Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice organised a Zoom event on "Revolutionary landmarks of Gujarat" on August 12, 2023. Noted journalist, writer, poet, columnist, and historian, Padma Shri Vishnu Pandya, was the keynote speaker at the event.
At the beginning of the programme, Editor and Publisher of ABPL Group CB Patel, said that "India gained independence on August 15 when Mahatama Gandhi took up the 'Quit India' movement. Today, India has completed 75 years of independence, and it is undergoing a wonderful transformation."
He added, "I remember, then Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Moraribapu were present at the launch of Vishnubhai's book "ગુજરાતનાં ક્રાંતિતીર્થો" (Revolutionary landmarks of Gujarat) in Ahmedabad. These two notables talked a lot about Vishnubhai at that time. Gujarat has always been a crucial part of India. Gandhiji was not the first martyr from Gujarat to sacrifice and dedicate his life to the cause of independence. Without any regard to caste or religion, people fought against British control, including tribals. Vishnubhai and his wife late Artiben Pandya researched the work of literature on the revolutionaries of Gujarat."
The consulting editor of Gujarat Samachar, Jyotsna Shah thanked everyone present at the event and said, "The month of revolution is August. Vishnubhai has made significant contributions to literature for 40 years and has a wonderful personality. He also writes a column for Gujarat Samachar. He and his late wife wrote a book that has a dignified saga of several heroes and places. He has also graced the chairmanship of the Gujarat Sahitya Akademi. More recently, he has elaborated in his articles about the glory of Bhakti-Shakti, and the month of Shravan and Krantiveera."
There are 101 revolutionaries in Gujarat, each with its own story and documents, says Vishnubhai
Talking about his life experiences and events in his book, Vishnubhai said, “CB Patel is known in many ways and he encourages others. As soon as my book was published, I got a call from him saying, 'Let's do a programme.' However, I was apprehensive about it because I am not an organisation man. CB himself arranged everything and Moraribapu and the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi came to the event and also gave a speech.”
“Today I want to talk about my book. Gujarat has 101 revolutionaries, each with their own biography and supporting documentation - a culture of self-sacrifice. Months have passed since the occurrences were discussed. After finding 101 revolutionaries, there were many places in Gujarat which where ignited after hearing their heroic deeds. Some of the revolutionaries were hanged, some were put in the Andaman jail, some joined the satyagraha and some others had fallen to the bullet of the policemen. I am not exaggerating at all,” he added.
“A young man named Chhagan Kheraj Verma went to San Francisco and published a Gujarati newspaper 'Gadar'. In that, he wrote that the change of society takes place only through the mother tongue. In 1857, this man went to Singapore to stage another mutiny in the Indian army and was hanged there. The first and last journalist to be hanged was a revolutionary Gujarati journalist,” he said.
He emphasised, “There was a small-scale uprising in 1857 among kings, feudal lords, landlords, and troops. It was fought by Patels, Brahmins, Bhils, and Kshatriyas as well as regular men. Okha, Sandhis, and Pathans were all warriors as well. They were all weak, common individuals who had not yet engaged in combat. According to data, 10,000 people were sacrificed in Gujarat during 1857. This was an unusual revolution for ordinary people.”
“Arti and I have been able to narrate some of these stories. At that time, there were no smartphones, so in a small car, we travelled to 101 places in Gujarat, about 8 years and went there to take pictures, meet people, and get documents. It was the land of satyagraha, armed revolution, and sacrifices,” he added.
Talking about women empowerment during the freedom struggle, he said, “ After 1857 in Dwarka, an Englishman named General Donavan came ashore with a navy and fired cannonballs from a ship at the temple of Dwarkadhish. At that time, the Vaghera people had pistols, and they thought about how to implement the idea. Many Vaghera caste women gathered in the Dwarka temple and took out their wet mattresses and quilts to dodge the cannon ball. However, we do not have the names of those unknown women or how many died.”
He stated, “In 1857, Nanasaheb Peshwa's brother Rao Saheb went to Dwarka, made an agreement there, and sided with the Vaghera, who fought from 1820 to 1865. The two veteran heroes who stood with him in that support were Jodha Manek and Bholo Manek. Jodha Manek was a philosopher and warrior who died fighting in the forest of Gir.”
“Moulu Manek was caught, kept in Vadodara jail, and escaped. There were five people with him. Jhaverchand Meghani called them five Pandavas. All these five Pandavas were resting in the hut of the exhausted, hungry, and thirsty Dalits of the Padar village of Pachhoda near Porbandar. Someone there got to know, and the whole police convoy came from Porbandar and surrounded them from all sides. Moulu Manek then said to one of his shepherd companions, 'If there is a bounty on my head, you go and tell them that Moulu Manek is here, and if you catch him, you will get the bounty.' At this time, the cops set fire to the hut, prompting the group to emerge and fight back, displaying gallantry even if they died or lived together. Today, if you visit the padar in the village of Pachhoda, all five of the pillars are there as a tribute to the warriors,” he added.
Talking about the people from the UK who made contributions during the freedom struggle, he said, “Some Londoners have ancestors from Kutch and Saurashtra. Pandit Shyamjikrishna Varma from Mandvi travelled to London and became the first graduate, while Barrister Rana from Kantharia in Surendranagar went to Paris and started the India House and Indian Sociology newspapers after visiting India and returning.”
“This newspaper ran from 1905 to 1923. Savarkar, Lala Hardayal, Virendranath Chattopadhyay, and Madanlal Dhingra were in India House at that time. What achievements occurred in 1905! Some of those locations still exist, while others do not. On the left side of Mashvel Hill Road, he used to live. There was an archway bridge right there. Once, CB Patel and I were walking over that bridge. I understood that Pandit Shyamjikrishna Varma and other revolutionaries would be going here for an evening stroll. A beautiful and neat three-storied building on Mashvel Hill was the residence of Pandit Shyamjikrishna Varma, “ he added.
He said, “Another structure, known as India House, is comparable. Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Vande Mataram are inscribed on a flag that has two other pointers circled. Hemant Padhya, a dedicated Londoner, works on this project to maintain it as a legacy.”
“In London in 1905, an Indian restaurant on Shaftesbury Avenue hosted a celebration honouring the half-century anniversary of the freedom movement in 1857. Pentonville Prison is another location that is seen as you travel down London's Caledonian Road. This is not simply a prison; it is also an execution shrine to Madanlal Dhingra and Sardar Udham Singh, two of our greatest sons,” he added.
He stated, “The history of Victoria Station is also present. After being detained, Vinayakarao Damodar Savarkar, who had travelled from Paris to London through the Victoria railway station, jumped from the port of Marseilles before being apprehended, caught, and given a two-life sentence in the Andaman Islands.”
“The defendant, Zawerchand Kalidas Meghani, was presented in the commercial court in 1930. It was said that he organised a seditious gathering in Barwala to stir up support for Gandhiji's Salt March. When the charge sheet was filed, Meghani said, 'On the day and time you made the charge, I was sleeping in my house, but you can do anything you want to.' Under which Justice Ishani sentenced him to 2 years. People said, 'Sir, this is our beloved poet; let him sing poetry.' Under which the judge said yes. Meghani stood in the cage and chanted his last prayer,” he added.
The vote of thanks was given by Shrijit Rajan, operations manager.
