Vikas Kapoor
If you start writing on such a tall figured freedom fighter, It would take ages to understand and then narrate him. His definition of a Hindu finds as its cornerstone the allegiance to the sacred geography of India “Call Sindh sey Saagar Tak sab Hindu hein” was given by him in 1939.
This means any one irrespective of religion, caste or creed who regards and owns this Bharatbhumi, this land from Indus to Seas as his fatherland or as well as holyland is a HINDU. Dr B R Ambedkar and Veer Damodar Vinayak Savarkar converged in defining the term HINDU, as both were on the same page.
However, he remained most Unhounoured, Unacknowledged, unsung, unheard, despite being the fact that he is the one who was considered as one of the most fearful and dangerous freedom fighter, biggest thorn in the eyes of Britishers, who (Britishers) always plan to contain him by regular spying, coercive actions and almost connived to restrict publication of his most revered book which brought Revolution through various Revolutionaries. His Book “The Indian War of Independence 1857” (available on Kindle now) was part of the curriculum for Freedom Fighters new recruits and Old, is step by step account of uprising of the Indian Masses against ruthless British empire. It traced the footsteps of the barefooted, undernourished and almost unarmed Indian common folks challenging the British bullets with sheer force of will power. His earlier works were not widely read : his first book on – Mazzini was immediately banned by Government,Manuscript of his second book on History of Sikhs was either lost or destroyed by British before it could be published.
This book was originally written in Marathi, in 1908, when Veer Savarkar was about twenty-four years of age. Some select chapters used to be reproduced in English, in speeches, which Veer Savarkarji used to deliver at the open weekly meetings of the Free India Society in London. Perhaps, through this channel or otherwise, the detectives got some scent of the subject-matter of this book, which their reports dubbed revolutionary, explosive and highly treasonous. Soon a chapter or two of the Marathi manuscript were found missing, which, it was disclosed later on, were stolen by the detective agents, and found their way to the Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the British Intelligence Department in London. Nevertheless, the Marathi manuscript was sent to India by the revolutionists so secretly and cleverly that, foiling the strict vigilance of the customs authorities of the Indian ports, it reached safely its destination. The History was translated into English. The A.N.B. Revolutionary Party resolved, thereupon, to publish, at least, the English translation of this History of the Indian War of Independence of 1857 with a view to enable the English-speaking public, both in India and outside, to know its contents. A few highly intellectual Maratha youths in London, members of the A.N.B., distinguished graduates of Indian Universities studying Law, and candidates for the I.C.S. Examination volunteered to translate the voluminous work into English. After the translation was complete under the supervision of Sriyut V.V.S. Aiyer, efforts were made to get it printed in England. But the British detectives, too, were not idle, and made it impossible for any British printer to undertake the publication of it for the fear of being prosecuted forthwith. The English manuscript was then sent to Paris, but the French Government at that time was so thoroughly under the thumb of England, with whom France had to ally herself in order to face combinedly the impending danger of a German invasion that the French detectives were working hand in hand with the British police to suppress the A.N.B. revolutionary activities in France, and under their threat, even a French printer could not be found ready to run the risk of printing this history. At last, by a successful ruse, the revolutionists persuaded a printing firm in Holland to print the book. After getting the English translation printed in Holland the revolutionists smuggled into India hundreds of its copies by ingenious devices. Many of them were wrapped in artistic covers specially printed with such innocuous and bogus names as Tick-wick Papers,’ ‘Scot’s Works,’, ‘Don Quixote’ etc. Several copies got smuggled in boxes with false bottoms. It will be interesting to note that one such box, containing a number of copies under a false bottom, was taken into India by a youthful youth, a member of the Abhi Nava Bharat named Shikandar Hayat Khan, who later on was known as Sir Shikandar Hayat Khan, the chief minister of Punjab.
This book has Four Chapters – part 1 The Volcano with Swadharma and Swaraj, The chain of causes, Nana Sahib and Lakshmi bhai, Ayodhya, Adding fuel to the fire, Lit up the sacrificial fire and Secret Organisation
Part 2 The Eruption with Shahid Mangal Pandey, Meerut, Delhi, The Interlude and Punjab, Aligarh and Nasirabad, Rohilakhand, Benares and Allahabad, Cawnpore and Jhansi, Oudh & lastly summed up
Part 3 The Conflagration with Fight in Delhi, Havelock (Andaman and Nicobar), Behar, Falling of Delhi and Lucknow,about Tantia Tope, Kumar Singh and Amar Singh, Moulvie Ahmad Shah and Rani Lakshmi bhai
Part 4 Temporary Pacification with a Bird’s eye view with culminating offering in the sacrificial Fire with conclusion
On his 141 Birthday May 28th, we bow our head in great respect before him who was an ideal for several Big Revolutionaries during our freedom struggle like Shaheed Khudi Ram Bose, Bhagat singh, Subash Chander Bose, Madan Lal Dhingra, Chapekar Brothers and many many more. He started Abhinav Bharat Society with members across country to promote cohesiveness, awareness and armed revolution among Indians to struggle for Independence of Bharat from the clutches of Britishers.
He embarked for London on 9 June 1906 and arrived in London on 3 July where he immediately found lodging at India House in Highgate. He became a protege of the founder of India House, Shyamaji Krishnavarma.He was one of the most literate members who would want to recreate a scenario like 1857 & bring Independence to our country by 1912, almost 35 years before actually happened on 1947 but alas he was Jailed for 27 years in total (11 years the most rigorous one in cellular jail at Andaman Nikobar and 3 years in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra and then 13 years in House arrest at Ratnagiri house).
Lastly every Indian contributed his bit to our freedom struggle in his own form but Let no tongue dare to blame those heroes! They were not mad; they were not hasty; they were not the sharers of defeat; they were not inconsiderate and thus therefore, they cannot be blamed.
It was at their call that Mother India woke up from her deep sleep and ran forth to smite slavery down.
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