Thursday 8 March 2018

{Daily Katha:1465} Sister Nivedita: The Dedicated - Who gave her all to India – 35

यतो धर्म: ततो जय:


Nivedita as Agnishikha in Freedom Movement - 3


The government in its anti-Indian policy was moving against civil servants and other leaders. Arrests and deportations heralded the outbreak of open rebellion. The bombs exploded in May, 1907. The prisons were full. Bhupendranath Dutta (younger brother of Swami Vivekananda) was arrested and sent to jail. Other members also were arrested. Their families were left in lurch. Nivedita organized relief for the families. Whether she was at Dum-Dum or Bagh Bazar, her house was refuge with food, money and maps for those who had to escape. Nivedita tried to get Bhupendranath released but in the process, she was put on the government list. She did not remain un-implicated in the manufacture of bombs in the Muraripukur Road Laboratory. The nationalist leaders begged her to leave India for time being till the things cooled down.

As such Nivedita had planned the visit of Europe with Bose family and Mrs. Bull. But in the prevailing situation she felt it was much better that Dr. Jagadish Chandra Bose and his wife leave before and she would leave later unnoticed. Thus, Nivedita left second time for long tour of Europe.  In the voyage, Nivedita felt the nightmare that was in India for many families of the revolutionaries. When she crossed and reached Europe it was as if coming to the different planet. The freedom of speech and action, the ostentatious show of prosperity, made her think what was she doing here when she was needed in India. But when she reached London, however, she found road of activity opening. The concerned English were listening to her. The doors of House of Commons was opened to her whenever Indian affairs were on the agenda. The information that she got there she made good use of it to write articles raising the Bengal issue. But news from India got worse. All nationalist publications were suppressed. She understood what her function in London was: It was to act as liaison officer between the scattered Indian Nationalist centers in England, in the continent and in America. She organized by clandestine method the publication distribution of banned newspapers. She also organized the stay etc. of the exiles who came to America. 

After Nivedita returned, the situation in India had cooled down but the movement also had scattered. She again started taking active part in it. Through her British acquaintances, she came to know that the police are going to arrest Aurbindo Ghosh. After getting this information Aurbindo escaped and reached to Chadernagor a place in South India which was in possession of French and thus British could not touch him. For few months, Nivedita continued to edit 'Karmayogin', - the paper run by Aurbindo - so well that many did not even realize that it is not written by Aurbindo.
 
Nivedita and Arubindo Ghosh were two of the five committee members which co-ordinated the activities of the revolutionaries in India. Aurbindo called Nivedita 'Agnishikha' – the flames of fire. Initially the participation of Sister Nivedita in freedom movement was not much known but as the new research and documents are available, her intense participation is evident. Another great thing about Sister Nivedita is that though her heart and support was with the nationalists and the revolutionaries she also had very cordial relations with the leaders of moderates like Gopal Krishna Gokhale. Anyone working for the freedom of India, partially or fully, mildly or vibrantly was supported by her. Due to these protests against the partition of Bengal, British had to give in and the two parts of Bengal were reunited on 12 December 1911 just two months after the demise of Sister Nivedita.

To be continue...



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