Independence Day on 14th August passed amidst jubilation, military parades, patriotic songs and dazzling illuminations. Seventy-eight years on, we continue to mark this day with great fervour. The very word independence evokes a sense of fresh breathing, of casting off the shackles that once bound us. All nations take pride in their independence, for it is supposed to signify dignity, self-determination and collective ownership of destiny.

But have we ever paused to ask ourselves: Why did we seek independence? What does it truly mean in the life of a nation?

Before 14 August 1947, we had our mosques, offered our prayers and revered our shrines, many of which were - and still are - in India. Millions of Muslims continue to live there today. Our inheritance, marriages and other personal ma

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