Akshayjha at 19:44, 19 July 2024

2024-07-19T19:44:18Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:14, 20 July 2024
Line 153:		Line 153:

	Authored by Sushant Gangoli.		Authored by Sushant Gangoli.
	Published by Brhat.		Published by Brhat.[[Category:Social Sciences]]

Akshayjha: Created page with "==== Madan Lal Dhingra ==== Born on February 18, 1883, in Amritsar, Punjab, into a prosperous family, Dhingra completed his early education in India before moving to England to study engineering at University College London. Initially leading a life marked by ease and epicurean pursuits, Dhingra underwent a profound transformation upon encountering Savarkar4. Under Savarkar’s influence, Dhingra developed a fiery revolutionary fervor. He embraced the belief that the lib..."

2024-07-19T19:44:13Z

Created page with "==== Madan Lal Dhingra ==== Born on February 18, 1883, in Amritsar, Punjab, into a prosperous family, Dhingra completed his early education in India before moving to England to study engineering at University College London. Initially leading a life marked by ease and epicurean pursuits, Dhingra underwent a profound transformation upon encountering Savarkar4. Under Savarkar’s influence, Dhingra developed a fiery revolutionary fervor. He embraced the belief that the lib..."

New page

==== Madan Lal Dhingra ====
Born on February 18, 1883, in Amritsar, Punjab, into a prosperous family, Dhingra completed his early education in India before moving to England to study engineering at University College London. Initially leading a life marked by ease and epicurean pursuits, Dhingra underwent a profound transformation upon encountering Savarkar4. Under Savarkar’s influence, Dhingra developed a fiery revolutionary fervor. He embraced the belief that the liberation and independence of their motherland were paramount pursuits, beyond which nothing else mattered. This conviction ignited a fierce passion within Dhingra - on one occasion, when challenged to prove his commitment to the cause of Swarajya, Dhingra pierced his palm with a sharp, long needle - a stark display of his unyielding resolve5. Inspired by Savarkar’s writings and speeches, Dhingra came to see himself as a soldier in the war for Indian freedom.

One of the most defining moments in Dhingra’s life was the assassination of Sir William Hutt Curzon Wyllie. On July 1, 1909, during a public event in London, Dhingra took the radical step of shooting Wyllie, a senior British official, who was pinpointed thereafter to ignite a broader insurrection amongst Indians against their British oppressors. It was a bold and direct protest against British colonial rule, audaciously performed, much more than a mere personal vendetta.

The reverberations of Dhingra’s actions went much further than the immediate repercussions of the event. He was captured on the spot, hastily tried, and sentenced to death. He was executed on August 17, 1909. Dhingra’s supreme sacrifice dramatized the intense protest that was building up among Indians and how far they were willing to go in their struggle for Home Rule. His martyrdom became a grim, defiant symbol that acted as a fillip to the fledgling Indian independence movement.

==== Pandurang Mahadev Bapat ====
Widely known as Senapati Bapat, Pandurang Mahadev Bapat commenced his academic life in Pune amidst the rise of the Indian freedom movement. Taking up engineering sent him to England, where a visit with an intellectual giant among national freedom fighters called Vinayak Damodar Savarkar steered his life in a definitive direction. Bapat was under the influence of such prominent Indian nationalists as Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and naturally took up their revolutionary ideas. This immersion plunged him into full-fledged participation in the revolutionary movement, bomb-making, and dissemination of revolutionary propaganda. His fervent commitment even led him to contemplate dramatically destroying the Houses of Parliament.6

However, the external tempering of Bapat’s revolutionary zeal came from two sources. The immediate aftermath of the Alipore Bombing in 1908, and a subsequent period of hiding prompted introspection. A widespread unawareness of the masses, among whom he travelled extensively across India, regarding their being enslaved by the British, came as a life-changing experience to Bapat. His emphasis henceforth shifted from immediate overthrow to something strategic – that of educating and awakening. This shift in emphasis was due, to an extent, to Savarkar’s influence; and it drove home the point that the British had not only to be fought - but it also informed and mobilized people towards a national struggle for freedom.

Following the execution of Madan Lal Dhingra for the assassination of Curzon Wyllie, evidence increasingly pointed to one man who was rapidly becoming a significant threat to the entire British colonial regime in India: Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

The British authorities were convinced that many revolutionary activities were directly or indirectly linked to him. Notably, Savarkar was involved in disseminating bomb-making techniques by secretly sending manuals to the Bengal Presidency. This had a profound impact, as demonstrated when Khudiram Bose used one of these manuals to learn how to make bombs for the attempt to assassinate Kingsford, a magistrate involved in the Muzaffarpur Conspiracy Case. Khudiram Bose, along with Prafulla Chaki, was subsequently executed, becoming one of the first Indian revolutionaries to face such a fate under British rule.

Another major incident linked to Savarkar was the arrest of his elder brother, Babarao Savarkar. Since targeting Savarkar directly under British laws proved challenging, the Government of India focused on Babarao instead. He was sentenced to the Andaman Islands and transported there on June 9, 1909. This action by the British prompted Anant Laxman Kanhere to assassinate Arthur Mason Tippetts Jackson, the District Magistrate instrumental in the arrest and prosecution of Babarao Savarkar, for printing a sixteen-page book containing the songs of Kavi Govind. Jackson’s assassination is considered one of the most crucial revolutionary turning points in Maharashtra, marking a significant escalation in the fight against British colonial rule.

As the British and the Indian Government intensified their efforts to curtail Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s revolutionary activities, the nationalist leader faced increasing pressure. Amidst this turmoil, Savarkar received the distressing news of his brother’s arrest, along with reports of other members of Abhinav Bharat being detained and persecuted. During this period of darkness, the resilience of Veer Savarkar’s spirit was evident in a poignant letter he wrote to his sister-in-law, Yesu Vahini, the wife of Babarao Savarkar.

Deeply saddened by his brother’s imprisonment and the harsh penalties of Kala Pani, a sentence of life imprisonment in the Andaman Islands, notorious for the brutality and low survival rate) in addition to the arrest of his youngest brother, Narayanrao, on suspicion of criminal involvement, Savarkar offered words of solace and resilience. In his letter, he drew upon the imagery of fleeting life and eternal remembrance, saying:<blockquote>अनेक फुले फुलती, फुलोनिया सुकून जाती त्यांची गणती माहिती कोणी ठेवली असे, ऐसे गजेंद्र सोंडे उचलून श्रीहरी चारिणी अरपोनि ते फुल मोक्षदायी.

Numerous flowers bloom, and many wither away; who keeps count of them? Yet, the one plucked by the trunk of Gajendra and offered to Shri Hari Vishnu will grant true liberation and will be forever remembered.</blockquote>Through this metaphor, Savarkar conveyed a message of hope and purpose, implying that while many sacrifices may seem forgotten, those made in true devotion to a cause will achieve eternal significance and contribute to the ultimate liberation of their nation. His words sought to uplift and fortify his sister-in-law.

Such sacrificing nature and intellectual tenacity were rare traits, seldom observed among the leaders of that era. For Savarkar, the principles of svatantratā (independence), svadeśa (homeland), and svarājya (self-rule) were not only his goals but also the forces that fortified him during those arduous times. His resolve was fueled by an unyielding dedication to these ideals, driving him to endure with remarkable resilience.

This staunch spirit was not confined to Savarkar alone; it permeated through his entire family.

'''The women in the Savarkar household, too, exemplified extraordinary fortitude.'''

Their strength was born from a profound commitment and an intense sense of sacrifice toward the overarching goal of liberating their motherland.

The British government launched a meticulously orchestrated campaign, utilizing letters and telegrams to persuade the Benchers of Gray’s Inn to deny Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s call to the Bar. Despite the lack of concrete evidence to support the charges laid by Gray’s Inn, Savarkar was still barred from practising law due to suspicions surrounding his activities. This incident was later leveraged by the British authorities to justify issuing a warrant against him.

In the wake of Curzon Wyllie’s assassination, Savarkar’s defiance shone brightly. At Caxton Hall, he stood unyielding, refusing to condemn Madan Lal Dhingra. He extended his protest by penning a letter to The Times, articulating his stance with clarity and conviction, and ensuring Dhingra’s silenced voice was heard through a statement he published in the Daily News on August 16, 1909.

The following November, as his health deteriorated, Savarkar sought refuge in Wales, hoping to recover. It was here, amidst the tranquility of Brighton, that he penned a Marathi book on the history of the Sikhs—a testament to his indomitable spirit. Yet, during this period of supposed respite, he was struck by personal tragedy—the death of his son, Prabhakar. But even this profound loss did not deter him.

By January 1910, with the threat of arrest looming, Savarkar moved to Paris. However, the British pursuit was relentless, and on February 8, 1910, he was targeted under the Fugitive Offenders Act of 1881 for a speech made years prior and an alleged crime in England. The evidence was tenuous at best, but the colonial machinery was grim on his capture.

In a display of leadership at audacious defiance, he came back to London on 13th March 1910 with a steely resolve to meet the empire that had denied him the very spirit he cherished. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar stood apart as a revolutionary, embodying the persona of a dhīrodātta (धीरोदात्त)—a term from ancient Indian lore that describes the self-controlled, exalted hero of great excellence.

His time in London showcased these attributes distinctly. Savarkar was neither boastful nor overtly assertive, yet his resolute nature and firm purpose resonated deeply. Each of his actions during this period demonstrated self-control, resolve, and quiet assertiveness, mirroring the qualities of an ideal nāyaka, or leader. Faced with the gravest of challenges, Savarkar responded with a disciplined demeanor and strategic poise, navigating each situation with the steadfastness of a seasoned warrior in the quest for India’s independence.

As we will reflect on the difficult period of his incarceration in our next article, let the last thought of this narration be that of the poet within Veervar Savarkar emerging vividly, revealing his innermost thoughts and feelings. While on Brighton Beach, during a moment of profound introspection, he composed one of his greatest masterpieces. However, this creation did not spring from a fountain of blissful creativity; rather, it was born from a tempest of raw emotion. Overwhelmed by the pain of his experiences, tears filled his eyes as he sang Saagara pran talamalala.

This poignant scene captures Savarkar not just as a revolutionary, but as a roaring poet, trembling with the intensity of the emotions that coursed through him during those trying times.

'''Saagara Pran Talamalala'''<blockquote>ने मजसी ने परत मातृभूमीला I सागरा, प्राण तळमळला

भूमातेच्या चरणतला तुज धूतांI मी नित्य पाहिला होता

मज वदलासी अन्य देशिं चल जाऊंI सृष्टिची विविधता पाहूं

तइंजननी-हृद् विरहशंकितहि झालेंI परि तुवां वचन तिज दिधलें

मार्गज्ञ स्वयें मीच पृष्ठिं वाहीन I त्वरित या परत आणीन

O Ocean, take me back to my Motherland

My soul in so much torment be! ||Dhru.||

Lapping worshipfully at my mother’s feet

So always I saw you

Let us visit other Lands to see

The abounding nature said you.

Seeing my Mother’s heart full of qualms

A sacred oath you did give her,

Knowing the way home, ‘pon your back

My speedy return you promised her.

विश्वसलों या तव वचनींI मी

जगदनुभव-योगें बनुनी I मी

तव अधिक शक्त उध्दरणींI मी

येईन त्वरेंकथुन सोडिलें तिजला I

सागरा, प्राण तळमळला

Fell for your promise did I!

That worldly-wise ‘n able be I

Her deliverance better serve do I

’Pon returning, so saying I left her.

O Ocean, my soul in so much torment be! ||1||

शुक पंजरिं वा हरिण शिरावा पाशींI ही फसगत झाली तैशी

भूविरह कसा सतत साहुं यापुढती I दशदिशा तमोमय होती

गुण-सुमनेंमीं वेचियलीं ह्या भावें कीं तिनें सुगंधा ध्यावें

जरि उध्दरणीं व्यय न तिच्या हो साचा हा व्यर्थ भार विद्येचा

Like a parrot in a cage, like a deer in a trap—

Oh so duped am I

Parting from my mother forever—

Besieged by darkness am I!

Flowers of virtue gather did I

That blessed by their fragrance she be.

Bereft from service for her deliverance

My learning a futile burden it be,

ती आम्रवृक्षवत्सलता रे

नवकुसुमयुता त्या सुलता रे

तो बाल गुलाबहि आतां रे

फुलबाग मला हाय पारखा झाला सागरा, प्राण तळमळला

The love of her mango trees, oh!

The beauty of her blossoming vines, oh!

Her tender budding rose, oh!

Oh forever lost is her garden to me,

O Ocean, my soul in so much torment be!</blockquote>

==== References ====
<nowiki>https://savarkar.org/en/pdfs/inside_the_enemy_camp.v001.pdf</nowiki>

<nowiki>https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/56237/1/Swatantryaveer_VDSavarkar.English.pdf</nowiki>

<nowiki>https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/56237/1/Swatantryaveer_VDSavarkar.English.pdf</nowiki>

<nowiki>https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/56237/1/Swatantryaveer_VDSavarkar.English.pdf</nowiki>

Samagra Savarkar Charitra Pravachanmala Gurudev Shankar Abhayankar.

Professor Shivajirao Bhosale, Savarkar Jeevan Vakhayan.

Authored by Sushant Gangoli.
Published by Brhat.

Veer Savarkar: Inside Enemy Camp Part 2 - Revision history

Akshayjha at 19:44, 19 July 2024