“Memories of those momentous years and trying days rise in a flood and struggling to find a vent keep knocking at the gates of our heart. How we wish we could have spoken of them all and recited our reminiscences, but our lips must be sealed. How we long to write of it all
Thus wrote Veer V.D. Savarkar contributing a tribute to V.V.S. Aiyer after his sudden and sad demise to Maratha in 1925. The political situation was the same when “Life of Barrister Savarkar” by Chitragupta was published a year later in December 1926. Though many a detail is wanting, it is the first biography of Veer Savarkar in English. It covers the period of Savarkar’s life up to 30th January, 1911, when he was sentenced to second Transportation for life. After hearing the sentence, Savarkar rose and declared: “I am prepared to face ungrudgingly the extreme penalty of your laws in the belief that our Motherland can march on an assured if not a speedy triumph”. The “Life‟ deals with the formative years of the work of the Revolutionary on the European soil. Prof. S.G. Malshe owes our gratitude for making available a rare copy of the Life‟, which is now moreover extinct, to Shri Balarao Savarkar for bringing out this edition. Veer Savarkar’s “Londonchin Batamipatre‟ (News letters from London) and “Shatruchya Shibirat‟ (in the Enemy Camps) contribute the most reliable and valuable sources material for the period. “Daryapar‟ (Beyond the seas) and V.V.S. Aiyer “provide us with new material of great importance.
Who was this “Chitragupta‟, the author of “Life of Barrister V.D. Savarkar‟? The pen-picture of Paris appears that Chitragupta‟ is none other than Veer Savarkar.” It was a sunny morn—the skies were clear the beautiful roads so shady, so hospitable, so reviving, were dotted here and there by small ponds where the swans and other water birds gaily quacked and cackled and water lilies graceful danced in the morning breeze, the air was refreshing‟. However, why Savarkar has not disclosed it even after Independence will ever remain a mystery.
Veer Savarkar explains to his fellow-passenger Harnam Singh, on the Steamer “Persia‟ who was suffering from homesickness; the ideal before them: We must go to England, France and Russia and learn how to organize a revolution, win back our freedom‟. It describes how the revolutionaries secured the Bomb Manual and lessons were regularly given to the members of the Abhinav Bharat in London and Paris in manufacturing the bomb.
No sooner did Savarkar reach London then he began the translation of Mazzini’s writings in Marathi and within a year of his departure from India, the book was published in Nasik. It was soon proscribed by the Government.
The International Socialist Congress was held at Stuttgart in Germany in August 1907. Madame Cama and Sardar Sinhaji Rana attended the Conference. The “Life‟ narrates: once while she was in Germany, there was a meeting of the German Socialists to take place. She was invited there. The meeting co-ordially pressed her to speak on Indian questions. She rose. Everyone was struck by the picturesque Indian Sari she wore, the noble and commanding countenance she bore. The spirited soul that informed all the movement.” She is an Indian Princess”, the gazing crowds muttered. She began to speak and after a few remarkable sentences suddenly took out that little flag designed for Abhinav Bharat, unfurled it and waving it enthusiastically aloft said,” this is the flag of Indian Independence. Behold, it is born. I call upon you gentlemen to rise and salute the flag of India-of Indian Independence.”
Savarkar wrote his second book “the Indian war of Independence of 1857-the story of the Indian National Rising of 1857‟—with a view to instructing the people how a revolution could be organized on a vast scale under the peculiar environments. The Government proscribed the book before it was fully written The “Life‟ narrates how Veer Savarkar celebrated the anniversary of the Indian National Rising of 1857 on the 10th May, 1908 at the Indian house. Copies of pamphlet, “Oh Martyrs‟, were distributed in thousands in England and in India. It declared, “The war begun on10th of May 1857 is not over on the 10th of May, 1908, nor shall it ever cease, till a 10th of May comes sees the destiny accomplished”.
Veer Savarkar celebrated the birthday anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh on 29th December, 1909 The Life informs, “A grand festival was organized and ceremonious meeting held in London, to celebrate the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh. Lala Lajpatrai, Bepin Chandra Pal and several other prominent Hindus paid glowing tributes to the memory of the great hero.‟ Savarkar in one of his eloquent speeches hailed him as “the prophet the warrior, the poet” in one. The most spirited pamphlet that he wrote especially for that occasion was named “Khalsa‟ and which in spite of proscription orders found its way to schools and colleges in Punjab. Savarkar wrote a fine book in Marathi on the History of Sikhs—but unfortunately it was swallowed by the “Postal Box‟ and never could be traced back.”
If the attempts of Abhinava Bharat to win over Sikhs to the nationalist side not succeed directly in India in the beginning, later on their organ the “Gadar‟ in America and the spread of their literature amongst the Sikhs did at last rouse them. The Canada Emigrants agitation added fuel to the fire and the Comagatamaru affair exploded the trains. Thereafter hundreds of the Sikhs emigrants of the Gadar party poured into India with a purposed of organizing a revolutionary rising in Punjab and the mutiny and the consequent revolts in 1914 followed by the Gadar cases in Lahore and Burma ended in the executive of several Sikhs and the transportation of a number of them.
Veer Savarkar aptly sums up the contribution of Abhinava Bharat to India’s struggle for freedom: The assassination of Mr. Curzon Wyllie, the consequent trial, statement and execution of Dhingra, Mr. Savarkar’s escape at Marseilles made the Indian question a living issue in European and world politics. The Enemies of England all over the world began to take the Indian revolutionaries seriously and opened negotiations with their leaders. Pandit Shamji, Madame Cama and other leaders in Paris, Lala Hardayal with his “Gadar‟ in America, Mr. Chattopadhyaya in Germany and others yet not to be named, but equally zealous and able workers in Russia, Turkey, South America and other parts of the world-all these trained in the traditions of Abhinava Bharat Society carried on the campaign so vigorously that at last in the Great German War, India became an international issue and in the famous letter formulated by the Kaiser in reply to the demand of President Wilson the question of complete Political Independence of India was openly and authoritatively broached as one of the indispensable condition of world peace.
Veer Savarkar’s “The Indian war of Independence‟ did inspire the revolutionaries to take to arms against the British Government and culminated in the formation of Indian National Army and Government by Nataji Subhash Chandra Bose. While replying to a question of Winston Churchill in the British Parliament, the then Prime Minister Clement Attlee submitted, “Britain is transferring power due to the fact that (1) The Indian mercenary Army is no longer loyal to British Army and (2) Britain can not afford to have a large Britain army.”
Veer Savarkar’s ordeal in the Andamans can be witnessed in “my transportation for Life‟ narrated by Savarkar and the “Echoes from Andamans.‟ The Life indeed provides us the nucleus which later expounded “Hindutva‟ which is the basis of Hindu Rashtra. The concept of Hindu Rashtra is explained in “Hindu Rashtra Darshan‟ and Veer Savarkar’s “Six Glorious Epochs in Indian History‟ provides us with the inspiration for Hindu Regeneration. Obituary Note to Veer Savarkar in “The Times‟ London, noted He “had written two Books-one on interpretation of the Indian Mutiny as the “Indian War of Independence‟ a book that was banned in India until 1946 and Hindutva (Hinduness) which was published in 1923…Savarkar did not wish to see Motherland vivisected.‟
It is befitting that Greater London Council which has been active in restoring the historic values of London for past many years approved the proposal of Savarkar Centenary Committee formed in London and a commemorative Blue Plaque in the name of Savarkar was fixed on the houses-India House-at 65 Cromwell Avenue, Highgate, London N 6 on 8th June, 1985 it reads “VINAYAK DAMODAR SAVARKAR 1883- 1966 Indian Patriot and philosopher lived here.‟
Veer Savarkar declared as a Prophet- Independence of India cannot be bound to be established by the future generations of India.
Dr. Ravindra Vaman Ramdas. 26th February 1986.