Veer Savarkar- A profile in courage

Abhinav Bharat

For  Savarkar, Abhinav Bharat was the perfect platform for armed revolution.  The inspiration was the Italian revolutionary nationalist Mazinni, as well as the Irish and Russian revolutionaries. And to some extent the 1857 Revolution, which he would later describe as the First War of Indian Independence. He believed in armed revolution through guerilla warfare, and also infilitrating the ranks of the police and Army with officers having nationalist sympathies.  What he envisaged was a broad based alliance against the British, with Russia, Ireland and other nations, that had their own grievances, which would launch a concerted attack on British institutions and centers of power.  Staging small scale revolts, essentially bushfires, making it hard for the administration to govern, spreading the insurrection slowly but steadily. And when Britian would be locked in a larger war with other imperial powers, take advantage of the scenario, declare armed revolt and keep making attempts, till death. Savarkar was more of a pragmatist, he knew that the British would not leave India, just because some of their men were killed.

Also he never neglected his studies or regular physical exercise, in his quest for the armed revolution.  He emphasized every member of the Mitramela, to do the same, and not neglect either their studies or physical activity. He even passed a rule, that every member of the Mitramela should have passed their school examination. Rigorous physical exercise was prescribed to make the members be prepared for prison, starvation, torture and hard labor. Savarkar himself used to undertake rigorous exercise, like sit ups, wrestling, Malkhamb, which would stand him in good stead in future, and keep him fit.

By 1901, Savarkar entered matriculation, at a time when his family's finances were rather delicate. He decided to enter public service, in order to bear a part of the family's burden. He studied hard and passed the public service examination, which would help him to get a Government job. However his brother Babarao had different ideas, to him, Savarkar working for a measly 20 rupees and giving up on his education was anathema.

Savarkar himself was keen on doing his higher education, whatever be the obstacles in way for him. He was even prepared to work as a domestic help, or a sweeper, whatever it took, to finance his higher education. His appeal to his mentor Paranjpe, asking for assistance for higher education at Pune did not work out. There was a situation, when he was sick with typhoid, and in a state of delirium, expressed his concern with Babarao, about his higher education. At once his brother reassured.

"You will be educated, I will do anything, even beg for food, if necessary. But I shall not fail in educating you".

Fortunately help came in the form of their maternal uncle, who one day arrived to announce that Tatya's marriage had been fixed.  He was initially reluctant about marriage, as he was more keen on higher education. Finally he agreed to the marriage, on one condition that his would be father in law, Bhaurao Chiplunkar, finance his education. Chiplunkar had no second thoughts about it

"Tatya's education!! I don't have to give a promise to any one about my son's education. It is my duty".

With this assurance, Savarkar was married to Yamunabai Savarkar or more affectionately known as Mai, sometime in March 1901. 

"Behind every successful man is a woman" so goes the common saying.Her real name was Yashoda, and she came from a background, totally different to that of Veer Savarkar's. Where her husband came from a modest family, supported by his elder brother, she came from a rich and influential family. Born to Ramchandra Trimbak aka Bhaurao and Lakshmibai aka Manutai Chiplunkar in Thane district on Dec 4,1888, her real name was Yashoda. Her father Bhaurao Chiplunkar was the Dewan of the principality of Jawahar in Thane District, and she grew up in the lap of luxury. Fondly called Jiji, she was unassuming and down to earth inspite of coming from a very wealthy background. She was friends with Savarkar's sister in law Yashoda, wife of his elder brother Babarao. The Chiplunkars were good friends with the Savarkar family, and Bhaurao was impressed by Vinayak's intellect, his erudition, his integrity. It was Savarkar's Mama, who bought forth the alliance, and Bhaurao agreed to bear Savarkar's educational expenses too. Vinayak in turn, greatly respected Bhaurao, and saw in him the father figure he had missed early in life.

She entered into his home and soon imbibed her husband's nationalism and patriotic spirit. Fond of singing, she lent voice to Vinayak's patriotic poems and ballads, and make the other women members of the family memorize them. She became a member of the Atmanishtha Yuvati Samaj, a body started for women by Babarao's wife Yashoda, to inculcate the nationalist feelings in women, and make them politically aware. Their meetings would typically begin with the patriotic songs of Aba Darekar, and then would read out Savarkar's poems and his anti British articles from the Keshari. The members were required to take the following oath.

In the name of the Motherland, Shivaji Raja who won freedom through war and Bhavani Mata who gives strength, I hereby give witness before Shivaji and Bhavani Durga Devi that I shall use swadeshi goods only, love my country more than my life, strive for my country's freedom and help those who are doing so.

The ladies of the group wore glass bangles made in India only, and only coarse hand made cloth. They felicitated Tilak's wife Satyabhama Bai when she visited Nashik, and in 1908, they also raised funds for the defense of him in court.

Bhaurao Chiplunkar bore the educational expenses of Savarkar, in fact he helped him to get admission into Pune's prestigious Fergusson College. Vinayak in turn would visit Mai, regularly at Jawahar, and his epic poem Kamala was based on her to an extent.

With the Matriculation exam just a year away, Savarkar decided to go to Bombay, for some privacy.  But not before a meeting of the Mitramemal was convened, and a plan of action was agreed upon. Staying in Angrewadi in Bombay, Savarkar completed the examination, and returned back to Nashik. However with the city in throes of a deadly plague, he went to Kothur, his grandfather's place, a small town on the banks of the Godavari.  It was at Kothur, that his poetic skills came to the fore, when he composed a long poem, on the Godavari, captivated by it's beauty. At the request of the local ministrels, he also composed epic ballads for them. His essay on who was the greatest Peshwa was published in Karamanuk, a magazine run by the great Marathi novelist, Hari Narayan Apte.

On his return to Nashik, he came to know about his success in the matriculation examination on November 19,1901. He wrote a letter to his father in law, inquiring on college admission in Pune. Chiplunkar, asked him to apply, and he accordingly did so for Fergusson College, Pune, where he was accepted. A new chapter was to begin in his life at Pune, but Nashik was where he grew from a boy to a man, from teenage to adulthood. It laid the foundation for his ideology and thought proceess.  Elated members of the Mitramela, bade him farewell, at a public meeting, as he looked forward to a new beginning, at Pune.