A campaign that aims to introduce India... to India

Organisers of a unique initiative are hoping that at least 100,000 people across India will invite complete strangers from a different community and background to visit their homes tomorrow, India's 77th Independence Day, and share a cup of tea or a meal. The only condition is that the two families should be meeting at home for the first time.

The campaign, titled 'Mere Ghar Aake to Dekho' (Visit My Home, Be My Guest) is being promoted by New Delhi-based ANHAD with an aim to allow Indians to get to know each other better. “We have created so many barriers in the society and we believe we are different from each other because of our religion, caste or location. However, when we meet, we would realise we are no different…,” says the campaign website's home page.

Vocalist T.M. Krishna, actors Nandita Das and Ratna Pathak Shah, scientist and poet Gauhar Raza, and Gujarat Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani are among those who have enthusiastically embraced and endorsed the idea. "We will realise that we have more similarities than differences. We would know that our shared aspirations, shared joys, shared sorrows are not so different," says Das.

The campaign expects people to:

1. Meet at least one family who is not from your religion/ class/ caste/ economic background/ sexual orientation/ region/ linguistic background. Go to their home and invite them to yours.

2. Have a meal with them, chat with them, and get to know them better.

3. Try to understand their life, issues, and culture.

4. Take a selfie together and tweet using hashtag #MereGharAaKeToDekho.

5. Upload photographs/videos on all social media platforms.

6. Upload photographs and videos of the interaction using hashtags #MereGharAaKeToDekho and #CelebrateAzadiTogether.

More than 75 years after Independence, we are forced to ask ourselves, “have we really been together?” says Krishna. "The campaign ‘Mere Ghar Aake To Dekho’ will be a unique and beautiful way to celebrate Independence Day."

The campaign to bring people together will conclude on 30 January, 2024, to commemorate the day Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated in 1948.