Bright sunny day in Delhi on Independence Day

New Delhi, Aug 15 (UNI) After cloudy weather over the last few days, the skies opened up today to pave way for a bright sunny weather as the Nation celebrated its 61st Independence Day.

As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived at Lahori Gate to unfurl the National Flag at the ramparts of the Red Fort, bright rays of the morning sun welcomed those who had come enjoy Independence day celebrations.

Providing some relief from the heat of the sun was a cool breeze that blew across the city, bringing cheer to the thousands of school children and the NCC cadets who had come to join in the celebration of 61st Independence Day. The day also marks the observance of the 150th anniversary year of the first war of Independence in 1857 and the 100th birth anniversary year of revolutionary Bhagat Singh.

A sunny weather today marks a departure from the last few years when the observance of the Independence day in Delhi has been accompanied by either an overcast sky or a rains.

X X X Patriotic songs, children with tricolour caps add colour to Independence Day New Delhi: Independence Day this year had a more colourful and patriotic feel to it.

The celebrations of the 61st Independence Day also marked observance of the 150th anniversary year of the first war of Independence in 1857 as well as the 100th birth anniversary year of Revolutionary Bhagat Singh.

Lending a colourful ambience to the event this year was the sight of 3550 girl students from government and government-aided schools across Delhi, dressed up in saffron, white and green colour clothes, thus forming a unique combination of colours of the National Flag.

Also lending a patriotic feel to the occasion was rendition of songs like 'Hum Sab Bharatiya Hain', 'Ekla Chalo Re', 'Chodo Kal ki Baatein', 'Mera Rang De Basanti Chola' and 'Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna' sung by these students in different languages of the country before the arrival of the Prime Minister.

Joining the children in the rendition of patritic songs were about one thousand Junior Division Cadets of the National Cadet Corps from Delhi Directorate comprising Army, Navy, Air Force and Girls wings.

The NCC cadets also participated in the flag hoisting ceremony this year.

Adding to the patriotic feeling was the singing of the National Anthem by the school children in the flag hoisting ceremony.

The function ended on a colourful note with hundreds of balloons released in the sky by the school children after the conclusion of the Prime Minister's speech.

UNI