No 13015, Saturday 15 Aug 2020, Hypatia

Independence day greetings to all. An Independence Day Special clue acrostic with an Indian theme from Hypatia to celebrate it.

ACROSS

8   Incorporating many things exotic, diverse area overlooking South East (6) VARIED {DIVERse+A*}
9   Nomenclature of multiple beliefs and Gods in place (around 51) (8) RELIGION {RE{LI}GION}
10 Dr. No is oddly disrupting power at this late hour (8) MIDNIGHT {MI{Dr No Is}GHT}
11 Initially, all executive committee members on a plane (6) ABOARD {All}{BOARD}
12 Apparently large warren or mouse burrow (8) ENORMOUS (T)
13 Sluggishness of a desi husband, say? (6) APATHY {~ A PATI}
14 It’s sweet gospel music performed without mischievous imps (7) GLUCOSE {GOspEL+mUSiC*}
17 Netas, essentially encroaching, bust law (7) STATUTE {STATU{neTas}E}
20 Dancing wild — a cherished Indian celebration? (6) DIWALI {WILD+A*} around {I}
22 Emperor’s China jar, a hammer displayed in retrospective (8) MAHARAJA (T<=)
25 “Permit car,” shouted Spooner in travel fatigue (3,3) JET LAG {(-l+J)ET (-j+L)AG}
26 End of the world feeling returns around dead, for instance (8) DOOMSDAY {MOOD<=}{S{D}AY}
27 Novel began describing a princess in playful talk (8) BADINAGE {BEGAN*} around {A}{DI}
28 Dilliwala, say in retirement, backing local clubs (6) INDIAN Anno not clear (Addendum - {IN{AID<=}N - See comments)

DOWN
1   Exchanging rupee for primary needs is reasonable, countrywide (8) NATIONAL {(-r+Needs)ATIONAL
2   No loser changed to new model in this season (6) WINNER {WIN(-t+N)ER}
3   Commercial silver outlets to increase online, slowly (6) ADAGIO {AD}{AG}{Increase}{Online}
4   English baron wearing Indian shirt (7) BRITISH {B}{I+SHIRT*}
5   Delightful worker in farm bordering lake (8) PLEASANT {P}L}EASANT}
6   Ascending soldier met soldier below — neither partner was unacquainted (8) IGNORANT {GI<=}{NOR}{ANT}
7   Yelled out to one in quarters (6) FOURTH {~FORTH}
15 Silent comedian captivates a minister (8) CHAPLAIN {CHAPL{A}IN}
16 Part of wandering stream moved below fish (8) STINGRAY {ST{-ray}ING(+RAY)}
18 Excited jam at hall closing before memorial (3,5) TAJ MAHAL {JAM+AT+HALl*}
19 Counter name say, fades a little bit (7) SMIDGEN {N}{EG}{DIMS}<=
21 It melts from peaks of intensely cold environs, chiefly at poles (3,3) ICE CAP (Acrostic)
23 Asked question about Islamic festival for clothing covering head (6) HOODIE {~WHO}{EID<=}
24 Live tour entertains best, essentially (6) RESIDE {R{bESt}IDE}

Reference List

Area=A, South East=SE, 51=LI, Indian=I, Dead=D, Princess=Di, Rupee=R, New=N, Model=T, Commercial=AD, Silver=Ag, Baron=I, Lake=L, Soldier=GI, Soldier=Ant

Colour/Font Scheme

Definition, Solution, Component letters, Embedded links, Theme word,  Anagram Indicator, C/C indicator, Reversal Indicator, Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator, Deletion Indicator, Homophone Indicator, Movement Indicator, Positional Indicator, Substitution, Indicator, Opposite indicator, Link/Connector, Extraneous

Dr RKE's TalePiece

“Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny…At the stroke of the MIDNIGHT hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom” said Jawaharlal Nehru addressing the Constituent Assembly on the eve of India’s independence. The BRITISH Union Jack was lowered and the INDIAN Tricolour hoisted at the Red Fort as the ENORMOUS crowd rapturously roared “Bharat Mata ki Jai”. People of VARIED RELIGIONS and communities came together in a true NATIONAL spirit to celebrate the festival, bigger than any DIWALI.

In the days that followed some MAHARAJAs voluntarily gave up their kingdoms and joined the Indian Union, while others were forced by public opinion or gently  pressured by Sardar Patel; those who still had APATHY in coming ABOARD had to be arm twisted. Of course, there were some Englishmen who made DOOMSDAY predictions about a free India and others who felt that the rule of the STATUTE would never prevail when the Englishman quits India. The supercilious ones among them were IGNORANT enough to think that the TAJ MAHAL was just a over-hyped marble grave and that all the literature and lore of the Orient was only a SMIDGEN compared to the knowledge and majesty contained in a single row of books that RESIDE in a British Library shelf (Macaulay). Gandhi, known for his PLEASANT BADINAGE, puckish humour and gift of the repartee had effectively countered such boastful thinking earlier. Once when asked “what do you think of Western civilization”, Gandhi had replied “I think that would be a good idea”. Gandhi held that making the right diagnosis is three-FOURTHs of the treatment. Successive generations of leaders have followed this prescription to rid the society of the many ills that plagued it in 1947.

If 74 years down the line India has always come out the WINNER, it is because of the GLUCOSE of the national spirit that was infused by its great leaders at the time of its birth. We salute them all on this eventful day. Jai Hind.