters can turn from worse to worst within a few seconds. Many such incidents are still fresh in my memory and it hurts me to see someone playing with the religious sentiments of our people.

“Freedom of Speech” is every Indian citizen’s right and we should never cross our limits. Also, we must never underestimate the power of social media. Once content comes under the scrutiny of the public’s eagle eye, it may go viral for all the right or wrong reasons. So, be careful!!

I am narrating an incident that still shakes me to the core whenever it crosses my mind. It is buried deep in my heart and today I am mustering the courage to share it with you. Are you ready??

I spoke my Heart and I was Trolled!!

It was the holy month of Ramzan. I was scrolling through my feeds on Facebook when a news caption caught my attention. This incident is from Turkey. It read: 

“While traveling in a bus, a man hits a woman because she was wearing a western outfit”.

My reaction? I was shocked. How can someone do this? Hitting someone because his/her views are not at par with our expectations? We do not have the right to abuse anyone like that. Tell me, what would you do if you were in his place? At least, I will not harm her like that!

I typed in the comment section, saying:

“Let her wear what she wants to. If you do not like it, then do not look at her. It is that simple!”. 

Within a fraction of seconds, I received reactions to my comment. Some people agreed with me and many were against it. You will not believe it!! People who made “angry” reactions were Muslims. But I was not surprised because they were all men. 

Their comments read:

“You know nothing about our religion. Go, study it”.

“What that man did was right, I would have done the same”.

“That is the problem with broad-minded people like you. Shame on your parents, they did not teach you the right way”.

There were more but I do not dare to mention those here. Too much moral policing in one day was enough to put me in a bad mood. Their comments upset me. I was brutally trolled by an army of keyboard warriors. To be honest, I know I said nothing wrong. I have no right to force my opinion on you or anybody else.

Even today, I see many such comments on Instagram posts. I have refrained from reacting to such topics. I deserve to live in peace; everyone does. That woman was treated unfairly on the bus while others preferred to be mute spectators during the incident. The most disgusting part was that most of the men in the comments section supported the man hitting the women. Sad, isn’t it? 

In the Holy Quran, Chapter 2, verse 256 states:

“There is no compulsion in religion”.

This verse makes everything crystal clear. We cannot and should not force our opinion on others. We are no one to judge. And yet, people point out flaws in others. If I want to make my message clear, I will explain it politely rather than saying it in a reprimanding tone.

Trust me, I have seen many people saying this and it hurts me.

“What are you wearing? This is not our tradition!”

“This seems too outdated. It is the 21st century, come on!”

Truth to be told, the “burqa” that we Muslim women wear is our faith in God. It is usually a black-colored garment we wear over our costume. The hijab (headscarf), and a veil are a part of it. Many people call it a “black tent” and sometimes a “letterbox”. They think it is too old-fashioned. For women like me, it is our Imaan (faith). There are many incidents of hate crime all around the world.  Headscarves are pulled, women detained at the airports, scanning performed in an improper way, etc. Women and girls are stripped of their educational rights if they wear a headscarf.

My Message

Things never go as we plan and people do as they please. If someone makes bad remarks about my burqa or beliefs, it is my responsibility to make him/her understand the reason behind it in a humble manner. If they understand and respect it, it is good for both of us. But if my behavior left a bad message, it would be my loss. Chances are I may feel provoked and it is better to walk away before things take an ugly turn.

Some of my cousins also think it is too oppressing to wear a burqa in this era. They say that they would never wear it. My perspective:

“Okay, it is up to you. Maybe, someday you would understand its significance. It was my decision to wear it and I do it happily.”

I try my best not to judge others. I have no idea about the connection a believer shares with his/her God. It is between them and I am no one to pass negative remarks if I am not on the same page with them.

What do you think? Share your views in the comment section.

#freedom #freedomstory #writingcontest #independence #freedomofspeech #digitalwritopreneurs #rishakhan

Written by: Risha Khan, Digital Writopreneur.

Independence Day Celebration

We all are happy proud Indians and it’s some different kind of satisfaction and enjoyment when we celebrate this day with our society or communities or local people. So let’s see how it goes with me as I got a chance to attend this with my sweet little cousins.

Last summer I visited my granny and there I had really great fun. I got suggestions from elders that I should join my little cousins on independence day celebrations as there will be so many activities which kids usually perform to pay some tribute to the nation in their own style.

So I was very excited to be a part of it.. It had so many colourful activities including dancing,singing, some educational plays where some kids were playing role of great indian leaders like mahatma Gandhi , sardar patel, subhash bose, chandrashekhar azad, jawahar lal Nehru, bal gangadhar tilak.

Variety comes in the form of Jhankis (tableau) presented by different class students with the same pride as school children presenting “projects”.

You can feel the passion, the power, the undying love for their motherland mixed with innocence.

The irony is when the little kids participate in such drama they give you goosebumps like you laugh when they laugh and you cry when they cry.. That’s how innocent is childhood and how we react to them unconsciously.

Every one of them was a star for that day and they share their respective life beliefs .

A little kid shared something which touched my soul not just my heart. He came up with such beautiful idea that human crave love and attention only..and when his basic needs not met by others then comes anger, hatred, jealousy, stress, unhappiness and he just don’t understand that it’s love what he needs most not materialistic things or possessions.. Nothing in this world can give him happiness rather than his state of mind that happiness is in this very moment. Happiness is not attached to anything. Look at the child what he possess for being happy all the time, nothing!!!

Trust me he needs nothing from outside world because his love needs are being fulfilled. So is true for everyone else. We forget this thing and lives a life full of competition, anger, dissatisfaction, jealousy, stress etc.

We simply don’t understand that happiness is not in past neither in future.. Happiness is just in this moment. So live it to your fullest and spread only love because world only needs love and empathy because it is already full of everything else which is not required.

So on this independence day let’s live our life to the fullest and also love our family and friends genuinely without any expectations.

Let’s made our world a little more loving and a little more empathetic.

It ends with remembering our great real life heroes who sacrifice their life for our well being. Who left behind their families for us so that we don’t have to loose anything. We not only proud of them but we respect them from core of our heart.

“On this Independence Day
We remember the years past.
We honor this very day
For our flag, old glory, has last.
On this Independence Day
Two centuries ago, we
Declared our independence
For justice and liberty.
Let us celebrate with joy and honesty
Happy Independence Day!!!”

These events were actually very nice where all the students perform very well and they decoded the message that how important is freedom for everyone and to make us understand that what sacrifices are done by our great leaders so that we can enjoy freedom…

As it was not gifted it was earned..

Yes freedom was earned by the endless sacrifices made by all of our national heroes

When we think about independence what is that feeling which keeps us motivated ?

Yes! this answer could be vary from person to person but we all want to live our life freely despite any other person’s influence on it.

How important is it to understand that even those pets which are in our own houses crave for that freedom which we won on 15th August 1947.

..as I believe any living thing on this earth could not enjoy slavery as it pounders their heart with agony and pain. So please respect their feelings too and keep them free so that they can enjoy the same life as you’re already enjoying.

On this independence let’s come together to make someone else’s life better and happy because if we all come together only then India will be blessed with heavenly love and peace

• Freedom to enjoy all the rights of an Indian citizen as provided by the Constitution of India

• Freedom to make a Living anywhere in India

• Freedom to practice their religious beliefs, culture, and traditions

• Freedom for Children to have mandatory Education at least till the age of 14

• Freedom of Girls Education to achieve all the heights as the boys

• Freedom for a Single Adult to live his/her life on their own if they choose to, without Marriage

• Freedom for All Citizens not to suffer discrimination based on their caste/gender/marital status/orientation

• Freedom for Married Couple to choose Not to have children, if they don’t want to

• Freedom for Men victims treated with equal dignity and empathy as Women w.r.t. abusive Relationships/Marriage, Domestic Violence, Harassment, etc.

• Freedom for All Citizens to excel in whatever field they desire, without any restraints in the form of favoritism, nepotism, partiality, etc.

• Freedom of Speech for Citizens to oppose what they feel are not right without any fear of retaliation based on draconian laws

• Freedom of Speech to express their views without jail time for rising intolerance

                      An Unforgettable Patriotic Memory to Rejuvenate!!

Penned down my nostalgic feelings with freedom

Independence Day and patriotism both are related to our blood and life. The day holds great significance in the heart of every Indian citizen living in India and abroad. On August 15, 2021, India would have achieved 75 years of freedom. As such, this year marks the 75th Independence Day of the country. While it is a celebratory annual occasion and a national holiday, wherein people hoist the national flag, wear colors signifying the tricolor, take part in many games and cultural programs, it also coincides with the Partition of the country that brings back painful memories for us, given that India was severed on communal grounds, much to the dismay of many national leaders and ordinary citizens.

When Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose commanded to all the people of the nation, “Give me blood, and I will give you freedom”. This freedom fighter was a real patriot who dedicated his life for the sake of others. 

We are very much enthusiastic listening to the national anthem “Jana-Gana-Mana”…; we all stand and sing together. I feel proud to be an Indian especially a Bengali because the two legendary personalities like Rabindranath Tagore and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay were born in Kolkata. I was born and brought up; the place called ‘Naihati’, the house of Bankim Chandra was hardly 10 minutes from my lane. I passed out from Rishi Bankim Chandra College (RBC) for women, which was located at Naihati. The locality is very popular due to this famous college. This college was established in 1947, the glorious year of Indian Independence. I used to walk through the side of the house and think that the world-famous litterateur and “Vande Matram” lyricist was born here! What a patriotic touch for me!

India is a country full of diversity in culture, tradition, heritage, caste, etc. This is called “Unity in Diversity”. A tribute is even paid by the Prime Minister to freedom fighters of India by declaring the day as a national holiday.

Importance of National song ‘Vande Mataram’

Vande Mataram” is a poem from “Anandamath”, a novel written by Bengali litterateur Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and published in 1882. Written in Bengali and Sanskrit, the first two verses of this poem were accorded the status of India’s national song (distinct from the national anthem) in 1950.

Importance of our National Anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’

The national anthem, like other national symbols of a country, represents the tradition, history, and beliefs of a nation and its people. Hence, it helps evoke feelings of patriotism among the country’s citizens and reminds them of their nation’s glory, beauty, and rich heritage. It also helps unite the citizens of the country by one single song or music. During the performance of the national anthem, citizens of a nation, despite their ethnic differences, stand up in unison and listen attentively or sing the song with great enthusiasm. Every school and college starts their assembly prayer with our national anthem, even if in a movie hall, before starting any movie, everybody stands up and gives a tribute and respect for our country and its people. 

All schools and colleges celebrate Independence Day every year. The program starts with the flag hoisting, by the Head of the Institute/School. Students in school perform March-past with the drill playing loud and tri-color flag, flying high. Students of colleges do take part in the celebration. They do march-past with the Indian flag paying tribute to the motherland ‘India’. 

Amazing feelings of Performance at School!

Post the flag-hoisting ceremony, patriotic programs by children from schools based in different states is one of the main attractions. When I was in 7th standard, every year our school used to celebrate Independence Day. Every class used to participate actively and it was a grand celebration. The celebration was organized by the cultural team and choreographed by my best friend, Susmita. Being participated in dance and craft competition, I was a bit excited and it was held at “Barowari Prangan”. It was a big playground and various kinds of games and sports were used to organize for talented players. The rehearsal of this program took 1 month to complete. We all dedicatedly practiced and the song was selected by our respected P.T teacher, “Ma Tujhe Salam” composed by legendary A.R.Rahman. 

The day was 15th August, at 9 AM. The weather was pretty marvelous and it was a windy day. We gathered at our school premises and wore white churidar and orange dupatta knotted around our waist. 

The decoration of the stage was amazing. The corner of the ground was decorated by the management; they arranged designable chairs and a big table to keep all the prizes and rewards. The headmistress, assistant headmistress, teachers, and other staff were sitting. The game teacher was instructed to maintain discipline and silence to the volunteers carefully. Some students were given a trial of coming Chief Guest ad how they should welcome him. They arranged nice sitting arrangements for all the students. 

Now the program was going to start. I was standing in the front row; the arrangement was quite like this:

• After entering the chief guest from the car, 2 students will precede further taking a bouquet in their hand, every step should be followed by a parade. The parade team was ready, now we were waiting for the final bell. 
• Bell rang, and 2 students were coming in front of the chief guest to welcome him. The cameraman was busy taking photos and videos. Everything was planned beautifully with a lovely band party. 
• Our chief guest was none other than my uncle Dr. Pradip Kumar Bhattacharya. He was the chairman of Bhatpara Municipality. After seeing him as a chief guest, I was feeling proud and very happy. 

Our program started, and everybody was getting ready with their costumes of dance, singing, recitation, and speech. I had little nervousness to perform. Our function started with the national anthem: “Jana Gana Mana……”. Everybody stood up in unison and sang passionately. Staring with our respected headmistress’ speech encouraged us a bit. She described the importance of Independence Day, how did we get freedom after struggling rigorously. How our patriotic soldiers dedicated their life to get freedom for India and the background music was tuned to ‘Vande Matram’ and “Sare Jahan Se Achha”. 

The music was on; we took our position and started to perform. “Ma Tujhe Salam, Amma tujhe Salam……….” We performed very well and everybody as well as all teachers stood and clapped for 5 minutes. The background music, lovely weather, beautiful performance all together made a huge success of this function. We all acquire appreciation from others. ‘Ma Tujhe Salam’ and ‘Vande Mataram’-this song is dedicated to our “Sujala, Sufala motherland India. I also participated in making a tri-color national flag and it was selected as the best. They announced names for prize distribution and my name was one of them. 

These golden days were the precious moment of my life. I shared my freedom story related to patriotism and performance. Now, it’s time to pen down your thoughts and add in the comments section. 

#patrioticmemory #patriotism #memorytorejuvenate #independencedayperformance

#lovelyfeelings #poulomi #digitalwritopreneur