Indian Freedom Fighter - Madame Cama

Madame Cama: The fiery patriot who first unfurled India's flag at an international assembly. She turned away from a life of luxury and lived an exile - to serve her country. And the mighty British Government grew afraid of her.

Morea!

That was the name of the ship. She had the good fortune to carry the brave Savarkar from London towards India. He was fighting fearlessly for the freedom of India. The brave fighter was arrested abroad and was being brought to India for trial.

The Dream Of The Release Of The Brave Fighter

The Dream of the Release of the Brave FighterIt is the first day of July 1910. The ship sailing to India.

Here in Paris a revolutionary and Rishi are hatching a plot. Somehow Savarkar must be released from custody.The ship should not be allowed to reach India, without an attempt to free Savarkar.

The revolutionary was about fifty years old. The companion, Rishi, had hardly completed thirty-five. Because he had a luxurious beard and moustaches his nickname was 'Rishi - a sage. His real name was V.V.S. 1year.

The morning of the 8th of July.

Savarkar gives the slip to the guards and jumps into the sea from the moving ship. He swims and reaches the shore. All arrangements have been made secretly to ensure his safety. In a vehicle near the beach the revolutionary and other associates are awaiting for his arrival. As Savarkar reaches the shore the lady and Madame Cary her associates take the tired Savark carriage and speed away. Savrkar release from imprisonment was over. He has become completely free.

'Victory to Freedom' is the joyous every where.

But all this was a dream.

The Dream Remained A Dream !

When the revolutionary, Rishi and their companions reached Marseilles harbor, it was too late. The police had deceitfully arrested Savarkar who had jumped from the ship to the sea and swum to the shore; they had dragged him back to the ship. The plans made for weeks had been upset in a moment. It was not Savarkar who was brought home. It was a bundle of disappointment and failure heavier than that warrior.

Hers was one of the well-furnished houses in Paris. It was a beautiful, spacious house. In the living room the furniture was neatly arranged. There was a full-length mirror in the corner.

She came directly and stood before the mirror. The face was pale. The earlier
enthusiasm was no more. How could she believe that when she went just a little late,
Savarkar had become a prisoner again?

Failures - Steps To Success

The reflection gave her courage again: 'Oh foolish lady, do not lose heart. Do not forget you are Madame Cama. Failures are stepping-stones to success. Forget the past and think of what is to be done.'

She sat down and began to think of other efforts to free Savarkar. She sent a telegram to a famous patriotic advocate of Bombay to examine this subject. Every drop of Madame Cama's blood was hungry for freedom. Indians were being reduced to pulp under the heels of the British masters; the firm resolve to free the Indians had entered her every nerve and bone.

The Fire Lit By Oppression

Madame Cama was not a born revolutionary. At first she was opposed even to any talk of violence. She used to condemn people who rebelled or rioted. But as days passed she came to know the arbitrary administration of the Englishmen. Hypocrisy had crowned the heartless administration! As she realized the torture the Indians were suffering silently, a spark of revolution appeared in Madame Cama, which in course of time began to spread like wildfire. She is the mother of revolution who preached non-cooperation to the Indians even when she was abroad.

The Clever Munni

Madame Cama was born on 24th September 1861, in Bombay. Sorabji Framji Patel was wellknown in Bombay. He was big merchant and quite rich. He had a large family. He had nine children. Rustom Bhikaiji Cama who was one day to terrify the British Government, was one of them. The father, Sorabji Framji Patel, brought up the child Madame Cama with great affection. He called her 'Munni'. While still young she was admitted to the Alexandra Parsee Girls' School.

Munni was very clever. She stood first in the class in all subjects. She would not eat
supper without completing the lessons of the day and the homework. She would not go to bed without writing and finishing lessons to be studied at home. So she scored high marks in all subjects; also, Munni was the favorite of all the teachers.

Even at the young age Munni wished to attain proficiency in many languages. As a little girl she had considerable interest in India's fight for freedom. She used to worship patriots who sacrificed their lives for the good of the country. She honored those who labored for the country.

Her activities brought a headache to her father. Sorabji Framji Patel wanted to prevent his daughter from fighting for freedom.

To Curb Her Spirit

But how could that be done?

Marriage?

Yes, once married she could not be as free as she was.

So the father at last found a young man to become his son-in-law and to keep the
daughter away from politics! His name was Rustom K.R. Cama. He was a social worker and had made a name in politics. He had faith in British rule. By profession he was a lawyer. It is strange that a man of this sort should have agreed to marry Madame Cama knowing that she was a lioness thirsting for' freedom. Truly he was a Rustom - a very bold man!

On 3rd August 1885 the marriage was celebrated with great pomp.

Just for two days there was a lull in the political activities of Madame Cama; on the third day they were resumed. The father had bestowed the headache, with his daughter, on the son-in-law.

Two Persons - And Two Parties!

Madame Cama's husband was quite handsome. In wealth and intelligence the husband and wife appeared to be made for each other. But, about the British rule their opinions are differed.

To the husband who thought England was heaven, the Englishman was God Himself. He was of the view that there was no power which could excel or even equal the British rule.

But in Madame Cama's view the British were tyrants who were sucking the blood of India; they were the polished deceivers, the unprincipled people who had invaded India to suck blood till the body was just a bag of bones.

As was to be expected, Madame Cama's husband who bowed blindly to the barren
British models became a source of trouble to her. He warned his wife not to take part in the movement for independence. But the husband's compulsions andrestrictions had effect on Madame Cama. Thus the house was divided into two parties - the wife siding with the Indians and the husband with the British! When freeing India from subjection became Madame Cama's sacred goal, Cama's house became a small battlefield. Married life did not bring happiness. As Saint Meera left her wealthy family and husband for the sake of God Giridhara, so did Madame Cama forget a rich husband and high status in life to devote her life to free Mother India from the rule of the foreigners.

Fight Against Plague

At this time plague broke out in Bombay. When people began to succumb to that fearful disease Madame Cama ignored the danger to her life and threw herself into the service of the people. She waited upon the patients like a nurse and comforted them like a mother. Because of these efforts thousands of people, who would have died otherwise, were saved. As the thirst of the patients for water was quenched and they got better she created in them the thirst for freedom. Madame Cama was engaged in serving the sick without caring for sleep or food; plague attacked her, too. But even death was afraid to approach that lion-hearted lady. Although she recovered she did not regain her earlier strength and stamina. Her relatives and friends practically forced her and sent her to Europe in 1902, so that she might recover fully.

In London

It was in 1905 that Madame Cama reached London after spending about a year each in Germany, Scotland, France and other countries. After an operation she regained strength and stamina. Dadabhai Naoroji, a highly respected leader of India, was then in London, By the time she had served for a year-and-a-halt as his private secretary, Madame Cama had come in contact with many patriots and men of letters.

'Salute This Flag'

It was the third week of August 1907. She learnt that the International Socialist Conference would be held in Stuttgart 'in Germany. Madame Cama got a golden
opportunity to expose to worldview the conditions in enslaved India. A thousand
representatives from several countries of the world attended the Conference. When
India's turn came, Madame Cama ascended the rostrum. She was wearing a colorful saree. She had an attractive personality. Dignity shone in the face. The representative’s thought: 'She is an Indian princess.'

Madame Cama spoke about the sorrows and the poverty of lakes of Indians who were suffering silently.

'One-fifth of mankind lives in India. All lovers of freedom should cooperate to free these people from subjection.' This was the gist of the resolution, she boldly placed before the conference. She condemned the British Government which was looting from India thirty-five million pounds every year. She explained how the Indian economy was growing weaker day by day because of the lawless imperialists sucking the blood of India. At the end of her speech she unfurled the Indian flag and said:

"This flag is of Indian Independence. Behold it is born! It has been made sacred by the blood of young Indians who sacrificed their lives.I call upon you, gentle men, to rise and salute this flag of Indian Independence. In the name of this flag I appeal to lovers of freedom all over the world to cooperate with this flag."

As if held by magic, the whole assembly stood up and honored the flag. Madame Cama was the lady who first unfurled the Indian flag, in a foreign land, in the presence of representatives of many countries! "It is my practice to speak under the flag of my country" - she would say and unfurl the flag before she spoke at any function.

That Sacred Flag

Madame Cama, Veer Savarkar and some other patriots met and designed that tricolor flag in 1905. It was flown first in 1905 in Berlin and next in 1907 in Bengal.

The tricolor flag contained green, saffron and red stripes. In the green stripe at the top there were eight blooming lotuses. India was then divided into eight provinces and the flowers represented these provinces. The words 'Vande Mataram' in Devanagari script across the central saffron strip of the flag were a salutation to Mother India. In the red stripe at thebottom there was a half-moon on the right and the rising sun on the left. Red represents strength, saffron represents victory; and boldness and enthusiasm are represented by green. "This flag was designed by a distinguished selfless young Indian patriot" said Madame Cama. She was referring to Veer Savarkar.

In America

After the conference in Germany concluded she came to America. To gain the support of the people there for the sacred cause in which she was engaged she had to start a campaign. In New York she explained her objects to press reporters who met her and they were full of praise for her. She told the reporters that lakes and lakes of people in India,although illiterate and suffering from hunger, loved their country. There was confidence and hope in the voice of Madame Cama when she said that Indians would attain independence within a few years and live in liberty, equality and brotherhood.

It was 28th October 1907. The Minerva Club had organized a meeting at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The speaker was Madame Cama. In her speech she said that Indians should be given the political right to vote.

"People here may know of Russia. But they may not know much about conditions in India. The British Government is adopting the practice of destroying people who are educated and can think, or of sending them to jail. They are torturing the people and driving them to hospitals in jails. We desire a peaceful atmosphere and not bloody revolution. By proceeding in a non-violent manner as far as possible we have to overthrow despotic rule" said Madame Cama. Also Madame Cama spoke at several places. She may be called Mother India's representative to the United States of America.

"March Forward, Friend'

Madame Cama returned to London in 1908; she addressed a meeting at the 'India House'. Her speech was published in booklets. Large numbers of them found their way to India. The booklets gave a summary of the core of the principles of revolution.

Non-violence is a great virtue, true. But when somebody unreasonably uses force it should be resisted. Violence must be met with violence. This should be the attitude towards tyrannical rule. Anything done on this principle is right. Patriotism consists in building up a strong revolt against foreign governments. Said Madama Cama: "The fulfillment of life lies in dedicating oneself to one’s country." In a message to the youth of the country she gave the following call:

"March forward friend, march forward. Mother India’s children are caught under the heels of the tyranny of the British. They are helplessly sinking to the lowest depths; lead them to the soft bed of Swarajya. March forward. Let this be our motto: We are for India; India is for Indians."

Whether she was addressing Hindus or Muslims she proclaimed the message of unity. The question of caste must be brushed aside. We are all Indians. We belong to one family. She wished that the feeling of brotherhood must grow and unity achieved. She would warn everybody not is accept any job, however big, offered by the British. She called upon the people to learn to live by their efforts, to encourage trade, commerce, industry and arts and to make everything wholly Indian.

To France

Even when she was working as private secretary to Dadabhai Naoroji she had spoken in many places. She was already famous as an excellent speaker who was fighting for India’s freedom. The people of London were amazed to see this lady fighting the lion in its own den. The British rulers were afraid that as Madame Cama’s fame spread their troubles would increase. They tried to frighten her so that she would leave London. Madame Cama resisted the Government’s move. But when some officials attempted to murder her she escaped secretly, crossed the English Channel and went to France.

The leading French socialists gave Madame Cama a hearty welcome. Indian
representatives are heartily welcomed by the people in all corners of the world because of the great culture of India, which has spread far and wide.

Welcome - Do Not Come !

Within a few days the house in France where Madame Cama was staying became the secret fort where the revolutionaries of different countries met. Besides India's 'General' Bapat and Hemachandra Das, Lenin, the father of the Russian Revolution, and others visited Madame Cama's house and exchanged views. Savarkar, the heroic fighter for freedom, brought her peace of mind and inspiration. The British Government was very much disturbed by her activities in France. It begged her to return to India. The British Government also requested the French Government to send her back to her native land. But Madame Cama did not agree to return to India. When the French Government also, rejected the British request, the British Government felt insulted. Like the fox which said, 'The grapes are sour; I do not want them', the British Government ordered that Madame Cama should not come to India at any time in the future! That was not all; it took over the property belonging to Madame Cama worth over a lake of rupees,and swallowed it all.

Shadowed By Danger

These events added new brightness to Madame Cama's name. The fame of her courage and adventure spread even in the countries, which she had not visited. It was only after all this that the conference in Stuttgart, mentioned earlier, was held. She then became an international figure. From Germany she went to America; on many platforms she referred to the miseries of India at the time. She returned to London in 1908. By then, the 'India House' in London there had become a furnace in the fight for independence. Shyamji Krishna- varma, Sardar Singh Rana and other revolutionaries had fanned the fires of revolution. Even as a child Madame Cama had made up her mind to devote her life to her motherland; she continued her work in London systematically. She was in contact with the nationalists of Ireland, Russia, Egypt and Germany. Under the pretext of giving them Christmas presents, she was sending them pistols made to look like toys; she gave them money, too.

As the activities of revolutionaries in London increased spies gave them more and more trouble. At last they had no choice but to leave London. Shyamji Krishnavarma, Sardar Singh Rana and others came to Paris.

As Madame Cama's adventures multiplied her name became a household word in
London. The British Government thought that she was a destructive revolutionary who would uproot it and trembled. Spies of the Government followed her likeshadows. The situation was such that danger could strike at any time.

Madame Cama decided that it was safer to leave London and go to Paris;she reached
Paris on 1 st May 1909.

In The World Of Jounalism

Numerous patriots who were fighting for India's freedom had been forced to settle down in foreign countries; they began to gather in Paris. Madame Cama also joined their group. When so many revolutionaries settle at one place something unusual is bound to take place, is it not? A revolu- tionary magazine was started. The name of the magazine was 'Vande Mataram'.

An able person was required to take over the editorship of the periodical. It was decided to appoint as editor Lala Hardayal who was a fearless elderly revolutionist. Hardayal gladly agreed to come to France from England. The first sparks of the first issue appeared in September 1909. All the 24 hours of the day were not sufficient for Madame Cama who was the publisher of 'Vande Mataram' and had also to distribute the copies.

Although engaged in so many activities Madame Cama was feeling that she was not doing enough work. All the strength in every drop of her blood was devoted to Mother India.

In addition to Mande Mataram' another magazine 'Madan's Talwar'was started to send forth sparks of revolution. This magazine was started to make deathless the memory of Madanlal Dhingra who had sacrificed his life for the country. Madame Cama was publishing it from Berlin.

Veer Savarkar came to Madame Cama's house at this time. Because of continuous hard work in London his health had broken down. Savarkar had come to Paris to improve his health to some extent.

The British Government Confused

Madame Cama nursed Savarkar back to health in a short time. He had also the
assistance of Shyamji, Rana, Hardayal, Virendranath and such other friends. He had also some leisure to write articles for 'Vande Mataram' and 'Madan's Talwar' ' The work of getting into touch with the Indians there,organizing them and sending arms to India was going on steadily without a pause.

The copies of 'Vande Mataram' from January to August 1910 were secretly published from Geneva. So Geneva caught the eye of the British Government. Immediately the place of publication was shifted to Holland.

It was May 1912. All clever efforts to send copies of Vande Mataram' secretly from
Oxford to India failed. Copies of 'Vande Mataram' and other leaflets, which were meant to be distributed among the revolutionaries in several parts of India, fell into the hands of the British Government. It is more difficult to send out secretly copies of such revolutionary writings than to print them. Even in such difficult circumstances copies of Vande Matararn' were reaching the Indian fighters for freedom. The British Government was unable to find a way to prevent revolu- tionary literature from secretly entering the country. British Officers did not know what to do.

On 30th May 1913, the Secretary of State for India in the British Government had
received a complaint. It was from the Director of Criminal Investigation, Simla. The Director had suggested complaining to the Government of Holland about the publication of 'Vande Mataram' from Holland. The British Government thought over the matter for three weeks. Feeling that the Government of Holland would not take any action against Madame Cama and that there was no point in making arequest, the British Government decided not to do anything.

Fighting In Not One, But Ten Ways

Though Madame Cama was abroad her influence on the Indian people did not diminish. Lala Lajpat Rai was a stalwart who was bravely fighting for India's freedom. In 1907 when he was sent out of India,Madame Cama's call made the blood of Indian revolutionaries’ boil.People rose in revolt everywhere. The number of revolutionaries deported from India in British ships also increased. She was not satisfied with merely exhorting people. She trained Indian revolutionaries to make bombs. As soon as her call through the 'Indian Sociologist' edited by Shyamji Krishnavarma reached India, bombs exploded in several parts of the country. She sent money and arms secretly to India.

In 1908 Savarkar had arranged a program to mark the golden jubilee of India's first fight for independence. Madame Cama sent money generously to help the families of those who lost their lives in the 1857 war.

Savarkar wrote a book called 'The First War of Indian Independence of 1857'. Even before the book was printed, the British Government ordered that it should not be published. At such a time Madame Cama came forward and published the book. She used secret method of distribution so that copies could reach the right hands.

To the Indian revolutionaries the book became sacred as the Ramayana or the
Mahabharatha. Madame Cama and M.P.T. Acharya translated it from English into
French and published it. The book was later reprinted by Lala Hardayal, Subhas
Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh and other revolutionaries.

'Where Is The Other Half Of Egypt?'

Madame Cama held the view that in the advancement of the nation women have an
important part to play and said that they must share all difficulties and responsibilities.

Speaking at the National Conference (1910) in Egypt she said:

I see here only the representatives of one half of Egypt. The assembly is full of only
men. Where is the other half of Egypt?

"Sons of Egypt, where are your mothers? Where are you sisters? Do not forget that the hand that rocks the cradle shapes the individual. Do not forget that the role of women in also important in building a nation."

'Do Not Take Part In This War'

In 1914, when the First World War began, Madame Cama's activities to gain the
country's freedom became intense. The leading articles in the press condemning the autocratic rule of the British grew sharper.

To the Indian soldiers fighting for the British, she gave a warning in the following words:

"Children of Mother India, you are being deceived. Do not take part in this war. You are going to fight and die, not for India, but for the British.The British have put shackles on Mother India's hands; think how they can be removed. If you help the British, you will tighten the shackles."

She herself would visit army camps in Marseilles. There she would meet Indian soldiers and ask them to keep away from the war. Questioned she: "Are you going to fight for those who have imprisoned your mother?" Return the arms, she would preach.

The French were allies of the British. Therefore the French Government must have been dissatisfied with the propa- ganda carried on by Madame Cama. The French Government warned Madame Cama that she was carrying on false propaganda against the British.

A Licence

The British were ashamed at not being able to take action against ordinary women who was living abroad and toying with them. They thought of getting her to India and keeping her under their control.

The British Government forgot the ban it had imposed on Madame Cama's coming to India and invited her again. But the French Government did not agree to send her. Instead, it imposed certain restrictions on Madame Cama and kept her away from Paris.

After the war started no foreigner was permitted to stay in Paris. If any foreigner had to stay he had to get a license.

In the license issued to Madame Cama she was described as a citizen under British control. Madame Cama was surprised. She proclaimed that she was a free citizen of India.

Those who did not get licenses were sent to jail. When Madame Cama found that it
would be difficult to get any changes made in the license, she accepted the license that had been issued to her. It was also amusing. What did it matter what the license said? It was enough if she could stay where she was. She would be quite happy if her activities were not obstructed.

The Government communicated its new decision to her that she should stop all her
activities till the war ended. Some more restrictions were imposed on Madame Cama on 1st November 1914. She had to report to the police once in a week.

Madame Cama tried to get information about the conditions of life of the prisoners of war in Geneva. But the French Government did not allow her. It was a kind of imprisonment for Madame Cama, too, till the war ended.

When the war ended the Govern removed the restrictions imposed on Madame Cama went back to the house Pads.

Once the restrictions placed on her were removed Madame Cama could breathe freely again. She jumped into political activities as freely as before.

Madame Cama's fame had spread to many countries and 'Madame Cama' had come to be regarded as another name for daring. Eveywhere lovers of freedom and
revolutionaries held her in great respect. She was the brave lady who was praised by eastern countries like China, by Egyptians, Turks and Persians. The revolutionaries of those countries used to approach her for help and guidance.

Madame Cama's health began to break down now and then. She never gave any
attention to her health, as she was always busy nursing revolution. Even after the First World War came to an end many years were spent in the fight for indepen- dence. Her body grew weaker. She was past 70 years by then.

Back To Her Beloved Homeland

She fervently wished to return to India and spend the last few days of her life in the land of her birth. The permission of the British Government was needed to enter India. Sir Cowasji Jahangir made inquiries about it in the Home Department. There was a good deal of discussion. Finally the British Government agreed.

But the Government imposed one condition: She was to state in writing that she would not participate in the struggle for freedom. She should have nothing to do with revolutionaries.

At first Madame Cama did not agree. But friends and relatives pressed her and she had to agree. By nature she opposed any restrictions and conditions imposed on her.

About thirty-four years before, young Madame Cama had left India. Youth and middle age had been dedicated to the service of the motherland and the coura- geous fight for freedom. The body was now seventy years old but the mind was still throbbing with the desire freedom and the zeal to fight. In this stage, she traveled towards the motherland. Even as she was nearing India she became ill. She was even unable to get up from the bed.

Her Breath One with the Winds of the Land

As soon as Madame Cama came to Bombay, the place of her birth, she was supremely satisfied and happy.

She was taken directly from the Bombay port to the Petit Hospital. For eight months she lay between life and death.

Madame Cama passed away on 13th August 1936. She had fought for India's freedom. That freedom dawned eleven years after her death.

'Loss of Freedom Means Loss of Virtue'

In a sense Madame Cama's life abroad where she fought for India's freedom was like living in obscurity. She sacrificed her life for the motherland. Even during the last
moments of her life she urged repeatedly: "To gain freedom from subjection stand up against all difficulties." "He who loses freedom will lose virtue. Opposition of tyranny is obedience to God's command" said Madame Cama; she practiced what she preached.

Her Breath One With The Winds Of The Land

As soon as Madame Cama came to Bombay, the place of her birth, she was supremely satisfied and happy.

She was taken directly from the Bombay port to the Petit Hospital. For eight months she lay between life and death.

Madame Cama passed away on 13th August 1936. She had fought for India's freedom. That freedom dawned eleven years after her death.

'Loss Of Freedom Means Loss Of Virtue'

In a sense Madame Cama's life abroad where she fought for India's freedom was like living in obscurity. She sacrificed her life for the motherland. Even during the last
moments of her life she urged repeatedly: "To gain freedom from subjection stand up against all difficulties." "He who loses freedom will lose virtue. Opposition of tyranny is obedience to God's command" said Madame Cama; she practiced what she preached.

Indian Freedom Fighter - Ashfaqulla Khan

Ashfaqulla Khan: The pathan patriot who kissed the hangman's noose wiht the name of Allah on his lips. A youth endowed with a body of iron and will of steel, he dedicated everything to the service of India and of freedom and challenged the cunning and the strength of an empire.

It was December 19, 1927. The winter sun rose late. His golden rays brought warmth
and joy to people shivering in the biting cold.

At sunrise that day, in the District Jail at Faizabad, officials were getting ready to put an end to the life of a man. He was a revolutionary. Officials, both high and low, were busy. The Chief Jailer inspected the rope, the sandbags and other things necessary carefully. He was fully satisfied with the arrangements; then he called out to his subordinate, "Bring the convict here." The official went with ten soldiers. The door of the cell of the man who was to die opened, with a loud harsh sound. That was the last time the door opened for this man.

The brave patriot was waiting for this call; he asked cheerfully, "Is everything ready?"

The Lion Among Men

His firm voice showed he was ready to die. It unnerved those that had come to take him. The officer said with great difficulty, "Yes." The hero shut the Koran he was reading, put it under his arm, stood up and said, "Let us go."

He stood six feet tall, with a broad chest; he was strong as steel and had the heart of a lion. His beard added charm to his face.There was always a smile of firmness on his lips and it shone even now.

The hero in chains walked upright and with a firm mind between soldiers who led him to the hangman's post. Those who were there forgot their position and prestige and gazed on him with wonder and admiration. Once at the foot of the steps leading to the post, he covered them in two leaps and stood facing the post. When they removed the chains, lie put forward his arms, drew the rope towards him and kissed it. He said, "My hands are not soiled with the murder of man. The charge against me is false. God will give me justice."

Then he prayed in clear ringing tones "La ilahi il Allah, Mohammed Ur Rasool Allah."

The hangman's noose came round his neck. The moment the lever was pressed, the plank on which he stood moved quickly and he went down into the pit below. He joined the band of the brave immortal heroes of the land.

This hero was Ashfaqulla,the revolutionary.

Toward Revolution

Ashfaqulla was born in the early part of the twentieth century in Shahjahanpur of Uttar
Pradesh. Shafiqulla Khan was his father. In 1921 Ashfaq was in the High School. India
was still a subject country. All over India the clouds of the noncooperation movement were gathering. Mahatma Gandhi was the leader of the movement. He called on Indians not to pay taxes to the government and not to cooperate with the British. The call of Gandhiji had kindled the fire of freedom in the hearts of all Indians. But at a place called Chauri Chaura people forgot nonviolence and became violent. In their anger against the
British, they burnt some policemen.Gandhi became sad on hearing this. It pained him
much. So he called of the non-cooperation movement in February 1922. The youth of the country were greatly disappointed and dejected on account of this.

Ashfaqulla was one such dejected youth. The country should become free as early as possible - this was his yearning and so he joined the revolutionaries. It was then that he decided to win the friendship of Ramaprasad, the revolutionary of Shahjahanpur.

Pandit Ramaprasad Bismil was already a famous revolutionary. He had been collecting weapons and money by dacoity under the leadership of a teacher,Gendalal Dixit.

Ashfaq had one great difficulty in winning the friendship of Ramaprasad. Ramaprasad was a member of the Arya Samaj. He was eager to explain the greatness of the Hindu Religion to those
belonging to other religions; he was eager to take back to the Hindu fold those who
wished to return. He had almost taken a vow to do this. Ashfaq was a devout Muslim.

But Ashfaq's religion did not come in the way of his attempt to win the friendship of
Ramaprasad. He met Ramaprasad once in his own school. 'Who knows who he is? A
Muslim student. He may not really wish to become a revolutionary; it may all besham" - so ran Ramaprasad's thoughts. So his talk was formal and not very friendly. Ashfaq noticed his reserve. But he did not give up his attempt. They had some common friends. With their help Ashfaq tried to convince Ramaprasad of his sincerity. Fortunately Ramaprasad and Ashfaq's brother were classmates. On account of his untiring efforts they became friends. They ate together and lived the revolutionary lives together. In the end both became martyrs on the same day but in different jails.

Revolutionaries Come Together

Mahatma Gandhi withdrew his non- cooperation movement. After this revolutionary ideas grew strong among the youth in the country. The British Empire was large and strong. It had a big army and powerful weapons. Could soft words make the British leave India? Surely they could not. Therefore the young revolu- tionaries believed in violence.They wanted,to make use of revolvers, bombs and other weapons to fight the British.They wanted to create a sense of fear in the hearts of the British, so that they would leave India. As a result of this strong belief, the scattered revolut -ionaries became united and strong. Kasi (Varanasi) was the centre of their activities. They formed the 'Hindusthan Republican Association'. Their main object was to win freedom for the country through armed revolution.

This Association published a manifesto called 'Krantikari' in 1925, spelling out its aims and objectives. It was brought out on the same day in all towns from Calcutta to Lahore. The Government was scared. The manifesto explained the goals of the Association. I,t said it was wrong for one man to become rich by making another man work hard ; it was also wrong for one man to be the master of another. The Association wanted to put an end such things. Ramaprasad became the chief organizer of the Shahjahanpur wing of the Association. With his experience he was an asset to the Association.

We Need Money But Where Is It?

The revolutionary party lacked one thing - money. To get arms, to maintain the members and to canvasa support for the party, money was needed. They raised some money by way of subscriptions from members. Some of them got money from their homes by either begging of stealing. Some got it from friends. But they needed thousands to reach the goal. Money was needed for the nation's work - but how could they get it?

Under the leadership of Ramaprasad, they looted some villages. Ashfaq took part in
these activities with his brother's licensed rifle. Even the money they get by such looting and dacoity was not enough for their activities, because they got just one or two hundred rupees in some villages.

Moreover, Ramaprasad was not happy about looting the villages; true, the money was used to fight for the country'sfreedom; but the villagers were their own country men, and Ramaprasad did not like to harm them.

Here It Is !

One day Ramaprasad was travelling by train from Shahjahanpur to Lucknow. He got off the compartment when the train stopped at a station and stood watching. At one station he noticed the stationmaster bringing a bag of money and getting into the Guard's Van. He wanted to watch more closely. So he took his seat in the compartment next to the Guard's. At every station he noticed moneybags being taken into the Guard's Van. They were dropped into an iron safe. At Lucknow he observed that there were no special security arrangements. He ran up and noted down the time and number of the train from the timetable. It was a No. down train. He calculated that the money would amount to at least ten thousand rupees. He decided pot to miss this chance.

This was the beginning of a Iater dacoity at Kakori.

Money in Plenty, But...

After a few days the revolutionaries met. Members from Kasi, Kanpur, Lucknow and
Agra attended the meeting. Ramaprasad explained his plans to the members. He said,

"If we loot the money belonging to the Government, we will get enough for our activities. Moreover we will not have to harm our own people for money. The task is difficult. It needs to be done with great care. But our efforts will bring excellent rewards. The Government also will come to know that the revolutionaries do not merely talk but act."

The members liked his idea. They were eager to do acts, which would show their courage and strength. Therefore almost everyone said, "It is good. It is anexcellent idea."

Ashfaq listened silently. From the day he had heard it from Ramaprasad, he had thought about it thoroughly.

But now everyone was saying. "Yes, yes, let us go ahead." He did not think it right to
sit. Quietly. So he got up and said, "Friends, I consider it a hasty step. It may be a good plan in some ways. But let us think of our strength and the strength of the Government. In an ordinary dacoity, much money is not involved. Besides, the Government will treat it as one of the many usual occurrences. So we shall have to face only what the police normally do in such cases. it will be a different tale when we meddle with money belonging to Government. The entire Government machinery will be used to trace and crush us. In my opinion we cannot escape detection and punishment. Our party is not strong enough. Let us drop this plan."

But the revolutionaries were caught up in a flood of enthusiasm; they were not prepared to listen to sense. After debating the plan for a long time they decided to go ahead and entrusted the task to Rama prasad. At the outset he gave a word of caution. He said, "Friends, we should not fire at any one unless they fire at us. As far as possible let us do this deed without bloodshed." The meeting broke up.

The Train Is Stopped

The No. 8 down train from Shahjahanpur to Lucknow was approaching Kakori on August 9, 1925. The sun was going down in the west.

The train stopped abruptly. Some one had pulled the chain.

Ashfaqulla got off a second class compartment with his friends Sachindra Bakshi and Rajendra Lahiri. He had done the first part of the duty in the Kakori plot that day.

The guard had got off his van by now. He was trying to find out in which compartment the chain had been pulled and why. Two revolutionaries fell on him. They made him lie down on his face. They warned that he would be shot dead if he tried to raise his head. Two others pushed the driver from the engine to the ground and stood guard over him. One revolutionary stood at each end of the train and both fired shots with their pistols. In the meantime theyshouted, "'Travelers! Do not be afraid. We are revolutionaries fighting for freedom. Your lives, money and honor are safe. But take care not to peep out of the train."

Four young men entered the Guard's Van. They managed to push the box to the ground. It had a strong lock. Neither the driver nor the guard had the key. There was an opening on the top; through this opening they could drop - money bags into it. But nothing could be taken out of it.

The revolutionaries started dealing blows with hammers to break it open. But even ten hard blows with iron hammers could not break the box. Ashfaq who was keeping guard saw this. He was the strongest of the group. He handed the pistol in his hand to his comrade, Manmathnath and ran towards the box. He dealt blow after blow on the opening of the box to widen it. The metallic sound of his heavy blows echoed through the silent and lonely place.

Alas! Another Train in sight!

Suddenly they heard the sound of a train coming from Lucknow. Ramaprasad was
frightened for a moment. He trembled at the thought of the moving train colliding with the train they had stopped. He would be responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent men, women and children. What a dreadful sin! Fortunately, there were two lines at that place. When he saw this, he heaved a sigh of relief.

But what if the driver of the moving train stopped it? Or, suppose the driver and the
guard lying on the ground stopped the train by raising alarm! The passengers also might shout for help and stop the train.

All eyes were on Ramaprasad.He ordered, "Stop firing. Turn down the pistols.

Do not strike the box. Ashfaq, wait a little." The few minutes were like an age. The fast moving train passed by on the other lines.

Here's The Money !

When the other train was out of sight, they got busy again. The metallic sound of the
blows on the box began to echo as before. The slit in the box became wide and the moneybags were taken out. During this time all passengers remained quiet. Among them were British officers who carried pistols with them. But they also remained quiet thinking that a big gang of dacoits had attacked the train.

There was a newly married young man in the men's compartment; his young bride was in the women's compartment. So he was worried and put out his head. A revolutionary fired his pistol and the young man died on the spot.

The revolutionaries did not notice any thing. The safe lay open. They were busy taking out the moneybags bundling them in rugs. Some of them walked towards Lucknow with the bundles on their heads.

Just ten young men had done this difficult job because of their courage, discipline, and patience, leadership and, more than all, love of the country. They had written a
memorable chapter in the history of India's fight for were: Ramaprasad Bismil, Rajendra Lahiri, Thakur Roshan Singh, Sachindra Bakshi,
Chandra- sekhara Azad, Keshab Chakra- varthy, Banwari Lal, Mukundi Lal, Man- mathnath Gupta and Ashfaqulla Khan.

The Lion Escapes

A month passed after the Kakori Dacoity, and yet no one was arrested. But the
Government had spread a big net.

On the morning of September 26, 1925, Ramaprasad was arrested. Before the police could arrest Ashfaq he hadescaped from his home and concealed himself in a sugarcane field half a mile from his home. His friends used to send him food only at night hoodwinking the police. The police grew tired of searching for Ashfaq. They withdrew his brother's gun license and took away his rifle. All except Ashfaq had been taken into custody. Therefore he thought it useless to conceal himself near Shahjahanpur. He got some money from home and left the place. He wanted to go to Kasi. There were a few revolutionaries there, who had escaped. He wanted to consult them and then decide the next course of action. He managed to reach Kasi after a difficult journey. He met a few
friends in the Benares University. They advised him to live quietly at least for some time. With the help of these friends he went to Bihar. He got a job as a clerk in an engineering firm at Daltonganj inPalamu District. No one knew who lie was. He told
them that he was from a farmer's family in Mathura. He worked in the firm for about ten months.

A Friend Betrays!

Ashfaq was a poet and wrote verses in Urdu. A couplet form of versification in Urdu is called the 'Sher'. Composing and singing these couplets is popularly known as 'Mushaira'. The proprietor of the firm in which Ashfaq worked was very fond of 'sherg'. When he came to know that he composed and sang 'shers', he became fond of Ashfaq and felt proud of him. At a 'Mushaira' organized there Ashfaq sang a few 'shers' of his own composition. The people who heard him were delighted and there were exclamations of joy. The proprietor was also so pleased that he raised Ashfaq's salary.

In such an encouraging atmosphere Ashfaq improved his knowledge of Hindi. He also learnt Bengali. Besides singing Hindi and Urdu songs, he began to sing Bengali songs. If Ashfaq wanted only to escape arrest, he could have lived happily at Daltonganj for the rest of his life. But this long and forced rest became tiresome.For a moment he wished he could go to some foreign country. He felt it would be more useful to him and the country if he studied engineering.

So he went to Delhi to find out how he could go abroad, and to make preparations. He met a Pathan friend from Shahjahanpur. They had been classmates at school. He was happy to meet Ashfaq after a long time. He took Ashfaq to his room and ordered a nice meal for him. They went on talking about old times till 11 o' clock at night. Then Ashfaq went back to his room.

The next morning Ashfaq was sounds asleep. Suddenly there was a loud knock. Ashfaq was still sleepy-eyed as he opened the door. And at once he fell into the hands of the police! Friendship, duty and even the feeling of belonging to the same place - none of these could check the Pathan's greed for money. The Pathan had fed him, talked to him in a very friendly way and then had betrayed Ashfaq to the police.

The police wanted to use Ashfaq to suit their plans; they tried very hard to do so. There was an army officer in the police department; his name was Tasadruk Khan; he had rendered useful service as the British agent in Arabia during the First World War. He was one of the few Indians who had risen to the post of the Superin- tendent of Police. He met Ashfaq in prison and tried to reason with him. His main aim was to make Ashfaq agree to give evidence against his former friends. He said, 'The Hindus are fighting to win back their kingdoms. Why should the Muslims become involved in this affair? Why should we face danger when there is no benefit to us? The Muslims should not take any part in it. Even now I can find a way to help you if you can understand what pays you and what does not." This is how Tasadruk Khan tried to mislead Ashfaq. But Ashfaq did not like his advice. He was tired of hearing the evil advice. In the end he told Tasadruk to his face: "Khan Sahib, I am quite sure that Hindu India will be much better than British India."

The British Court Of Justice

The British Court of JusticeIn this way the police tried to win him over to their side and failed. They charge- sheeted him in the court. By this time the Kakori Case had progressed much; the case against Ashfaq was combined with it. A committee had been formed to defend the accused in the main case. Pandit Motilal Nehru, father of Jawaharlal, was the chairman. There were eminent men like Jawaharlal, Sriprakasha, Acharya Narendra Deva, and Govind Ballabh Pant and Chandra Bhanu Gupta on the committee.

After some progress had been made in the case against Ashfaqulla, Sachindra Bakshi was arrested at Bhagalpur. He was tried in a lower court separately and then the cases against both Ashfaq and Bakshi were combined and tried in the Sessions Court as one.

Both of them tried to behave as if they did not know each other. But they were very good friends and had worked together in the party. Now that they were charge- sheeted together and met in the court they could not pretend to be strangers. They embraced each other in the court with great emotion. The officers of the jail remarked, 'We too had been waiting for the reunion of Rama and Bharata."

Life in prison had made Ashfaq very pious. He grew a beard. He said his prayers
regularly. During Ramzan he fasted very strictly. Now and then the friendsdiscussed
religion. Sachindra Bakshi had no faith in God. But Ashfaq used to say, "I consider the unseen power as supreme. It is above us and is greater than the world. That is my faith. But you do not agree. Faith is an entirely personal matter." He believed that religious faith is the greatest concept uniting God and man in a single principle. His considered opinion was that it was not a matter for discussion in the streets.

The main case and the complementary case relating to the Kakori train robbery came to an end. The Court of Justice under the British rule gave its judgment. Ramaprasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan,

Rajendra Lahiri and Roshan Singh were to be put to death; the others were given life
sentences.

The whole country protested against the death sentences. Members of the Central
Legislature represented to the Viceroy that the death sentences should be reduced to
life sentences. Appeals were sent to the Privy Council, the highest court in those days.

But British imperialism was thirsting for the blood of the Indian revolutionaries.

'Death comes but once;

Why fear it?'

So Ashfaq has sung in one of his poems. This is the faith of all revolutionaries. The four revolutionaries sentenced to death died with a smile-on their lips. They had only one prayer: they wanted to be born again in India so that they could fight for the freedom of the country. And so they became martyrs.

Poetry Kindled By Revolutionary Zeal

Ashfaq and Ramaprasad were poets just as they were revolutionaries. Ashfaq had
composed poems mostly in Urdu and a few in Hindi. His pen names were Varasi' and ' Hazarath'. In one of his poems he complains, 'Alas! We are suppressing ourselves. Those that are suppressing us are neither the English, the Germans, the Russians nor the Turks but Indians themselves.' In another poem he declares, 'Oh my motherland, I live only to serve you. Whether I am sentenced for life or given a death sentence, I shall sing thy glories even with my chained hands.' In one long poem this is what Ashfaq sing:
'did not Lord Krishna say to Arjuna in the battlefield that life and death are unreal?
Alas! Where is that wisdom? A man is bound to die; so why should any one be afraid of death? Let our motherland become free and shine through the ages. What matters whether we are alive or dead T In his poems we can see his pure love of the country and her freedom. He feels sorry that his countrymen do not have this spirit of patriotism and freedom.

In one poem he thinks of the punishment of death; he shows his revolutionary spirit in this poem. He says, 'Sick of the tyranny of the British, we walk from Faizabad Jail towards Heaven.'

In The Dark Shadow Of Death

Ramaprasad Bismil wrote his auto- biography (the story of his own life) in the prison a few days before his death. Had the authorities known about it, it would not have seen the light of day. But Rama- prasad had it secretly sent out of prison. He has given a moving account of his friendship with Ashfaq. He says, 'I remember clearly my first meeting with you in Shahjahanpur School; we met after the British Government declared its policy towards India. You were sincerely trying to meet me. You wanted to talk to me about the Mainpuri plot. I suspected your intentions because you were a Muslim and I talked to you in an insulting way. You were then greatly pained. You tried to convince me through friends that you were honest and earnest and that there was no pretence in you. You were determined to work hard for the good of the country. At last you won the day. By your efforts you won a place for yourself in my heart.'

Ramaprasad describes with great warmth how his friendship with Ashfaq grew after he had pulled down the walls of suspicion. He says, 'You became my brother in a few days' friendship. But you were not content to remain in the position of a brother. You wanted equality; you wanted to be one of my friends. You succeeded in your efforts. You became my honored and loved friend. Every one was surprised. I was a devout member of Arya Samaj; you were a devout Muslim. They wondered how we could be friendly.I used to invite Muslims to become Hindus. I lived in the hostels belonging to Arya Samaj. You never troubled yourself about it. Though my friends suspected you, you always walked the straight path firmly. You also used to visit the Arya Samaj Hostel. When there was a clash between the Hindus and the Muslims some of your people scolded you and called you a 'Kaafir' (non-believer). But you never joined them. You always supported Hindu-Muslim unity. You were a true Muslim and a great patriot. If you worried about any thing it was about Hindu Muslim unity. You wanted them to work for the betterment of the country. When I wrote an article or a book in Hindi, you used to ask me why I did not write in Urdu; you wanted that the Muslims also should read it. You learnt Hindi and became a scholar in it. You also used Hindi words while speaking at home. This surprised all.'

When Ashfaq tried to win Ramaprasad's friendship Ramaprasad suspected him. When they became friends, some people had needless doubts about Ashfaq. In this context Ramaprasad says, 'Some of your people feared that you would give up Islam. When there was nothing impure in your heart, where was the question of purifying you ? I understood the purity of your purpose; then I was completely won over. Some friends warned me that I should not trust a Muslim and get cheated.

'But success was yours. Nothing could stand between us now. We ate from the same plate almost always. I began to get over the feeling that there is difference between Hindus and Muslims. You had great love for faith and me in me. You stopped calling me by my full name. Always I was just 'Ram' to you. Once you lost consciousness. Then you called out 'Ram, Ram' often. The Muslims around you were shocked that a Muslim wascalling on a Hindu God 'Ram' in his last moments. They told you to call on Allah. But you went on saying 'Ram, Ram'. By chance a friend who knew the meaning sent word to me. When you saw me you became calm.'

Where did this friendship lead these two souls? Ramaprasad himself describes it. 'What was the result of this friendship finally? Your ideas were shaped by mine. You became a revolutionary. You had then one goal. You wanted to spread these ideas among the Muslim youths. You tried hard to kindle their interest. You wanted to induce them to take part in revolutionary activities. You wanted to influence your friends and relatives. You never disobeyed me. You were always ready to carry out my instructions like an obedient disciple.’

Ashfaqulla choose the path of service to the motherland. That path led him to the
hangman’s noose. His leaderRamaprasad, himself standing on the threshold of death,
bids farewell to him in these words: ‘It makes me glad that you made me shine brighter in the world. It is worth mentioning in Indian History that Ashfaqulla took part in the revolutionary movement in India. Even though you were put in prison your ideals never changes. You are strong both physically and mentally. Your soul is nobly prepared. On account of all these virtues the judge named you as my right-hand man. When he delivered judgment he gave you the garland of victory in the form of the hangman’s noose. My dear brother, you will feel glad that he who sacrificed his ancestral properly for the motherland, he who reduced his parents to beggars, prosperity for the sake of the country and he who sacrificed his all including his own life for the freedom of the country, sacrificed his dearest friend, Ashfaq, for the sake of the motherland.’ These are the words of love and admiration that one martyr, Ramaprasad, spoke about another martyr, Ashfaqulla Khan.

An Indian Lives And Dies For India

Ashfaqulla was an ideal revolutionary. His devotion to the cause he admired made him the foremost among those who gave their lives to win freedom for the country. He fully understood the real danger to the revolutionary movement in India from activities like the Kakori Train Robbery. But when all his friends and fellow workers jumped into the field, he did not keep away. He knew the danger, but he was not a coward. He was not afraid of speaking out his mind and warning others of the danger he foresaw so clearly.But when the leader went forward with his plan he followed in his footsteps. He knew full well that it would cost him his life. But his duty was to follows the leader.

Love of the motherland, clear thinking, courage, firmness and loyalty were embodied in Ashfaqulla in a very great measure. He deserves to be remembered and cherished by all Indians for his noble qualities.

After a country becomes free there is no need to use force and violence. But when
Ashfaqulla and his friends were fighting for the freedom of the country they needed
money. They needed it not for themselves but for the sake of the country. They stopped the train carrying money and took it. Now that we have won freedom we need not do such deeds. But Ashfaqullaremains in our memory because of his noble example during a very difficult period in our country's history. We cannot forget his service to the nation and we ought not to forget it.

It is the birthright and good fortune of every Indian to serve India. To whatever religion a man may belong, his first and highest duty is to serve the country - this was the lesson Ashfaq wrote in the hearts of all people with his blood. He has left a lasting impression on the life of every Indian by his noble martyrdom. May his ideal ad his example shine forever in our hearts!

Indian Freedom Fighter - Tatai Tope

Tatia Tope: A hero of the fight for freedom in 1857. His very name made the mighty English generals tremble. Deceived by his friend, he faced death like a hero, for the sake of his country.

The British troops had pitched their tents on the parade grounds near the fort of Shivpuri, 75 miles from Gwalior. The day was April 18, 1859. It was 4 o'clock in the afternoon. A smiling, charming prisoner was brought out of the prison.

His hands and feet were chained. Under guard he was taken to the hangman's post. He had been condemned to death. The prisoner stepped towards the post fearlessly. There was no hesitation as he stepped upon the platform. It was the custom to cover the eyes of the condemned man with a scarf. When soldiers stepped forward with the scarf, he smiled and made signs to say, 'I don't need all this.' Nor did he allow the hands and feet to be bound. He himself put the noose around his neck. The rope was tightened. Then, at last, there was a pull....
In a moment it was all over.

It was a heart-rending scene, which moved the whole country to tears. The man who was hanging lifeless on the gallows of the English was no criminal. He was not a thief, he was no cutthroat. He was the Supreme commander in the War of Indian Independence,which, in 1857, had challenged the hold of the British over India. It was he who, more than anybody else, shook the mighty British Empire to its foundations. Holding aloft the flag of freedom, he sought to break the chains of slavery and fought the military might of the English heroically. His name was Tatia Tope, a household word for bravery.

Indian Freedom Fighter - Khudi Ram Bose

Khudiram Bose

It was February 1906. A grand exhibition had been arranged at Medinipur in Bengal. The intention was to hide the injustice of the British then ruling India. On exhibition were articles like pictures and puppets which could create the impression that the British rulers, though foreigners, were doing much to help the people of India. There were big crowds to see the exhibition.

'Take Care, Don't Touch My Body!’

Then appeared a boy of sixteen with a bundle of handbills; he was distributing them to the people. The handbill bore the title 'Sonar Bangla'. It carried the slogan Vande Mataram'. In addition, the true purpose of the British in putting up the exhibition was also exposed.The various forms of British injustice and tyranny were also explained.

Among the visitors to the exhibition, there were a few loyal to the King of England. They were opposed to the persons who exposed the injustice of the British. Words like Vande Mataram', 'Swatantrya' (freedom) and 'Swarajya' (self-rule) were like pins and needles to them. They tried to prevent the boy from distributing the handbills. Their eyes red with anger, they glared at the boy, rebuked him and frightened him. But ignoring them the boy calmly went on distributing the handbills. When some people tried to capture him, he smartly escaped.

At last a policeman caught hold of the boy's hand. He pulled at the bundle of handbills. But to catch the boy was not so easy. He jerked free his hand. Then he swung the arm and powerfully struck the nose of the policeman. Again he took possession of the handbills, and said, "Take care, don't touch my body! I will see how you can arrest me without a warrant."

The policeman who had received the blow rushed forward again; but the boy was not there. He had disappeared in the midst of the crowd.

As the people burst into cries Vande Mataram' the police and t loyal to the King were filled with wonder and also felt humiliated.

Later a case was filed against the boy; but the court set him on the ground of his tender age.

Who Was This Boy?

The heroic boy who distributed handbills so bravely at the Medinipur exhibition and thereby defeated the evil plans of the British was Khudiram Bose.

Khudiram Bose was born on 3rd December 1889 in the village Bahuvaini in Medinipur district. His father Trailokyanath Basu was the Tahsildar of the town of the Nadazol prince. His mother Lakshmipriya Devi was a pious lady, who was well known for her virtuous life and generosity. Though a few children were born to the couple all died soon after birth. Only a daughter survived. The last child, Khudiram Bose, was the only surviving son.

The Bose couple had yearned for a male child. But they did not live long enough to enjoy their happiness. They unexpectedly died when Khudiram was just six. The boy's elder sister Anurupadevi and his
brother-in-law Amritalal had to shoulder the responsibility of bringing him up.
A Born Patriot

Anurupadevi looked after Khudiram with the affection of a mother. She wanted her younger brother to be highly educated, get a high post and to make a name. She therefore admitted him to a nearby school.

It was not that Khudiram could not learn. He was smart and could grasp things easily. But he could not be attentive to the lessons in his class. Though his teachers shouted at the top of their voice, he did not hear the lessons. Thoughts entirely unrelated to the lessons were revolving in his head.

A born patriot, even at the age seven or eight years, Khudiram Bose thought, 'India is our country. It is a great country. Elders say that this has been the home of know- ledge for thousands of years. Why, then, are the red-faced British here? Under them, our people cannot even live as they wish. When I grow up, I must somehow drive them out.'

All day the boy was engaged in these thoughts. Thus oven when he opened a book to read, he would see a red-faced, green-eyed, glaring Englishman. Even when he was eating, the same recollection haunted him. And the memory brought a strange pain in the heart.

Both his sister and his brother-in-law wondered what troubled the boy. They thought that the memory of his mother troubled him, and treated him with greater affection.But Khudiram was unhappy about Mother India. His anguish grew day by day.

No Disease Worse Than Slavery

Once Khudiram went to a temple. A few persons were lying on the bare ground in front of the temple. "Why are these people lying thus?", Khudiram asked some persons nearby.

One of them explained:"They are suffering from some disease or the other. They have made a vow and are lying here without food and water. They will get up and go after God appears in their dream and promises to cure their diseases."

Khudiram thought for a moment and said, "One day I too will have to give up all 'thought of hunger and thirst and lie on the ground like these people."

"What disease has struck you?" A man asked the boy. Khudiram laughed, and said, "Can there be a disease worse than slavery? I will have to drive it out."

Even at that young age, Khudiram had thought so deeply about the country's freedom. But how was he to achieve it? This was the problem that always clouded his mind. How could he successfully do his duty?

While he was thus worried, Khudiram one day heard the cry 'Vande Mataram', 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' (Victory to Mother India). He was thrilled by these words, his eyes glowed and he felt happy.

The Sacred Phrase

This 'Mantra' or sacred phrase, Vande Mataram', which inspired Khudiram, had a great history. And greater still was what it accomplished.

In 1838, a great man was born in thevillage of Kantalapada. His name was Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya. His father had once been a government official in Khudi- ram's native place Medinipur.

In 1857 there was an armed fight for the first time to free our country from the British. Lakshmi Bai, the Queen of Jhansi, Kuwarasimha of Bihar and Bahadur Shah, the Emperor of Delhi were among the leaders of this First War of Independence. At that time Bankim Chandra was a young man of seventeen. The Indians were defeated in their fight for freedom, though they were heroic and intelligent. Bankim's blood boiled at this defeat. Our people did not have discipline, organization, and obedience to rules, nor did they have enough arms and ammunition. There were a number of Indians who were traitors, self - seekers and opportunists. Because these people helped the British, the Indians had to suffer defeat.

If a man is to give up selfishness, he must have a shining ideal before him. What ideal could inspire the people of India? Bankim pondered on this question. Then came to him the vision of Bharat Mata (Mother India) - a vision of the Mother in her glory seated on a throne studded with gems. Bankim thought 'We, her children, bow to the sublime Mother.' Then flashed to his mind the sacred phrase: Vande Mataram' (I salute the Mother).

Bankim Chandra composed a lengthy song, which opened with this phrase. All through the song are described the form and the splendour of Bharat Mata. Bankim Chandra wrote a novel by name 'Anandamata', narrating the very story of a struggle for independence. He put the song Vande Mataram' in to the novel.

The Stirring 'Mantra'

'Anandamata' is the novel describing the fight of the patriotic ascetics (sanyasis) against foreign rule. Bankim Chandra's intention was to awaken the Vande Mataram patriotism in people and inspire them to fight for freedom. The freedom fighting sanyasis in the novel sing ‘Vande Mataram’ as a song of inspiration. In the song, Mother India is described as Goddess Durga. Bankim used many Sanskrit words in the song so that all Indians could use it. Within a few days of the publication of the novel 'Anandamata', the song Vande Mataram' became the favorite 'Mantra' (incantation) of patriots. Whenever they gathered together, they would shout the magic words Vande Mataram'. Bankim's novel inspired more and more people. Great men like Aravincla Ghosh, Brahma- bandhava Upadhyaya and Bipinchandra Pal plunged into the fight for freedom. They’re sprang up many organizations to
train young men in the use of pistol, lathi, dagger and the like. Some important ones were Anusheelana Samiti, Jugantar,Bhrato Samiti, Vande Mataram Sampradaya and Circular Virodhi Samiti. The determination to free the Mother even at the cost of life, happiness, family, money and all grew stronger. Sister Nivedita, the disciple of
Swami Vivekananda, supported and encouraged these attempts.

The Division of Bengal

Thus inspired by the song VandeMataram', thousands of Indians rebelled against the British. The situation created a fear among the rulers that their empire in India would not last long. So they tried to split the Hindus and the Muslims. In the western part of Bengal the Hindus were in a majority,and in the eastern part the Muslims. Realizing this the British devised a new plan. In 1905, when Lord Curzon was the Governor General of India, orders were issued dividing Bengal into East Bengal and West Bengal. But the people of India knew the purpose of the British. Patriots from different parts of the country opposed the partition of Bengal with one voice. In many places meetings, processions and non-violent strikes (satyagraha) were held, with the words Vande Mataram' on everyone's lips.

Khudiram Initiated

Love of his country had come to Khudiram with his mother's milk. It was at this time he was initiated into revolution. The cry of Vande Mataram' which was then heard everywhere caught his imagination. He watched with interest the different forms of protest against the partition of Bengal. Watching them he could not be silent. He wanted to know their background. When he read 'Anandamata', he got a clearvision of his life's task. He decided to dedicate his life to the service of the Mother. He admired the way of revolutionaries who were determined to organize patriotic men, and fight bravely against the foreign rulers to free the country from slavery. The revolutionaries had sacrificed their family, relations, wealth and everything. They had dedicated themselves to the service of the Motherland. Men of a noble character and a pure life, they were not afraid of any hard ship. Khudiram too desired to become one of such revolutionaries. He made friends with them. They tested him in several ways and he proved his worth. At last he was initiated into the service of the country. So his formal education ended.

Spreading the Gospel of 'Vande Mataram'

In the days following his initiation Khudiram learnt the use of weapons like the pistol, the dagger and the lathi, and became an expert. Though lean, he was very active. At the same time he took up the task of spreading the gospel of Vande Mataram'. In order to build an army of freedom fighters, was it not necessary to install the auspicious image of Bharat Mata in their hearts? How could one fight for the mother if one did 'not know'' her? And could there be a better means of educating people than by teaching the gospel of Vande Mataram'?

Khudiram started teaching the song to his friends. He fully explained its meaning. He encouraged is a friend to read the novel 'Anandamata'.

The leaders of Khudiram's group of revolutionaries recognized his special devotion and interest in Vande Mataram'. They decided to print handbills containing the song and distribute them. Khudiram took an important part in this task. That was the background of the incident at the Medinipur Exhibition.

Patriots Tortured

As the message of Vande Mataram' spread, the British became more andmore cruel. They proclaimed that it was treason to shout Vande Mataram'. Thus, in the eyes of the British saluting our own Mother was an act of treason!

The British Government started harassing the patriots in different ways. But they had the courage to march on ignoring all harassment. Meetings and processions resounded with cries of Vande Mataram, which shock the British. If two patriots met, instead of merely saying Namaskar (salutation) they bowed to each other with the greeting Vande Mataram'! Whenever the police heard the slogan, they merci- lessly beat the patriots. They tortured them. Yet they could not prevent Indians from shouting Vande Mataram'! The greater the tyranny of the British, the greater grew the pride of Indians. People started boycotting foreign clothes. They left foreign schools and colleges. 'Swadeshi' (made in our country) became the mantra of salutation to patriots.

The British thought that they would have to quit India if such conditions persisted. Yet they had an illusion that they could forcibly keep the people under control. So they decided to punish the patriots still more
cruelly. Wherever the revolutionaries were very active, the government appointed stern and harsh officers. Those officers would torture the patriots they could catch. They would ill-treat women, children and old men. They would inflict harsh punish- ments even for small crimes. Kings ford, the Chief Presidency Magistrate of calcutta, was one such cruel officer. The Newspaper That Terrified the Rulers

‘Vande Mataram' was a very popular newspaper in Bengal. The great patriot Bipinchandra Pal had started the paper. Maharshi Aravinda Ghosh was the editor. The paper not only published articles inculcating radical patriotism, but also fearlessly condemned the acts of injustice of the British. It was like the true patriot's friend and guide; so it was a nightmare to the British.

In 1907, the British prosecuted the Vande Mataram'on a charge of treason. The trial was held at the Police Court of Lal Bazaar in Calcutta. Everyday thousands of young men used to gather outside the Court. Every day they shouted Vande Mataram with one voice, thus displaying their pride in the paper. Thus they proved the support enjoyed by the paper. The steel-helmeted police used to make inhuman lathi charges on the crowd.

The Lion's Cub Provoked

On the 26th of August 1907, when such a case was going on, thousands of youths had gathered as usual before the court. They had not yet begun to shout Vande Mataram'. They were silent, and created no trouble. This itself probably provoked a sturdy. Red-faced policeman; he suddenly started beating the young men with a lathi. Nobody resisted. But the lathi in the hands of that sturdy person wheeled round with a greater force. Sushilkumar Sen, a boy of fifteen, who was standing at a distance, could not bear the sight. Stepping forward, he said to the official: "Why are you beating the people without any reason?" He tried to stop him.

"Who are you? Get out!" the Englishman shouted and hit Sushil. Provoked, Sushil said, "I will show you who I am." He suddenly pounced on the Englishman and struck a powerful blow on the nose of the Englishman who was four times as big as he. Pulling away the lathi from his hand, the boy went on beating the Englishman himself. Just taste the blow of an Indian boy, he said and beat him till the English man began to bleed. That lout had only experience of beating unarmed people; he had not known what it was to be thrashed. He began to howl with pain. He screamed. Then other policeman came up and caught hold of Sushil. They arrested and took him to the court.

Kingsford's Cruelty

The magistrate who conducted the trial was Kingsford, notorious for his cruelty. "You have broken the law by attacking a British Policeman engaged in maintaining peace," he scolded Sushil.

"Then why did your 'peace-loving' police man attack our people standing peace fully?" Sushilkumar fearlessly questioned Kingsford himself.

"An impertinent fellow! I order a punish- ment of fifteen lashes. Take him away," Kingsford commanded the police.

The police took out Siushil, and stripped him. They mercilessly gave him fifteen lashes. Sushil did not weep, nor did his smile fade. At every stroke, he cried 'Vande Mataram'!

After release,he was taken in a procession by the people. He was honored at a big meeting. Surendranath Bannerji, an elderly leader, admired Sushilkumar's courage and blessed him with the gift of a gold medal. The National College, in which he was studying, was closed for a day in his honor

The Vow of Revenge

Long before this the revolutionaries had thought of teaching a lesson to Kingsford, who was a monster in human form. The punishment, which he gave to Sushilkumar Sen, added to their fury. As long as Kings- ford lived, he was a menace to thepatriots. Hence they decided to kill him.

The British Government got scent of the revolutionaries' decision. It was convinced that Kingsford's life was in danger. The Intelligence Department suggested to the Government that it was better to send him to England. The Government did not listen to the suggestion. Finally Kingsford was promoted to the post of a District and Sessions Judge and transferred to Muzaffarpur.

Preparations for Kingsford's Murder

Even after his transfer to Muzaffarpur, Kingsford would-not ends his cruel acts. In 1908, the revolutionaries made a plan to kill him.

In the first week of April, therevolutionaries of the Jugantar group held a meeting at a house in Calcutta. They were to discuss how to – punish Kingsford who had treated Sushil so unjustly and harshly. Aravinda Ghosh, Subodh Mallik, Charudatta and others were present at the meeting. It was decided that Kingsford should be shot dead. But their leader was worried about the choice of a person to do this. Some were eager to accept the task. But the leader did not wish to select any one of them.

All of a sudden the leader's eye fell on Khudiram who was sitting in a corner. The glance seemed to ask 'Can you do this?' Khudiram understood it. There was a glow in his eyes.

"Can you do this grim work?" The leader now openly asked him.

"With your blessings, what is impossible?" Khudiram answered him with a question.

"This is not so easy as going to jail. Do you know what will happen, if you are caught?" The leader asked him in a tone of warning.

Khudiram said calmly but firmly, 1know. At the worst they can hang me. Master, I take it as a boon. Bharat Mata is my father, mother and all. To give up my life for her is, I consider, an act of merit. My sole desire is only this. Till our country wins freedom, I will be born here again and again, and sacrifice my life."

"Is that so? I am very glad. Get ready for the journey. Profulla Chaki will go with you," the leader said. Profullakumar Chaki, quite sturdy and of about the same age as Khudiram, stood near him. Profulla was a native ofRangapur of East Bengal. At the time of the partition of Bengal, he had walked out of school with eighty boys, all shouting Vande Mataram'!

The leader of the revolutionaries gave each of the boys, Khudiram and Profulla, two revolvers, a bomb and a little money, and sent them with his blessings. They set out full of zest to end the life of Kingsford.
Preparations for Kingsford's Murder

Even after his transfer to Muzaffarpur, Kingsford would-not ends his cruel acts. In 1908, the revolutionaries made a plan to kill him.

In the first week of April,the revolutionaries of the Jugantar group held a meeting at a house in Calcutta. They were to discuss how to – punish Kingsford who had treated Sushil so unjustly and harshly. Aravinda Ghosh, Subodh Mallik, Charudatta and others were present at the meeting. It was decided that Kingsford should be shot dead. But their leader was worried about the choice of a person to do this. Some were eager to accept the task. But the leader did not wish to select any one of them.

All of a sudden the leader's eye fell on Khudiram who was sitting in a corner. The glance seemed to ask 'Can you do this?' Khudiram understood it. There was a glow in his eyes.

"Can you do this grim work?" The leader now openly asked him.

"With your blessings, what is impossible?" Khudiram answered him with a question.

"This is not so easy as going to jail. Do you know what will happen, if you are caught?" The leader asked him in a tone of warning.

Khudiram said calmly but firmly, 1know. At the worst they can hang me. Master, I take it as a boon. Bharat Mata is my father, mother and all.To give up my life for her is, I consider, an act of merit. My sole desire is only this. Till our country wins freedom, I will be born here again and again, and sacrifice my life." "Is that so? I am very glad. Get ready for the journey. Profulla Chaki will go with you," the leader said.

Profullakumar Chaki, quite sturdy and of about the same age as Khudiram, stood near him.Profulla was a native of Rangapur of East Bengal. At the time of the partition of Bengal, he had walked out of school with eighty boys, all shouting Vande Mataram'!

The leader of the revolutionaries gave each of the boys, Khudiram and Profulla, two revolvers, a bomb and a little money, and sent them with his blessings. They set out full of zest to end the life of Kingsford.

The Prey Missed

It was on the night of April 30, 1908 that Khudiram and Profulla approached the European Club at Muzaffarpur. With a revolver and a bomb ready, they hid them- selves waiting for Kingsford to come out.

In a short while courage drawn by a horse moved from the compound of Kingsford's bungalow. Khudiram who held a bomb in his hand, whispered to Profulla, "Run away soon after I throw the bomb. Don't worry about me. In case I survive, I shall touch the feet of our revered teacher. Be ready to run. Vande Mataram!"

The carriage approached. When it was just opposite him Khudiram aimed at the carriage and threw the bomb inside.

The first bomb thrown against the British by India leapt from a young hand. As the bomb touched the coach there was a deafening explosion. A blood-curdling cry was also heard at the same moment. Without watching to see what would happen next, Khudiram and Profulla ran away in different directions.

Kingsford was lucky. He was not in the carriage on which Khudiram threw the bomb. The persons in it were Kingsford's guests, the wife and the daughter of a lawyer Kennady by name, and a servant. The daughter and the servant died immediately. Mrs. Kennedy, who was seriously injured, died a day or two later.

The Lion's Cub Caught

Khudiram started running immediately after throwing the bomb. He ran throughout the night, along the railway line,without stopping. He stopped only in the morning. By then he had run about 25 miles. He reached a place now known as Lakha near the railway station at Veni. He had run with out rest and was quite exhausted. In addition, he was unbearably hungry.Buying some fried corn, he started eating. By that time, the news of the Muzaffarpur incident had spread in all directions. At the very shop where Khudiram was eating, people were talking about it. Khudiram listened with curiosity. Hearing that two women died, he forgot himself for a moment and asked, "What! Didn't Kings ford die?"

Khudiram's words drew the attention of the people in the shop. The boy looked a stranger to the place. Utter fatigue was clear in his face. The shopkeeper's suspicion grew stronger. He entertained a hope that he would be rewarded if he could expose the criminal. Immediately after serving water to Khudiram, he gave a hint to the police going on their usual rounds nearby. As Khudiram raised the glass to his mouth, the police arrived and caught hold of him. Khudiram failed in his attempt to take out the revolver in his pocket. Both the revolvers in his pockets were seized by the police. Khudiram was not in the least upset.

Profulla's Sacrifice

Profullakumar Chaki, too, had run away like Khudiram. He evaded the police for two days. But on the third day of hiswanderings the police encountered him. When they attempted to arrest him, he ran away. But wherever he went, the police had spread their net. "Any way, I shall not allow them to touch me when I am alive" he resolved. Taking out his pistol he shot himself and died a heroic death. The police cut off his head and carried it to Muzaffarpur.

Khudiram was brought by train to Muzaffarpur under a heavy guard. People had assembled in thousands to see the boy who had thrown a bomb for the first time in India against the British. As soon as Khudiram got into the carriage to go to the police station, he shouted with a smile, Vande Mataram'! Tears of pride welled up
in the eyes of the people.

'I Know Better'

Afterwards a case was filed against Khudiram. There were two lawyers on the Government's side. There was no one at Muzaffarpur, whom Khudiram could call his own. Then a senior advocate Kalidas Bose by name came forward to argue for him.

The pretence of a trial took two months. In the end, the Magistrate read his judgment sentencing Khudiram to death. Even when the judgment was being read, Khudiram did not show even a faint trace of fear. The judge was surprised that a boy of nineteen years accepted death so calmly. "Do you know what this judgment means?" he asked.

Khudiram replied with a smile "I know its meaning better than you."

The judge asked, "Have you anything to say?"

"Yes. I have to explain a few things about making bombs."

The judge was now nervous that Khudiram might make a statement explaining how to make bombs and thus teach everyone in the court. Hence he did not allow the boy to make a statement.

Khudiram had not expected justice in a British court. But Kalidas Bose yearned to save Khudiram. He appealed to the Calcutta High Court on behalf of Khudiram. The judge of the High Court also under- stood Khudiram's nature. The fearless eyes and the determined face of the boy filled him, too, with wonder. He confirmed the death sentence given by the lower court. But he postponed the date of the execution from August 6, 1908 to August 19.

"Do you wish to say anything?" the judge asked.

Khudiram said, "Like the heroic Rajput women, I wish to die for the freedom of my country. The thought of the gallows does not make me unhappy in the least. My only regret is that Kingsford could not be punished for his crimes."

Even in prison, he was not at all worried. As death approached his face grew brighter. He thought that the sooner he sacrificed his life, the sooner he could be born again and fights for the freedom of his Motherland. This is not mere legend. Khudiram put on two pounds in the jail! Back to the Mother's Lap

As had been decided, Khudiram was brought to the gallows at 6 A. M. on the nineteenth of August, 1908, Even then the smile on his face had not faded. Serenely he walked to the post. He had a copy of the Bhagavadgita (the Song Divine). For the last time he cried aloud, Vande Mataram' and then put his hand into the noose.

Khudiram had finally achieved his heroic goal; he had laid his life at the feet of Mother India. He is immortal in the history of India.

Khudiram's sacrifice did not go waste. Of course, the bomb thrown by him hit others, but not Kingsford. But the bomb of fear had entered the mind of Kingsford. Right from the day when Khudiram became a martyr, Kingsford had no peace of mind. Each moment seemed to bring him death. At last, he was so terrified that he resigned his post and settled at Mussorie.Kingsford, who frightened and tortured the innocents, himself died of terror.

An Inspiration

Khudiram not only himself became immortal, but also inspired others by his sacrifice to become immortal. In course of time, thousands of young men and women followed in his footsteps and enbed the British regime in India. While Kingsford had to quit his post, the British had to quit India itself