Goa, Aug. 15 -- India celebrates August 15 as its Independence Day, marking the end of British rule in 1947. However, the choice of the date was not without controversy at the time. Soon after Lord Louis Mountbatten announced August 15, 1947, as the date for India's independence, astrologers across the country began examining the significance of the day.

According to historical accounts, astrologers in Varanasi and several parts of South India considered August 15 inauspicious. Their objections created an unusual challenge for Indian leaders, who were faced with a choice between retaining the date selected by the last Viceroy and addressing concerns over its astrological significance.

The date was selected during the final months of Bri...