Every time, a person from the Indian subcontinent hears the utterance of the word, ‘Veer’ (meaning brave in Hindi/Sanskrit and in many other Bharatiya languages), one is inspired to do selfless service to one’s Motherland/Fatherland. This is the significance of the word ‘Veer’. There are only few people, who earn the sobriquet, ‘Veer’. They are the most deserving ones. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar became known as ‘Veer’ Vinayak Damodar Savarkar after an incidence of bravery in his childhood. Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was indeed, one of the bravest men in world history and the greatest patriot that the world has ever seen. The proof of this has been given by none other than former Poet-Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In his own words of poetry in Hindi, Vajpayee said –
‘सावरकर माने तेज, सावरकर माने त्याग, सावरकर माने तप।‘
which means, Savarkar means Speed (it denotes the speed of thoughts, feelings, words and actions of Veer Savarkar), Savarkar means Sacrifice and Savarkar means Meditation!
One can understand the paramount significance of Veer Savarkar from the above lines.
Savarkar’s Early Life
Savarkar was born on the 28 May 1883 in Bhagur village near Nasik in erstwhile Bombay presidency in British-ruled India, which is in the current state of Maharashtra in India. Mother India was not free at that time. She was in cruel chains under British olonial rule. The British had plundered Indian in many ways, especially – morally, mentally, spiritually, culturally and materially.
‘Veer’ Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was born to Damodar Savarkar and Radhabai Savarkar in a Marathi Chitpavan Brahmin Hindu Family. He lost his mother at the young age of eight or nine to an epidemic, which was raging at the time in his native place. He lost his father, too in the next couple of years. He was born with three siblings – Ganesh, Narayan and Maina. His elder brother, Ganesh Savarkar was also known as Babarao Savarkar. In fact, all the three brother later became famous freedom fighters and were often lodged in different jails during the same as well as different periods of time. His entire family was tremendously patriotic. Savarkar was an extrovert and extremely patriotic from a young age. He organized a group of friends and called it ‘Mitra Mela’. In fact, he took an oath at the young age of fifteen (in 1898) that he would free his mother land from British rule. The two major influences on the Life of Savarkar were his brothers and Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Savarkar’s mother used to tell him stories from the epic Ramayana and Maharaj Chhatrapati Sivaji, the great Hindu Maratha ruler when Savarkar was a child. In other words, Savarkar became aware of his religion and nation from early times.
He appeared for his matric exam in 1901. He joined Fergusson College in Pune in 1902 and became a regular writer for ‘Aryan’. One of his well-known articles was ‘Saptapadi’. ‘Saptapadi’ is about the seven stages of the evolution of a nation as envisaged by Savarkar. He had an intellectual bent of mind and read Indian as well as world history and also Indian and Western literature. He read the works of Bhavabuti, Kalidasa, Shakespeare and Milton. In 1904, the name of ‘Mitra Mela’ founded by Savarkar was changed to ‘Abhinav Bharat’. Abhinav Bharat was a group of Bharatiya revolutionaries to free India. This society of 100 select members was inspired by Young Italy of Mazinni. Mazzini was an Italian leader who was an inspiration to Savarkar. In 1905, British Governor-General, Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal. The partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon was opposed by the people of Bharat. In the same year, Savarkar protested against the partition by making a bonfire of foreign goods in Pune under the influence of Bal Gangadhar Tilak. This practice of burning foreign goods on a bon-fire was later adopted by even Gandhiji, who had initially criticized the practice of burning foreign goods on a bonfire as being ‘violent’ while being in South Africa. Unfortunately, he was rusticated from Fergusson College on account of all these ‘anti-national’ activities. The truth was that Savarkar was one of those, who were suffering, sacrificing and sincerely working for the emancipation of India. He was a stupendous patriot and hard-core nationalist. Soon, Savarkar came to side with the Extremists’ Freedom fighters more and more. He was often on the side of Shri. Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal. He was not on the side of Liberals like Shri. Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Savarkar was allowed to take his B.A. degree much later with the help of Shyamji Krishna Verma.
The London Days
Savarkar decided to go to London to study Law under the influence of Bal Gangadhar Tilak. He received a scholarship from Shyamji Krishna Verma of India House. He attended Gray’s Inn Law College at London and became a Barrister. Veer Savarkar founded Free India Society at London. The Free India Society was yet another group of revolutionaries fighting for Bharat’s freedom from outside Bharat. Savarkar began reading Bharatiya and World History extensively while in London. In 1909, his book ‘Indian War of Independence 1857’ was published. Till then, the British had dismissed ‘the First Bharatiya Freedom Struggle for Independence’ as a mere ‘mutiny’. Bhikhaji Cama helped to publish the landmark book in the Netherlands, France and Germany after ‘Not -At- All- Great’ Britain banned the book for inspiring the Indian freedom struggle. The book was considered a kind of ‘essential reading material’ by Bharatiya freedom fighters. It inspired late freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh and others. Veer Savarkar was one of the earliest freedom fighters to set the revolutionary trend in the freedom struggle.
On the 1 July 1909, Madan Lal Dhingra shot at the British official, Wyllie Curzon at a public meeting. Madan Lal Dhingra was considered to be a keen follower and friend of Savarkar. Madan Lal Dhingra was hanged by the British. Veer Savarkar was heartbroken by the death of his friend and comrade, Madan Lal Dhingra. He was melancholic and composed some poems as a tribute to Dhingra. Savarkar was arrested on the thirteen of May of 1910. Meanwhile in India, Ganesh Savarkar had organized protests against Morley Minto reforms in 1919. He was taken to Yerwada Central Jail in Pune.
Transportation For Life
On the 18th of July of 1910, he tried to escape from the British by jumping off a ship and swimming to French shores. He was illegally captured by the British on French soil and sentenced to two life imprisonments in the dreaded Andaman and Nicobar Cellular Jail (Kaala Paani). The British imperialists were very cunning and cruel rulers. They were those who didn’t like any Indian freedom fighter to survive to return to struggle for India’s independence. Thus, they handed over two life imprisonment sentences (2 x 25 years) amounting to fifty years to Veer Savarkar at the dreaded Cellular Jail at Andaman and Nicobar Islands. During that time at the dreaded Kaala Paani, Savarkar along with other political prisoners were tortured in multiple horrendous ways of morbid physical and mental kinds over a period of many years. Many political prisoners committed suicide unable to bear the physical and mental torture by the jail authorities, who displayed special debased animalistic pleasure in torturing their hapless and weakened Indian freedom fighters in their horrendous prisons. This explains as to why those freedom fighters, who were subject to extreme sufferings took to writing the so-called mercy petitions.
The Mercy Petitions
The British imperialists were tricksters, mass murderers and devils by nature. Naturally, they used different measures (both ethical and unethical) to maintain supremacy over their Indian subjects and Indian political prisoners. Mercy petitions were one such weapon wielded by the British imperialists. Very often, there were Mercy petitions prepared and kept ready by the British officials presiding over Indian Jails, who would be waiting for their opportunity to prey upon vulnerable Indian freedom fighters by making the latter undergo extreme mental and physical torture at different levels and in different ways in their prisons. Then, they would get the signature of the political prisoners in the latter’s deepest moments of desperation and despondency. Veer Savarkar was thus, just a victim of bloody British imperialists’ treachery, deceit, criminality, cruelty, inhumanity and gross human rights violations of the highest level.
These petitions were sent by Indian political prisoners, who were being shattered into smithereens at all levels and made incapacitated leaving them no option but to put their signatures on the miserable mercy petitions. Some political prisoners chose to serve India by dying for her – Sukhdev, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Azad were amongst those who chose this option. Savarkar chose to serve Mother India by deciding to keep himself alive as he possessed staggering abilities- especially intellectual ones.
The Ratnagiri Days
On the 2th of May 1921, the Savarkar was moved to a jail in Ratnagiri, where he continued to be tortured under horrendous conditions pushing Savarkar to the extreme limits of mental and physical pain and later to Yerwada Central Jail. He was released on the 6th of January 1924 under stringent restrictions by the British ruling dispensation in India amidst mounting pressure from the general Indian public and Indian National Congress after 13 years of absolute and horrendous misery. He was ordered not to leave Ratnagiri district and was to refrain from political activities for next 5 years by the evil British masters.
However, V.D. Savarkar did not waste the years after his return to Ratnagiri. He organized many religious functions. He convened many Mahar conferences. He was against the caste system and especially against the practice of untouchability, which he found very evil.
Savarkar’s Views On Hindu Society
Savarkar was not a very religious person but a highly spiritual one. He was more of an atheist. Nevertheless, he was most closely connected with the coining and propagation of the ‘Hindutva’ ideology. Savarkar smoked and drank more so after his return from the Andaman Islands dreaded ‘Kaala Paani’. It is most likely his extreme physical and mental torture as well as denial of home bliss during his incarceration might have led him to choose means to feel free and happy. He was also a non-vegetarian from his youth. He ate fish, prawn and meat dishes too. In this, he differed from Gandhi, who was a pure vegetarian. Savarkar found it ridiculous that anyone who did not consume ‘animal protein’ would be able to stand up against the might of the mighty British imperialists.
Savarkar said that there were seven shackles that were keeping the Hindu society in chains. They include Vedoktabandi. Vedoktabandi means keeping the Sacred Vedas in chains. Savarkar believed that the knowledge regarding the Vedas was universal. According to Savarkar, this knowledge about the Vedas cannot be restricted to any one caste. He strongly believed that whosoever has the aptitude, discipline and desire should be allowed to study the Vedas. He also believed that there should be no Vyavasaaybandi or no one should be forced to join any profession.
In 1922, Gandhi had written – ‘hereditary occupation for maintaining societal order cannot be shaken.’ Savarkar believed that a human should be free to choose their profession based on their talent, merit and nature. Savarkar was also against the evil practice of untouchability. He also believed that Sparshbandi or the practice of untouchability was not right and that it was a sin. Let us understand this ‘deviance’ from the ‘kind and compassionate’ Gandhi who advised Shudras to move away to maintain peace and ‘brotherhood’, when there was a fight between the Shudra and Savarna community. The ancient practice of not letting Hindus travel overseas was not appreciated by Savarkar. Savarkar also considered Samudrabandi or the practice of not travelling overseas as a backward practice. He believed that Europe’s naval traditions were what made them strong We must not forget that the Cholas of ancient Tamil Nadu were great naval powers in Ancient Bharat. He also did not like the practice of Shuddibandi. Shuddibandi means the practice of not letting an individual to reconvert back into the mother religion (Gharwapsi). Savarkar believed that everyone should be allowed to return to their root religion or mother religion. He also opposed Rotibandi. In other words, Savarkar favoured inter-caste dining. He was also against Betibandi and believed that there should be inter-caste marriages within Hindu religion.
Savarkar’s Contribution To Literature
Thus, Savarkar contributed in multiple ways. First and foremost, he was a freedom fighter and patriot incomparable. His travails as a freedom fighter can be forgotten. His bravery in the face of excessive physical and mental torture should never be under-estimated.
Second, he was a grand litterateur. Savarkar was a poet, novelist, short story writer and playwright. He worked to purify the Marathi language. One of his more famous songs is ‘Sagaraprantalamala’, which was written after his close associate, Madan Lal Dhingra (whom many claim that he had influenced greatly) was sent to the gallows in London after Dhingra murdered Wylie. Dhingra’s death along with other circumstances weakened Savarkar’s overall health.
It was during the aftermath of all this that he sang ‘Sagara’. In fact, he being a literary genius sang as he composed the song. The song was immortalized by the emotional music of Hridaynath’s music and sung by the famous Mangeshkar siblings (Usha, Lata, Asha and Hriday). The song is as follows (translated into English from Marathi) –
‘O Ocean, take me back to my motherland; My soul is tormented.
I had always seen you,
Washing the feet of my motherland.
You led me to a different country,
To experience the diversity of nature there.
Knowing that my mother’s heart was full of anguish,
You promised her that you would take me back;
I was reassured.
I believed that my experience of the world,
Would help me to serve her better.
Saying that I would return soon,
I took leave of her.
Oh, Ocean, I am now pining for my motherlandLike a doe caught in a snare,
The promise you made was deceptive!
I cannot suffer the separation anymore,
Darkness envelops me everywhere.
I had accumulated flowers of virtues,
In the hope that my mother will be rendered fragrant with their smell.
What use, this burden of knowledge and virtues
If my mother cannot prosper from it?
I miss the love of the mango tree, the flowers in my garden back home the blossoming creepers and the blooming rose… I feel desolate…
Oh Ocean, I am pining for her… Take me back to my motherland
Oh Ocean, I am pining for her…
In Cellular Jail, Savarkar wrote another poem “Jayostute” (Victory to you) in Marathi.
‘Jayostute’ deserves to be our National Anthem as this was written by our freedom fighter, Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in the most tumultuous of sufferings undergone by a genuine patriot. There are no doubts or suspicions regarding the circumstances in which This Patriotic song has been composed. This is quite unlike another song, which many claim was written to please British masters.
In ‘Jayostute’, Savarkar sang paeans to the Goddess of Freedom.
Jayostute
(original in Marathi)
ज्योस्तु तेश्रीमहन्मंगले। शिवास्पदे शुभदे
स्वतंत्रते भगवति। त्वामहं यशोयुतां वंदे
राष्ट्राचेचैतन्य मूर्त तूं नीतिसंपदांची
स्वतंत्रते भगवति। श्रीमतीराज्ञीतूत्यांची
परवशतेच्यानभांत तूंचीआकाशीहोशी
स्वतंत्रते भगवती। चांदणी चमचम लखलखशी।।
गालावरच्याकुसुमीकिंवाकुसुमांच्यागाली
स्वतंत्रते भगवती। तूचजीविलसतसे लाली
तूं सूर्याचेतेजउदधिचेगांभीर्यहि तूंची
स्वतंत्रते भगवती। अन्यथा ग्रहण नष्ट तेंची।।मोक्ष मुक्तिहीतुझीच रूपें तुलाच वेदांती
स्वतंत्रते भगवतीIयोगिजनपरब्रह्म वदती
जेजेउत्तमउदात्तउन्नतमहन्मधुर तेंतें
स्वतंत्रते भगवती। सर्व तवसहचारी होते।।हे अधम रक्त रंजिते। सुजन-पुजिते! श्रीस्वतंत्रते
तुजसाठिं मरण तें जनन
तुजविणजननतेमरण
तुजसकलचराचरशरण
स्वतंत्रते भगवतीIत्वामहं यशोयुतांवंदे।।
The following is the translation of ‘Jayostute’ into English –
Victory to you, O Auspicious One, the Munificent and Holy!
O Goddess of Freedom, I seek your blessings for success
You are the embodiment of our national spirit, our morality and our accomplishments
O glorious Goddess of Freedom, you are the Queen of righteousness
In the dark skies of enslavement
O Goddess of Freedom, you are the shining star of hope.
Whether on flowers as soft as cheeks, or on cheeks as soft as flowers!
O Goddess of Freedom, You are that blush of confidence!
You are the radiance of the Sun, the majesty of the Ocean
O Goddess of Freedom, but for you the Sun of Freedom is eclipsed.O Goddess of Freedom, you are the face of eternal happiness and liberation,
That is why the scriptures hail you as the supreme soul.
All that is ideal, magnificent and sweet,
O Goddess of Freedom, is associated with youYou are the destroyer of evil (stained with their blood), O Goddess of Freedom
Life is to die for you,
Death is to live without you.
All creation surrenders unto you!Victory to you, O Auspicious One, the Munificent and Holy!
O Goddess of Freedom, I seek your blessings for success
Savarkar composed his first poem when he was eleven. He wrote ‘Swadeshichaphatka’ at that tender age of 11 when he was still in school. He wrote poems throughout his entire adult life. He wrote hundreds of poems on the walls of his Cell in A&N Islands. It is estimated that he wrote up to 6000 poems on the walls. His famous plays were ‘Usshap’, ‘Sanyastakhadga’ and ‘Uttarkriya’.
His contribution to Marathi literature is immense. He composed pawadas (ballads). One of his famous poems is Raarakaaspahun. His other famous poems include ‘Sagara’ and ‘Jayostute’. He also wrote poems opposing the cruel practice of ‘untouchability’.
Third, he was also a very good Historian, who had read countless Books of History and who had keenly observed the Independence Movement in India. He wrote – Joseph Mazzini, the biography of the Italian revolutionary, 1857 Che Swatantra Samar (First Independence Struggle 1857), Shikhancha Itihas – The History of the Sikhs, Mazi Janmathep ( narrating his ordeals at Kaala Paani), Kale Pani and many others. His other well-known books were Hindu-Pad-Padshaahi on Maratha History and ‘Six Glorious Epochs.’
Fourth, He was also a proponent of Hindutva Philosophy. His book of 1922, ‘The Essence of Hindutva’ revolutionized the nation. ‘Hindutva’ as defined by Veer Savarkar is –‘Everyone, who considers this land, from the river Sindhu till the sea as his or her fatherland/motherland and holy land is a Hindu.’ His book, ‘Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?’ is yet another remarkable book.
Eight works of Savarkar were banned by the British government. They included ‘Mazzini’, the biography of the Italian Patriot who fought for Italy’s unification and Independence. Mazzini was a great inspiration to Savarkar. Savarkar was influenced by both Indian freedom fighters and by freedom fighters outside India, too. He respected heroes from other nations but was devoted to Bharat. He greatly admired Chhatrapati Sivaji. His drama Usshaap was banned. His brother ran a magazine called ‘Shraddhanand’. The magazine used to carry his articles regularly. The magazine was banned by the British.
He called for a single unifying language to unite India. He wished that should one common link language in India.
An Inspiration To Many
Savarkar inspired countless freedom fighters like Madan Lal Dhingra, Chandrasekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and S.C. Bose. British Officer, J.P.Saunders was assassinated by Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev and all three freedom fighters were hanged.
Everyone appreciated the valour and greatness of Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar including the likes of Rash Behari Bose – the founder of the Indian National Army, Subhas Chandra Bose – the successor of R.C.Bose and the Legal Luminary and champion of the Socially Depressed classes, Shri. B.R.Ambedkar.
Ninth, Savarkar helped to design the first Indian National Flag, which Madam Cama unfurled at the World Socialist Conference at Stuttgart, Germany.
There are people right inside India, who spew venom about him. They don’t understand the personality who was convicted indirectly for the murder of A.T.M. Jackson, Collector of Nasik. Jackson was supposedly sympathetic towards Indian aspirations. They fail to realise that Savarkar was a very intelligent man. He knew that the British who ruled India were cruel, cunning and pretentious. He knew that the British officials only pretended to be sympathetic to Indian aspirations and even if they were really sympathetic, it was insufficient to get rid of our British imperialist masters from Indian soil. He knew that we Indians would need to pick up the cudgels against each and every British official in British ruled India.
Books On Savarkar
Many valuable books have been written including two valuable volumes on Savarkar by author and historian, Vikram Sampath. BJP leader S.G. Suryah has translated My Transportation For Life in Tamil. Another author Ashutosh Deshmukh wrote ‘Braveheart Savarkar’.
There was a slogan coined by Savarkar – ‘One Country, One God, One Caste, One Mind, brothers… all of us without difference.’ The important point to note is that what Savarkar wanted was that all Bharatiya people should realise that we are brothers and sisters without difference of land, religion, or caste. Nevertheless, it is important to respect different identities.
Savarkar passed away on the 26 February 1966 at the age of 82 after a long-drawn fast.
Savarkar had to endure much sufferings, cruelty, injustice, loss of domestic bliss, development of health issues and coping mechanisms due to his long years under tortuous conditions in the dreaded Cellular Jail (Kaala Paani) at the Andaman Islands. So, if anyone has any problems with calling Savarkar a patriot and calls him a coward – one is quite tempted to bless such an individual with some years in incarceration like Savarkar and see as to how they cope with life!
Even Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi recognized and honored the legacy of the great patriot Veer Savarkar by issuing a commemorative stamp on Veer Savarkar in 1970. She also donated a sum of Rs.11,000 from her personal account to Savarkar Trust. She also ordered the Films Division of India to produce a documentary film on the life of the ‘Great Revolutionary’ on the life of Veer Savarkar that she personally cleared in 1983.
Thus, the contributions of Savarkar in his one life-time cannot be replicated easily. There are only few great achievers in this mortal sphere like Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
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