Mark Twain called India "mother of history". It is said that every nook and corner of this country has a story to tell. Yesterday i.e 17th February was the day of martyrdom of Vasudev Balwant Phadke.

He was born in a small village called ...Shirdhon in Konkan. As an accoutant in Indian Army he saw first hand the partial treatment to Indians. The culmination came when denied leave to see his ailing mother, he coulnd'nt even attend her funeral. The incident hurt him so deeply that he left the job to understand the reasons of slavery.

Touring Maharashtra he was exposed to the severe exploitation of farmers and their suffering in the famine. One thing led to another and soon he was giving lectures in different cities to awaken people about the dire straits the nation was in. As is the case the educated and well off people did not support him. It is said that he was almost driven to madness due to apathy of people.

That was when he started contacting tribals and rural folk and was impressed by their simplicity and devotion. He organised an army and started looting government treasury to raise an armed rebellion. He issued notices and rewards on killing of government servants, signing them off as Prime Minister to Chatrapati of Marathas.
The cunning and ruthless Englishman were quick to notice the danger and they used imperial might to crush him.

Finally disheartened and suffering from high fever he was captured alone and sentenced to life imprisonment in far away Aden. But the torch of freedom was inexhaustible so he escaped with heavy chains, but was captured again. Finally on this day in 1883 he sacrificed his life far away from his beloved motherland.