With Independence Day approaching, women artisans in Jammu and Kashmir are very busy. The reason being they are making the Indian Tricolour flags that will sell like hotcakes before and on August 15.

These artisans are from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir and they earn a living by making these Tricolour flags and also rakhis for the Army jawans. They belong to the Khanmoh area of Srinagar.

Besides the Tricolour, the festival of rakhi, celebrating the relationship of brother and sister, too gives them an opportunity to earn some extra money.

One of the artisans told India Today: "We are making flags and rakhis for the upcoming Independence Day. It is an honour for us.

The women using their skill to make flags and rakhis has a significant aspect to it. According to Heena Bhat, Vice Chairperson of J&K Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB), these women making hand-made Tricolour and various other things for earning a livelihood is very interesting.

"Empowering women will empower our country. When women thrive, the world thrives," she observed.

Mahmood Ahmad Shah, Director, Handicrafts & Handloom, Kashmir, talking about them said: "These women artisans are also being offered various schemes to redress their financial issues. We are organising societies so that we can give them artisan credit facilities and a working capital.”

For the first time, the famous clock tower at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk was illuminated with the Indian national flag on August 7 night, ahead of Independence Day.

The Mayor of Srinagar, Junaid Mattu took to Twitter to share a photograph of the clock tower. The tower has been lit up by the district administration for the first time.

In his tweet Mattu wrote: "We have illuminated the Clock Tower (‘Ghanta Ghar’) at Lal Chowk in colours of the Tricolour ahead of Independence Day. New clocks fitted.”