Wednesday 07 May 2025

Mill workers' struggle for Sunday as holiday

RAJESH BANAULIKAR, Arpora | MAY 06, 2025, 09:45 PM IST

After slogging for the whole week, we anxiously await Sunday to come, as it is the day when all the offices and educational institutions are closed. When Bharat (India) was under British rule, the mill workers had to work labouriously for all seven days without any break or rest. Of course, we celebrate Labour Day on May 1 every year. At that time, Narayan Meghaji Lokhande, who was the leader of the mill workers, presented a proposal for a weekly holiday to the Britishers, wherein he mentioned the dire need to give a holiday to offer their prayers to Khandoba, the deity, and also to attend to their domestic chores; but the British regime did not relent. However, Lokhande was steadfast in his stand, the pursuit of which had to be carried on relentlessly for over seven years. Finally, on 10th June 1890, the British Government declared Sunday as a holiday. And till today, we are enjoying Sunday as a weekly holiday, a relaxed day. Factually, Narayan means the Sun in mythology. What a coincidence of common names, isn't it? The day of the Sun.


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