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Ramprasad Bismil was a
brave revolutionary who gave up his life smilingly for the sake of
the Motherland. He was persecuted by an enraged foreign government,
hunted by the police and betrayed by follow workers. And yet he lit
the fire of revolution to burn down the slavery. He was the brave
leader of the Kakori Rail Dacoity episode. His poetry is also a lamp
lighted at the altar of the Mother land. Kakori is a village near
Lucknow. It became famous, because the attack on the train took
place near by.
It was the evening of
the 9th of August 1925; the number eight down train was passing near
Kakori. Ramaprasad and his nine revolutionary followers pulled the
chain and stopped it. They looted the money belonging to the
government, deposited in the Guard's carriage. Excepting that one
passenger was killed by an accidental shot, there was no
bloodshed. This extremely well planned dacoity jolted the
government. After a month of detailed preliminary inquiries and
elaborate preparations the government cast its net wide for the
revolutionaries. Arrest warrants were issued not only against the
ten participants but also against other leaders of the Hindusthan
Republican Association. With the lone exception of Chandrashekhar
Azad, all participants were caught.
The case went on for over a year and a half, Ramaprasad, Ashfaqullah
Roshan Singh and Rajendra Lahiri all four were sentenced to death, A
strong campaign was organized throughout India to save the lives of
these revolutionary heroes. All the leaders of public life appealed
to the British Government to show mercy to the condemned men. But
the Government was unyielding. It was the 18th of December 1927. A
middle-aged lady was waiting at the main gates of the Gorakhpur
Central Jail. Her face was radiant but anxiety was writ large on it.
She was eagerly waiting to be called into the prison. By that time
her husband also arrived there. He was surprised that his wife was
there before him. He also sat down to wait for the call.
Another young man came there. He was not related to them. He knew
that the couple would be permitted to enter the prison.But how could
he manage to enter? This was his problem.
The officials of the prison called in the husband and the wife. The
young man followed them. The guard stopped him and rudely asked,
"Who are you?"
"Permit him also, brother. He is my sister's son", the lady said in
an entreating voice.
The guard relented.
All the three entered the prison to visit a freedom fighter that was
to face his death on the morrow.
The freedom fighter was brought there in chains. They were like
ornaments on him. This was the last time that he could see his
mother, the last time he could address her as 'Mother'. At this
thought grief welled up in him. He stood speechless and tears rolled
down his cheeks.
In a firm voice the mother said, 'What is this, my son? I had
thought of my son as a great hero. I was thinking that the British
Government would shiver at the very mention of his name. I never
thought that my son would be afraid of death. If you can die only in
this way, weeping, why did you take up such activities?"
The officials were astounded at the firmness of the mother. The
freedom fighter replied, "Mother dear, these are not tears of fear -
the fear of death. These are tears of joy - joy at beholding so
brave as mother!"
The brave son of that brave mother was Ramaprasad Bismil. He was the
leader of the famous Kakori Rail Dacoity case.
The last meeting ended.Next morning Ramaprasad got up earlier than
usual, bathed and said his morning prayers. He wrote his last letter
to his mother. Then he sat down with a calm mind awaiting his death.
The officials came and removed his chains. They took him from the
prison cell-towards his death.He was completely untroubled and
walked like a hero. The officials were amazed. As he moved to the
gallows he joyfully chanted Vande Matharam' and 'Bharath Matha ki
Jai'. At the top of his voice he shouted down with the British
Empire." Then he calmly recited prayers like 'Vishwani deva
savithaha dunithani.... And embraced death.
As he was being executed, there was a strong guard around the
prison. When he was dead the officials brought out the dead body.
Not only his parents but also hundreds of his countrymen were
waiting in tears.The people of Gorakhpur deco rated the body of the
brave son of Bharath as befitted a hero and carried it in a
procession. Flowers were showered on the body, and the last rites
were performed.
Ramaprasad Bismil joined the select band of martyrs who dreamt of a
free India and made the supreme sacrifice, so that the dream might
come true.
'Bismil' is the penname
of Ramaprasad. As 'Bismil' he is well known as a great revolutionary
poet in Hindi. At the end of his autobiography, he has reproduced
some selected poems. Every line of his poems throbs with patriotic
fervor.
In one poem he prays: 'Even if I have to face death a thousand times
for the sake of my Motherland, I shall not be sorry. Oh Lord!Grant
me a hundred births in Bharath. But grant me this, too, that each
time I may give up my life in the service of the Mother land.'
In a poem written just before going to the gallows, he prays: 'Oh
Lord! Thy will be done. You are unique. Neither my tears nor I will
endure. Grant me this boon, that to my last breath and the last drop
of my blood, I may think of you and be immersed in your work.'
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