On Savarkar Jayanti: 28th May
A few days ago while watching INVICTUS with office colleagues , everybody was amazed at the persistence of Nelson Mandela and the sufferings he went through for 27 years in small cell in solitary confinement. This is not for comparison but how many of us know about our own Veer Savarkar.
He was awarded 2 back to back life imprisonments in Andaman i.e 48 years and the year of start was 1912. When in chains in jail of Mumbai his young wife came to meet him. It was probably the last meeting as he was going into jaws of death but the confidence of this man was unshakeable. How he consoled his wife is legendary, he said “if accumulating a few sticks and giving birth to children is life, then it is lead by birds and animals but we are HUMAN. Even if we are ruined today, imagine thousands of lives who will smile because of us”.
When in Andaman he was put in solitary confinement and was subjected to “kolhu” for oil extraction. If one did not fulfill the stipulated amount of oil one would receive lashes or would be confined in chains in a very uncomfortable position. Even for nature’s call a fixed time was allotted and at night one had to relieve himself in a pot which would lie in the same cell. Talking to any other prisoner was a strict NO and others would get harsh punishment for talking to Savarkar. No newspaper or books or paper for a literary giant like him. After a year or so he came to know that his elder brother was also in Andaman and with lot of efforts could only see him once.
But imagine what he accomplished. He wrote novels, dramas and poetry on the walls of cell. Since there was also change of prison cells, he would memorize all the text he had written before. The jail superintendent being a Pathan, there was a lot of encouragement for conversion of prisoners. Savarkar not only stopped that but reversed the trend by claiming that a person can become a HINDU with bath and chanting OM NAMAH SHIVAY. When the question arose about official language he encouraged people for their preference to HINDI breaking the supremacy of URDU/PERSIAN. It was due to his efforts that not only INDIAN but BRITISH PARLIAMENT had to discuss the condition of prisoners in ANDAMAN and soften the treatment meted out to them.
After 12 years he was released due to his ill health and was over joyed to see his beloved MOTHERLAND again in this life. Any takers in BOLLYWOOD for his inspiring story.
PS : All the literature he memorized was later published during his confinement in Ratnagiri. This is just a snapshot from his book MY LIFE IMPRISONMENT because he accomplished much more.
A few days ago while watching INVICTUS with office colleagues , everybody was amazed at the persistence of Nelson Mandela and the sufferings he went through for 27 years in small cell in solitary confinement. This is not for comparison but how many of us know about our own Veer Savarkar.
He was awarded 2 back to back life imprisonments in Andaman i.e 48 years and the year of start was 1912. When in chains in jail of Mumbai his young wife came to meet him. It was probably the last meeting as he was going into jaws of death but the confidence of this man was unshakeable. How he consoled his wife is legendary, he said “if accumulating a few sticks and giving birth to children is life, then it is lead by birds and animals but we are HUMAN. Even if we are ruined today, imagine thousands of lives who will smile because of us”.
When in Andaman he was put in solitary confinement and was subjected to “kolhu” for oil extraction. If one did not fulfill the stipulated amount of oil one would receive lashes or would be confined in chains in a very uncomfortable position. Even for nature’s call a fixed time was allotted and at night one had to relieve himself in a pot which would lie in the same cell. Talking to any other prisoner was a strict NO and others would get harsh punishment for talking to Savarkar. No newspaper or books or paper for a literary giant like him. After a year or so he came to know that his elder brother was also in Andaman and with lot of efforts could only see him once.
But imagine what he accomplished. He wrote novels, dramas and poetry on the walls of cell. Since there was also change of prison cells, he would memorize all the text he had written before. The jail superintendent being a Pathan, there was a lot of encouragement for conversion of prisoners. Savarkar not only stopped that but reversed the trend by claiming that a person can become a HINDU with bath and chanting OM NAMAH SHIVAY. When the question arose about official language he encouraged people for their preference to HINDI breaking the supremacy of URDU/PERSIAN. It was due to his efforts that not only INDIAN but BRITISH PARLIAMENT had to discuss the condition of prisoners in ANDAMAN and soften the treatment meted out to them.
After 12 years he was released due to his ill health and was over joyed to see his beloved MOTHERLAND again in this life. Any takers in BOLLYWOOD for his inspiring story.
PS : All the literature he memorized was later published during his confinement in Ratnagiri. This is just a snapshot from his book MY LIFE IMPRISONMENT because he accomplished much more.
