Dr Keshava Baliram Hedgewar, RSS Founder
Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar (April
1, 1889 – June 21, 1940) was the founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh (RSS). Hedgewar founded the RSS in Nagpur, Maharashtra in 1925,
with the intention of promoting the concept of the Hindu nation. Dr.
Hedgewar was born in 1889 on Gudi Padwa day YUGAADI,
the New Year for people from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
He hailed from a family which was originally from Kundakurti, a small
village in Bodhan taluka Nizamabad Dist. near the border
of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh states.
The full text of the book on Dr KB Hegdewar is given below.
-Editor
Dr. Hedgewar The Epoch Maker
Chapter-1: BLOSSOMING BUD
Hundreds of villages and cities all over Bharat had gone gay with
festivities that day. Banners and buntings adorned public places, and
trumpets blew. There were processions and adulatory speeches everywhere.
Sweets were distributed to boys and the poor were fed. The elite were
accorded distinctions, and titles conferred on scholars. While the
elders themselves were so jubilant, what to speak of young children?
There was an endless flow of sweets and the children were exuberant. The
‘grand’ occasion was the 60th anniversary of the Coronation of Queen
Queen Victoria- 22nd June 1897. But one small boy-just eight years of
age-remained sullen, sad. Though convivial by nature, he refused to join
the other boys in the school celebration. He quietly came home, threw
away the sweets in a corner and sat down depressed. Surprised at this
stance, his elder brother asked him, “Keshav, didn’t you get the
sweets?” Keshav answered, “of course, I got it. But, our Bhonsle dynasty
was liquidated by these Britishers. How can we participate in these
imperial celebrations?”
It was this instinctive patriotism which in later days blossomed and
burst forth in all its radiance in the form of the peerless patriot and
incomparable moulder of men. Dr. Keshav Baliram hedgewar.
The hedgewar family originally hailed from Kandkurti village in
telangana- a village with a population of just over two thousand.
Kandkurti is in the Bodhana tehsil in the Indore (Nizamabad) district,
situated on the border between Andhra and Maharashtra. Near the village
is the sacred confluence of Godavari, Vanjra and Haridra rivers. The
hallowed Vanjra confluence finds mention even in the puranas. As if
reflecting this sangam, one finds in this area a delightful admixture of
three languages-Kannada, Telugu and Marathi.
The place was at one time the abode of scholars and prosperous Brahmin
families. The Hedgewar family was one such. They were Deshastha Brahmins
of the Shakala branch, belonging to the Ashwalayana Sutra of the
Rigveda. Their gotra was Kashyapa, and learning and learning and
transmission of the Vedas was their sole preoccupation. The agnihotra
too was in vogue. There are documents indicating that in the course of
his travels, Sri Shankaracharya used to nominate someone from the
Hedgewar family to be in charge of propagation of Dharma in this area.
Many are the families claiming to be followers of the Hedgewars, and
their family documents speak with utmost reverence of the Hedgewars
saying, “Hedage kulaguru poorvapara, jaise suryavamsha vasisthavara” (“The tradition of Hedge kulagurus is (glorious) like that of Vasishtha in the solar dynasty.”)
In the beginning of nineteenth century, many Brahmin families left the
Telangana region owing to the neglect and penury suffered by them under
the Mughals. Several such families chose to settle in Nagpur since the
Bhonsle rulers were great patrons of Vedic learning. Among them was
Narahara Shastri, the great-grandfather of Baliram pant of the Hedgewar
clan. In 1853, Nagpur came under the yoke of the British rulers, and
English education gained prominence to the utter neglect of traditional
learning. Great scholars, well versed in many shastras, had to resort to
priestcraft of earn their livelihood. Even under such hard conditions,
Vedamurti baliram pant Hedgewar sustained the family tradition with
efficiency and erudition.
His wife Revatibai came from the Paithankar family, and was known for
her serenity and amiable temperament. Despite poverty, the couple spent
their days in peace and happiness.
It was in such peaceful environs that Keshav was born, on the felicitous
Yugadi (New Year) day, in the year Virodhi, 1811 of the Shaka Era,
corresponding to Sunday, 1st April, 1889, in the early morning
hours.
And that was the auspicious hour when the bhonsle palace and every Hindu
home in Nagpur hoisted the insignia-gudi-symolizing the victory of
Shalivahana over the invading Shakas, an historic moment of national
deliverance. How significant the birth of the child Keshav at this hour
was!
Keshav was the fifth issue for his parents. They had six issues in all:
three sons-Mahadev, Seetaram and Keshav; and three daughters – Saroo,
Rajoo and Rangoo. The frolics of the children enlivened the atmosphere
of the household, and spread joy all around. From the moment of offering
pranam to the family deity in the morning, up to the time of reciting
“Shubham karoti kalyanam” after lighting the lamp in the evening, the
children were constantly exposed to traditional samskars and cultural
ways.
The boy’s concern for learning was not to the neglect of sound physique.
They ate wholesome food, and possessed frames of steel. And among the
lot, the eldest son mahadev Shastri was outstanding. He had the bearing
of an ustad, wore shirts made of fine mulmul and sported talisman on his
neck, adding to his distinguished appearance. He had completed his
vedic training in Varanasi and taken to the family profession. He was,
however, keenly interested in body-building, and had converted portion
of the house into gymnasium. He had equipped it with weights, mace and
other paraphernalia needed for workouts. He took delight in training the
neighboring youth also in gymnastics. He contributed his share to the
maintenance of the household, but a substantial part of his earning was
spent for feeding the trainees and friends at the gymnasium.
Added to his forbidding physical appearance, Mahadev Shastri had a fiery
temperament and would explode like volcano at the sight of injustice or
discourtesy. He once espied from the terrace some mischievous persons
pestering an innocent by passer. His blood rose. He at once jumped from
the terrace directly on to the road and gave the mischief mongers the
thrashing of their life. They felt lucky to have escaped alive.
In performing challenging tasks, the three brothers vied with one
another. Once a new well had been dug, and the consecration was to take
place. The brothers decided to remove all the dredge and clean the
water. But they knew that the elders would not permit such a hazardous
venture. At the dead of night, when the others were asleep, the
irrepressible threesome got up, stored enough water for the next day,
and carried out the dredging operation throughout the night. At dawn the
next day, crystal-clear water was oozing from the well-spring.
For nearly a score of years, at the close of last century and the
beginning of the present, there were repeated outbreaks of plague in the
country. It is said the epidemic took toll of about a crore fo lives.
People died like worms, partly for want of effective drugs and artly
because of the callousness of the alien officialdom. Out of the one lakh
population of Nagpur, two to three hundred people died every day for
weeks on end. Baliram Pant Hedgewar was ever ready to help with the
obsequies of the deceased. On some days he had to visit the crematorium
as many as twenty times, but he never shirked from this religious
obligation. He had to take bath a number of times each day. He refused
to vacate the house, though many other families had moved to escape the
dreaded epidemic. Though the house was maintained in a meticulously
clean manner, eventually rats appeared, After this Baliram Pant shifted
to the house of his son-in-low. There too, the plague did not spare him.
His wife Revatibai contracted the disease. One day Seetaram Pant went
out to buy drugs. When he returned he found both the parents dead
(1902). Both the corpses were carried together and were consigned to the
flames on the same pyre. Keshav was then just thirteen years of age.
The sad and heart-rending death of both father and mother had left
children rudderless on the ocean of life.
As if to make their cup of misery full, with the passing away of the
elders, Mahadev Shastri took to a loose and indisciplined life. And the
younger brothers Seetaram and Keshav had to bear the brunt. The latter
had to do all the household chores from splitting firewood and storing
water to cooking. On occasions they had to go without food. They had
long since got used to moving about in torn clothes. And to add to it,
they had to stand gratuitous abuse and beatings from their elder
brother. Disgusted with all this, Seetaram Pant left the house and went
away to Indore to pursue his Vedic studies. Keshav spent most of his
time in friends’ houses.
But Keshav was highly self-respecting. Even when he was tormented by
extreme hunger, he never accepted food from his friends. He never begged
for money. His interest in the studies continued unabated. His name
invariably appeared among the top five of the class. Calm and given to
few words. He was of a very warm disposition. This trait earned him many
lifelong friends. He was greatly liked by the teachers. Keshav’s
favourite routine included four or five miles of running, a hearty
swimming session and various games with his friends. On holidays, the
group adjourned to the nearby hill and, dividing themselves into two
sides, played ‘flag-battle’ for hours. Each side fought with consuming
passion to get the possession of the flag, which was the target. The
spirit of adventure entered into their blood.
In his infancy, Keshav’s imagination used to be fired with pride at the
sight of the grand pageant of cannons, elephants, horses, band,
body-guards etc. which accompanied the royal procession of Bhonsles.
That would make him think that Bhonsles were the real kings. But when he
joined the primary school, he began to see the light. Certain news
items appearing in papers and thrilling episodes of the contemporary
revolutionary heroes laid before his tender mind the shocking picture of
foreign domination. And when as a child he stepped into the primary
school and listened to the story of Shivaji, that great Hindu redeemer
became his chosen hero. As a result, the fiery streak of patriotism
began to manifest itself when he was hardly eight years old-when he
spotted the better stain of slavery in the sweets on the occasion of an
imperial celebration.
This instinctive national fervour of Keshav came to the fore on yet
another occasion. In 1901, King Edward VII ascended the throne of
England. The proprietors of the Empress Mills in Nagpur had arranged
colourful fireworks on that day. The entire city had congregated to
witness the rare event. But keshav refused to go, and told his young
friends, “it is shameful to celebrate the coronation of foreign ruler,
and I shall not be party to it.” Keshav was then just twelve years of
age.
In those days it was customary to fly the Union Jack atop the Sitabudi
fort in Nagpur. Keshav and his friends got a brain-wave: If only we
could replace that flag by ours, the removing the Union Jack. But the
premises were continuously guarded. How to reach the must? So, why not
dig a tunnel leading to the fort from a distant building?
The boys set about their project straightway. One room in the house of
their teacher Vaze had been Kept apart for the boys’ study. A pick-axe,
shovel and other implements were brought and they began digging in right
earnest, behind closed doors. When the room remained closed for two or
three days continuously, Vaze became suspicious and entered the room A
deep pit stared him in the face, beside a corner, anticipating
punishment. “what is this you have done?” shouted Vaze. Keshav and his
friends explained their intended venture. Vaze patiently advised that
boys should not waste their time in such foolhardy activities. However,
he could not help admiring the fervent patriotism that had prompted
their young minds to undertake the venture. In later days, after keshav
had left for Calcutta for higher studies, Vaze used to narrate this
incident with great pride and affection.
In those days Dr. Moonje was the most outstanding public figure in
Nagpur. He drew to himself youths of various persuasions, from
constitutionalist Moderates to firebrand revolutionaries. Keshav,
naturally, gravitated towards Dr. Moonje. Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak
had just then launched his ‘paisa fund’ through his newspaper Kesari
keshav worked ceaselessly in Nagpur for the success of that project. He
went from house to house for fund-raising. A true social worker neither
asks for anybody’s favour for him-self nor is he ashamed to beg for a
social cause. And this attitude, keshav had imbibed since his student
days.
Attending public meetings and listening to leaders’ speeches was
keshav’s favourite pastime. He and his friends naturally nursed the
ambition that they too would some day be able to deliver lectures for
propagating patriotism. As a training-ground, they started a debating
society and arranged periodical debating sessions. This activity
received great encouragement from the called “Swadesha Bandhava”
‘flag-battle’ for hours. Each side fought with consuming passion to get
the possession of the flag, which was the target. The spirit of
adventure entered into their blood.
In his infancy, Keshav’s imagination used to be fired with pride at the
sight of the grand pageant of cannons, elephants, horses, band,
body-guards etc. which accompanied the royal procession of Bhonsles.
That would make him think that Bhonsles were the real kings. But when he
joined the primary school. He began to see the light. Certain news
items appearing in papers and thrilling episodes of the contemporary
revolutionary heroes laid before his tender mind the shocking picture of
foreign domination. And when as a child he stepped into the primary
school and listened to the story of Shivaji, that great Hindu redeemer
became his chosen hero. As a result, the fiery streak of patriotism
began to manifest itself when he was hardly eight years old-when he
spotted the bitter stain of slavery in the sweets on the occasion of an
imperial celebration.
This instinctive national fervour of Keshav came to the fore on yet
another occasion. In 1901, King Edward VII ascended the throne of
England. The proprietors of the Empress Mills in Nagpur had arranged
colourful fireworks on that day. The entire city had congregated to
witness the rare event. But keshav refused to go, and told his young
friends, “it is shameful to celebrate the coronation of a foreign ruler,
and I shall not be a party to it.” Keshav was then just twelve years of
age.
In those days it was customary to fly the Union Jack atop the Sitaburdi
fort in Nagpur. Keshav and his friends got a brain-wave: If only we
could replace that flag by ours, the fort will belong to us! They
therefore thought of somehow guarded. How to reach the mast? So, why not
dig a tunnel leading to the fort from a distant building?
The boys set about their project straightway. One room in the house of
their teacher Vaze had been kept apart for the boy’s study. A pick-axe,
shovel and other implements were brought and they began digging in right
earnest, behind closed doors. When the room remained closed for two or
three days continuously, Vaze became suspicious and entered the room. A
deep pit stared him in the face, beside a huge mound of mud. The boys
nervously stood in a corner, anticipating punishment. “What is this you
have done?” shouted Vaze. Keshav and his friends explained their
intended venture. Vaze patiently advised that boys should not waste
their time in such foolhardy activities. However, he cou,ld not help
admiring the fervent patriotism that had prompted their young minds to
undertake the venture. In later days, after Keshav had left for Calcutta
for higher studies, Vaze used to narrate this incident with great pride
and affection. In those days Dr. Moonje was the most outstanding
public figure in Nagpur. He drew to himself youths of various
persuasions, from constitutionalist Moderates to firebrand
revolutionaries. Keshav, naturally, gravitated towards Dr. Moonje.
Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak had just then launched his ‘paisa fund’
through his newspaper Kesari. Keshav worked ceaselessly in Nagpur for
the success of that project. He went from house to house for
fund-raising. A true social worker neither asks for anybody’s favour for
him-self nor is he ashamed to beg for a social cause. And this
attitude, Keshav had imbibed since his student days.
Attending public meetings and listening to leaders’ speeches was
Keshav’s favourite pastime. He and his friends naturally nursed the
ambition that they too would some day be able to deliver lectures for
propagating patriotism. As a training-ground, they started a debating
society and arranged periodical debating sessions. This activity
received great encouragement form the group called “Swadesha Bandhava”
organized by Dr. Pandurangrao Khankhoji, who later became a famous
revolutionary. To encourage consumer products of Indian manufacture, a
store “Arya Bandhava Veethika” was opened by the “Swadesha Bandhava.”
The brand was of ‘five weapons’ – which carried its own message. Keshav
frequently worked there as a salesman. He also spread the message of
Swadeshi among his feriends.
These dynamic and purposeful activites naturally carried their message
to the youngsters’ hearts. Many of them made up their minds to stake
everything in the cause of national emancipation. The stifling political
and social environment stirred them to the core. The atmosphere in
those days in Nagpur has been vividly described in his autobiography by
the renowned revolutionary Ramlal Vajpayee, who had spent many years in
the United States preparing the ground for the Indians here for their
rising when the time came; “In a town with lakhs of people, an ordinary
Pathan from Kabul enters, beats up the helpless poor, and goes away with
his loot unhindered….. Slums have sprung up all round the Hislop
College. Drunken Muslim rowdies have made it their habit to abuse us
when we pass that way to reach the college. We do not react. An arrogant
British soldier kicks a poor soul in front of thousands and walks away.
Nobody reacts. When educated people like us go to the gymnasium for
body-building, others look upon us with contempt. One is totally at a
loss as to what could be done with such a society.”
It was in such a depressing atmosphere that Lord Curzon partitioned
Bengal in 1905. And this provided the much needed spark and the youth of
the country exploded in revolt. Sparks of revolution flew in all
directions. Protest meetings were held everywhere. Heaps of foreign
clothes were set on fire. The extremist youth sent forth their
battle-cry and many a British officer fell victim to their battle-cry
and many a british officer fell vivtim to their fury. It was followed by
the British officer fell victim to their fury. It was followed by the
British displaying their brute power through lathi-charges and firings.
Quite a few bright young men sacrificed their lives. Many more were
thrown behind bars. ‘Vande Mataram’ became the thunderous battle-cry of
an awakened nation. Maharshi Aurobindo Ghose wrote, “It was by means of
the mantra ‘Vande Mataram’ that the vow of patriotism was administered
to the entire country overnight.”
It was in 1907. Keshav had gone to Rampayali to visit his uncle Abaji
Hedgewar. Dasara had commenced. It was the custom to hold a mammoth fare
on the Vijaya Dashami day in which the entire village community
participated. Keshav was thrilled at the thought of such a godsent
opportunity to broadcast the call of Independence. He conceived of a
plan along with his young companions.
A contingent of two or three hundred villagers started as usual in a
procession led by a musical band. The elite of the place including many
government officers, colourfully attired, joined the procession. Killing
of the mythical Ravana in the outskirts of the village was part of the
fare. Strangely, the number of young people this time was far more than
it used to be, and they were all bubbling with enthusiasm. As soon as
the procession reached the appointed spot, Keshav shouted at the top of
his voice, “Vande mataram!” The entire body of youth echoed and
re-echoed the slogan, in a loud and full-throated chorus.
This unexpected turn of events came as a bolt from the blue to the
congregation. The killing of Ravana was coolly forgotten and the ‘loyal’
people broke out pell-mell. But the youths had virtually formed a
cordon round the people. Keshav, accompanied by two other students, sang
the entire poem ‘Vande Mataram’, and followed it up with a spirited
discourse on the real significance of the ‘killing of Ravana’!
The news spread like wildfire and soon became a topic of hot public
discussion. While some people praised the daring of the youths, a few
others denounced them for their ‘foolhardiness’. Government officials,
as could be expected, became unnerved and felt out of their wits.
The next day police officers arrived there for inquiry. They thought of
instituting cases on those responsible for the incident. However, due to
the intervention of a leading gentleman of the town, they dropped the
idea. But a fall-out of the event was that Keshav began to be
continuously shadowed thereafter. Keshav of course did not mind it.
However, his uncle Abaji became a ‘suspect’ and was trans-ferred to a
distant place. Self-respecting as he was, Abaji refused the transfer and
resigned the job. This was how the elderly hedgewar too was drawn into
the fiery by his own younger nephew.
Because of keshav’s activities, a few sympathetic elders became
concerned about his future and felt that he was ruining his life. It
once happened that Keshav had to accompany Abaji to the house of one
Jakatdar in Bhandara. Among those present there was Amritrao bambawala,
the Assistant Commissioner. After the introductions, jakatadar said,
“Keshavrao is not at all interested in studies. He is spoiling his
future by participating in student movements.”
Amritrao felt pity for keshav. He affectionately called Keshav near him
and advised: “Keshav, you are too young to understand things. These
activities will land you in trouble in future. Listen to me, and stay
away from politics. Such activities are not for students.” Keshav calmly
replied, “Sir, I am ready to quit politics as advised by you. In that
case, it is but proper that elders and learned persons like you should
give up your jobs and jump into the political arena. Until that happens,
students like me have no alternative except to take part in politics,
even at the cost of our studies if need be.” Amritrao, of course, had no
answer to this logical rejoinder.
The year was 1908. Lokmanya Tilak had just visited Nagpur. The entire
atmosphere of the city was vibrant with the call of Swaraj. One day the
inspector of schools planned to visit the Neel City School. The loyalty
of the inspector to the king Emperor was indeed unbounded. He started on
his inspection, accompanied by the Headmaster, carrying an air of
imperial majesty. They began with the Matriculation class. But as soon
as they began with the matriculation class. But as soon as they appeared
at its entrance, they were greeted by a deafening roar of “Vande
Mataram.” The inspector was taken aback, as if stung by a scorpion. He
went to another class. There to the same greeting awaited him-only in a
more uproarious pitch!
“Oh, no! This is treason!” – the inspector thundered in rage. The
inspection came to an abrupt end. “Who has instigated these fellows with
this solgan? The culprits must be expelled from the school forthwith,”
the inspector ordered and left.
Everybody was asking the same question: From where did this slogan
originate? All knew that the Matriculation class was the source. But who
was the guiding spirit behind it?
The teachers entreated the students, but in vain. They threatened
explusion, but to no avail. None of the students volunteered expulsion,
but to no avail. None of the students volunteered information as to who
their leader was. Most of the parents, accustomed as they were to placid
ways, were disturbed. As the school management could not ferret out the
information, they expelled all the students of the two classes. The
students left the school like a band of heroes, jubilantly shouting of
the two classes. The students left the school like a band of heroes,
jubilantly shouting “Vande Mataram.” The entire student body of the
school thereafter boycotted the classes. After nearly two months, the
elders of the city met and arrived at a face-saving formal ‘excuse me’
and the strike was called off.
However, two of the students refused to step into the school again. One
of them was Keshav. It was he who heralded the new era of “Vande
Mataram” in the Nagpur student world.
“Vande Mataram” simply meant saluting the motherland and offering
worship to her. To serve one’s mother is the sacred duty of a child. “If
the foreign rulers consider it a crime to salute one’s motherland, i
plead guilty. I shall, if need be, continue to commit the same crime any
number of times, and shall gladly face the consequences” –such were the
fiery expressions which often played on the lips of keshav.
Because of his daring yet endearing personality, Keshav was liked by all
the students, even as he was a favourite of the teachers because of his
studiousness and humility. In order that his student career might not
get ‘spoiled’, the teachers tried to ‘wean’ him. He preferred leaving
the school to even uttering a formal apology.
After leaving the neel city School, keshav joined the National school
“Vidya-Griha’ in Yeotmal. Farsighted public men had started such
national schools at many places in the country in order to help the
students driven out from government institutions, to continue their
studies. In Bengal, in particular, leaders like Babu Aurobindo Ghose,
Dr. Rasbehari Ghose, barrister Surendranath Bandyopadhyaya and others
had established a national university called vidya-Griha for drawing up
syllabi, holding examinations and awarding degrees.
Patriotic and self-sacrificing teachers taught in these schools
accepting merely nominal salaries. The Vidya-Griha at Yeotmal had the
benefit of guidance of such eminent nationalist leaders as Tapaswi
Babasaheb Paranjpe and Loknayak Bapuji Ane. The institution was solely
dependent on public munificence. Such was the ennobling environment that
shaped the young Keshav.
But how could the British tolerate such institutions created to instil
patriotic fervour? Yeotmal had verily become an inspiring centre of
national awakening. In addition to textual studies, boys like Keshav
avidly read periodicals like ‘Kal’, Kesari’, Bhala, ‘Deshasevak’ etc. As
the Vidya-Griha offered excellent 3 and 3½ year courses, many students
left government schools and joined the Vidya-Griha. To suppress the
activist movement in Vidarbha, the Government appointed Cleveland, an
officer of the espionage branch. This officer, who had forced the
closure of the national school in Amaravati, created an atmosphere of
terror in Yeotmal too. He threatened the parents, and established a
police outpost right in front of the school. The net result was that the
Vidya-Griha came to be closed before Keshav could take the
Matriculation examination.
But Keshav and his friends were not to be so easily deterred from their
chosen path. As advised by the teachers, Keshav and two others continued
their study in pune. After putting in a couple of months of study,
Keshav appeared for the ‘Praveshika’ examination of the Calcutta
National Vidya-peetha from the Amaravati Centre. Keshav passed and
started preparing to move for further studies to Bengal, the birthplace
of ‘Vande Mataram’. Keshav’s patriotic heart was thirsting for the sight
of that beehive of revolutionaries and centre of nationalist struggle.
2: IN THE HOMELAND OF “VANDE MATARAM”
KESHAV came to Nagpur after completing the
Matriculation examination. By that time he was completely immersed in
public activities. Close to Nagpur is a place called Ramtek, identified
as the Ramagiri described by the poet Kalidasa in his ‘Meghadoota’. The
annual fare at Ramtek is a mammoth and colourful affair. In those days,
sugar was being imported from Java. Keshav therefore thought of
replacing sugar phedas (made out fo milk-concentrate) by those of
jaggery which was locally available. He got these swadeshi phedas
manufactured and arranged for their sale at a cheap price. How zealous
his patriotism was even in apparently insignificant matters!
Keshav had, by then, developed close intimacy with the revolutionaries.
He kept himself informed of the activities of the underground activists
in various provinces. One such revolutionary from Bengal went by the
name of Madhavdas Sannyasi. He had been asked to proceed to Japan by the
Krantidal, and had come to Nagpur en route. Keshav arranged a secret
hideout for him in the house of Appaji Halde in the Mohopa village, till
the travel arrangements could be finalized. Appaji Halde, though
Keshav’s senior by many years, took pride in carrying out Keshav’s
wishes. As if that was not enough, he even made a substantial monetary
contribution. After spending six months there, Madhavdas left for Japan.
The Nagpur group of revolutionaries had established contact with the
Anusheelan Samiti of Calcutta. Indeed, a fund had been collected and
forwarded from Nagpur to help the Calcutta activists in the Alipore Bomb
pLot. There is documentary evidence showing that Bhayyasaheb Bobade, an
advocate, handed a sum of rupees one hundred to Keshav for this
purpose.
Amidst these happenings, the results of the examination were announced.
Keshavrao had passed. The certificate carries the signature of Dr.
Rasbehari Ghose, president of the National Council of Education
(Bengal). It is dated 1st December 1909. Completing the Matriculation
examination was no small matter in those days. It would have been
natural for keshav, with his pecuniary background, to have taken up a
job to support the family. But other thoughts had stormed keshav’s mind.
His one consuming passion was how to cleanse the motherland of the
stigma of foreign slavery. It was hardly surprising that Keshavrao and
other like-minded fiery youth saw armed rebellion as the onloy solution.
Keshavrao therefore decided to go to Bengal, the ‘Kashi of
revolutionaries’. He was then staying in the house of Dr. Moonje and he
too thought it desirable that Keshavrao should join the national Medical
College in Calcutta. With this object in view, Keshavrao had saved some
money, earned by private tuitions and as a tutor in a Sunday School.
The Nagpur revolutionaries also favoured Keshavrao’s going to calutta to
establish rapport with Pulinbihari Das of teh Anusheelan Samiti. These
details have been chronicled by Ramlal Vajpayee in his autobiography:
“With financial help from Sri Dajisaheb Buti, Sri Keshavrao hedgewar,
founder of the RSS, was sent to Calcutta-more with the object of
receiving training for revolutionary work under the supervision of Sri
Pulinbihari Das, rather than prosecuting higher studies.”
Thus, in the middle of 1910, Keshavrao left for Calcutta, seven hundred
miles away from Nagpur and a place totally unfamiliar to him. He carried
a letter of introduction from Dr. Moonje.
Soon after entering the College, keshavrao began cultivating the
acquaintance of students from various provinces. In his free time he
visited the different hostels. He endeared himself to everybody by his
warm and good-humoured disposition. It was only during the first one
year that he was a boarder in the Shantiniketan Lodge. Though he
continued to stay in the lodge during the next four or five years, on
most days he ate in friends’ houses. Once in a way he had his food in
hotels.
The Punjabi Students’ Hostel was located in the Nabutala Mohalla. Sardar
Niranjan Singh and Shivatta Parashara, who were inmates of that hostel,
were Keshavrao’s intimate friends. Whenever keshavrao went there, there
used to be an instant outbreak of revelry – Keshavrao snatching away a
book from somebody and passing it on to someone else, another putting
out the light, and so on. In no time all the inmates would gather there
and join in the fun. And as a result, Punjabi students would eagerly
look forward to Keshavrao’s visits. The charm and wit of his speech and
the warmth of his behaviour would cast its spell wherever he went.
Keshavrao often received gifts of Punjabi sweets from those friends. In
return Keshavrao gave them Shrikhand (made out fo condensed curds) of
Maharashtra.
Keshavrao’s room-mate was one naik- at once friendly and quarrelsome by
temperament. And keshavarao would leave no chance to irritate him. Naik
too would hit back saying, “After all, you are the ‘head’ of ‘gavars’
(fools)!” Keshavrao would then coolly remark, ‘Well, with persons like
you around me, I have to be the head!”
As in Nagpur, in Calcutta too Keshavrao continued his vigorous physical
exercises and naturally consumed substantial quantities of milk. He thus
possessed an impressive physique, a broad chest, and powerful
shoulders. His indeed was a figure with ‘muscles of iron and nerves of
steel.’
Once it so happened that a professor was late in arriving, and the
students were having a field day. Howrababu (Dr. Amulyaratna Ghose), a
co-student, stretching out his arm, challenged Keshavrao, “Try and
defeat me; you can hammer with all your might.’” In reply, Keshav
offered his own arm and countered, “Let me see you defeat me first.”
Howrababu accepted the challenge and began delivering powerful blows.
The entire class watched with stupefaction. Blows continued. But
Keshavrao’s visage remained unchanged. The outstretched arm was stiff
like a ramrod. Recalling the incident, howrababu has recorded in The
Modern Review, “Hedgewar did not budge an inch. Instead, I myself had to
give up, as my hand began to ache.”
Keshavrao’s food too was of like proportion. He could, at one stretch,
down 20-25 rotis. For some time he had arranged to get his food daily
from a Madras meals hotel. His meal consisted of twenty rotis and the
side dishes in a similar measure. Another coustomer who was also getting
his food from the same hotel went to the proprietor and complained,
“How is it that you send him such a huge quantity of food, and not to
me?” The proprietor replied, “If you can really consume the quantity of
food that I send to keshavrao, I shall gladly send you also as much.
Earlier I was sending him the normal measure of food. He once mentioned
that that was not adequate for him. I then invited him to have his food
here for two or three days. I then witnessed his capacity, and have
since been sending him the requisite quantity of food.” The customer, of
course, did not dare to take up the proprietor’s challenge!
Keshavrao wa quick to react at the sight of injustice or high-handedness
of any kind. On one occasion a neighbouring bengali family picked up a
Quarrel with keshavrao’s friend Sardar niranjan Singh. They began trying
various tricks to drive out the Punjabis from their lodging. During the
night hours, stones were pelted on the lodging. But the miscreants
could not be traced. One day, Keshavrao happened to be present there
when the stones began raining. He immediately rushed to the street
below. Niranjan Singh also followed. They encountered two strangers in
the lane, and soundly beat them. Aghast at this sudden assault, they
screamed, “Why are you beating us?” “Why are you pelting stones on our
house?” Returned keshavrao. “We do not know who has been throwing
stones,” replied the strangers. Keshavrao thundered, “Somebody threw
stones at us. And we, in return, beat somebody. When the hurling of
stones stops, we shall also stop beating up.” Thenceforward
stone-throwing stopped all of a sudden, as if by magic. Evidently, the
lesson had gone home!
Keshavraso had once gone to Yeotmal during holidays. One evening, he
went for a stroll in the Civil Lines area, accompanied by his friends
Govindrao Avade and Yadavrao Ane. The British District Collector
happened to came from the opposite direction along with the government
medical officer and one other official. Those were the days when the
British officers were drunk with power, and had kept the people in
mortal fear. At the sight of the Collector it had become customary for
the local people to stand aside and, as soon as he approached, to offer a
reverential salute. This had become almost an unwritten law.
Keshavrao’s friends appraised him of this convention. But Keshavrao
could hardly be expected to bow down to such haughty behaviour and to
stomach the implied insult to the native community. “This is a public
road and I see no reason to change my course,” replied Keshavrao and
walked on as before.
By then the Collector was within a few feet. Let alone the expected
salute, Keshavrao did not even show signs of making way for the officer.
Thus the officer was himself obliged to sidestep and go forward. Such a
thing had never happened in his life before! After a few steps, the
insulted officer turned back and called Keshavrao. Keshavrao responded,
unperturbed. “Don’t you know the etiquette of saluting?” asked the
collector. Keshavrao replied, “Why should I bother about the norms of
etiquette here? I am a citizen from the capital of the province: we have
no such etiquettes there. I am not aware of any country where they
salute people who are strangers to them.”
And to top it all, Keshavrao had not even bothered to remove his hands
from his coat pockets while speaking. The medical officer Dr. Pedro
suggested that Keshavrao should take his hands out. He also advised
Keshavrao to offer a salute, if not to meet the demands of etiquette, at
least to forestall likely trouble. “Many thanks for the suggestion,”
said Keshavrao smilingly, and went his way as if nothing had happened!
This incident stirred a hornet’s nest in government circles. When, after
Keshavrao returned to Nagpur, Dr. Moonje came to know of the incident,
he heartily commended Keshavrao’s action, “you did the right thing.”
Keshavrao would not brook the smallest insult to the nation or its
revered leaders. While Keshavrao was in Calcutta, once a public meeting
had been arranged under the president-ship of the well-Known patriot
Moulvi Liaquat Hussain. One of the speakers spoke slightingly of
Lokmanya Tilak. Keshavrao became furious. He went straight to the dais
and slapped the speaker on the cheek.
Keshavrao’s professors in the college were also of a similar mould.
Close to his residence was the national medical College on the Upper
Circular Road. Dr. S.K.Malik, M.S.,M.D. (Edinburgh) was the principal of
the college. He had practised medicine abroad for many years and earned
renown. Despite such achievement, Dr. Malik was completely Hindu in his
speech, manners and deportment. He used English only while teaching in
the college classroom. At all other times he meticulously stuck to his
mother-tongue. His dignified and self-respecting attitude exerted a
great influence over Keshavrao. Whenever someone needlessly flaunted
English in domestic circles, Keshavrao was quick to correct them, and
proudly presented the example of his professor.
Keshavrao’s studies, however intense, never came in the way of his
public activities. He had adapted himself whole-heartedly to the Bengali
way of life. He once happened to be in the forefront of a morning
procession carrying the flag. A British officer approached him and began
straightway speaking to him in Marathi. Keshavrao was taken aback. He
later inferred that his ‘Marathi tuft’ had given away his Maharashtrian
origin to the Britisher. The very next day he began growing the tuft in
the Bengali style. He had long since mastered the Bengali language and
was dressing the Bengali way-so much so that he had free access even
into the interior of houses which maintained strict traditions of
purdah.
Public service was a consuming passion with Keshavrao. Pathans from
Kabul were given to publicly butchering cows in the streets, and this
often gave rise to riots. Muslims would recklessly loot the proerties of
Hindus. Instances were not rare when they cut off the ears and noses of
hapless women to make away with thir ornaments. And the most tragic
part of it all was that even after witnessing such atrocities the
neigh-bouring Hindus would not come to hte rescue of the victims. This
apathy of the Hindu society pierced the hart of keshavrao. He lost no
time in founding a service unit for the victims of these onslaughts and
serving them with loving care. He, with a dozen of his student friends,
would carry the injured on stretcher to medical homes and attend to
their needs. Even after the riots subsided, Keshavrao often visited them
in their homes and made affectionate enquiries.
Floods in the river Damodar had practically become an annual affair,
causing severe hardship to the people. The flood in 1913 was
unprecedented and had uprooted the entire population of the Vardhaman
district on the western bank of the river. As news of the flood havoc
reached Calcutta, many public institutions came forward to collect funds
for the relief of the marooned people. Keshavrao joined the relief
party sent forth by the Ramakrishana Mission. Besides Keshavrao there
were five others in the group-Nalini, Gokhale, Deshpande, R.S. Surve and
Venkataramana. Their only mode of transport was by boats. In many
places, one had also to wade though waist-deep water. Carrying beaten
rice and other food articles for the needy, one had to negotiate long
distances in damp and mire. Since the water enveloped the houses from
all sides, the families with children and nurslings had taken shelter on
rooftops. They waited anxiously for relief of any kind and the sight of
volunteers would at once raise their hopes of survival. As the
volunteers waded through water, they often sighted snakes crossing their
way. Venkataramana, who later on became a renowned patriot of Madras,
and Keshavrao carried on became a renowned patriot of madras, and
keshavrao carried on the relief activity continuously for three days, on
the 11th, 12th and 13th of August. Referring to those days
Venkataramana records in his diary, “Hedgewar worked round the clock
with untiring zeal. His capacity for work was factastic.”
As if this was not enough, there was an outbreak of cholera right on the
heels of the flood. And again Kesavrao was found attending on the sick
and providing medical care to the needy up to as late as 1 to 2 o’clock
for nights on end. Keshavrao’s labours of those days were truly
superhuman.
During his six-year stay in Calcutta, Keshavrao was to server the people
on one more similar occasion. This time he was accompanied by Dr. N.D.
Tendulkar and others. A huge fare takes place every year at the time of
Sankranti at the Ganga-sagar confluence, sixty miles away from Cacutta
reached every one of the far-flung huts to attend on the patients.
Keshavrao was one of them, and he plunged into the field with his
habitual vigour and zeal. He saw with his own eyes how poverty,
ignorance and ill-health had utterly emasculated the villagers. His
heart wept at that sight, for he knew from his own experience the cruel
pangs of poverty and starvation. Even one whole lifetime, he felt, was
insufficient to wipe the tears of the unfortunate brothers and sisters.
Because of his various activities inside the lodge and outside,
Keshavrao had utterly emasculated the villagers. His heart wept at that
sight, for he knew from his own experience the cruel pangs of poverty
and starvation. Even one whole lifetime, he felt, was insufficient to
wipe the tears of the unfortunate brothers and sisters.
Because of his various activities inside the lodge and outside,
Keshavrao had developed close affinity with almost all the important
nationalists of Bengal of those days. He would often visit them. Two of
them need special mention: Shamsundar Chakravarti and Moulvi Liaquat
Hussain.
Shamsundar Chakravarti was short and lean in appearance. Appropriately
to his name, he was dark of complexion. But his life was clean and
bright like the cloudless midday sky. He had returned to Calcutta in
1910 after a period of solitary confinement in Burma for his nationalist
activities. Though steeped in poverty, his idealism burned bright as
ever and he was a Karmayagi of the truest ring. Prior to his externment,
he was writing articles for ‘Prativasi’, ‘Sandhya’, ‘Vande Mataram’ and
other periodicals. His writing was penetrating, always exuding intense
patriotism and marked by well-directed sardony. It was this that had
prompted the government to ‘honour’ him by externment.
Shambabu had to suffer dire poverty as the price of patriotism. He was
seen treading the streets of Calcutta barefooted. Often a single pair of
dhotis was his entire worldly possession. Despite such indigence, his
visits to the students’ hostel never failed to rouse the sleeping lion
of heroism in the young hearts. Keshavrao and a few of his friends were
aware of Shambabu’s economic plight. They therefore entreated him to
have his meals with them whenever he came there. They also used to offer
him some monetary help. At the time of the wedding of Shambabu’s
daughter, Keshavrao personally supervised all the details starting from
selecting the bridegroom right up to the close of the ceremonies. He had
even collected a fund for the purpose.
Moulvi Liaquat Hussain was a rare being at a time when counterfeit
“nationalist” Muslims were ubiquitous. When Keshavrao arrived in
Calcutta, the Moulvi was on the other side of sixty. But his smartness,
enthusiasm and dedication to the cause of Independence would put to
shame young men half his age. He was a devout follower of lokmanya
Tilak, and had taken the vow of Swadeshi. He survived on but a few annas
a day, but was untiring in collecting funds for the poor and needy. He
used these collections for buying textbooks for the poor students and
contributing towards their school fees. He thus spent his entire time
and energy in public activity of one kind or another. He frequently
organized early morning processions and public meetings in college
squares. Keshavrao not only participated in these functions with his
friends, but also helped in their arrangements: once in a while he also
addressed the meetings in his broken Hindi.
For a time, the moulvi ran a Swadeshi provision store called ‘Kuber
Vastu Bhandar’. A white cap, pyjamas and sherwani-this was his normal
attire. His life alternated between the city and the prison. He once
fell ill for nearly a couple of months; and Keshavrao served him night
and day. Reminiscing about the Moulvi, Dr. Yadavrao ane has recorded a
noteworthy detail. As soon as he took the vow of Swadeshi, the Moulvi
gave up his Mohammedan cap, and was always found in the front line in
all public meetings, holding the Bhagava flag.
Ever since Keshavrao left Nagpur he was under constant surveillance. But
he was a pastmaster at scenting the others’ intentions and evading
traps. He gave no opportunity to the informers to lay their hands on
him. On one occasion an informer, camouflaging himself as a student,
found lodgment in Keshavrao’s own room. His name was Gopal Vasudev
Ketkar. Quickly he struck acquaintance with all the students from
Maharashtra. Keshavrao, however, spotted him out instantly, and warned
his friends, “Do not discuss politics when that chap is here.” But they
all fell for Ketkar’s ruse, and thought him harmless. Keshavrao kept
quiet for the time being, saying, “Well, wait for some time. I will
prove it to you some day.”
In June 1910, Narayanrao Savarkar, brother of Veer Savarkar, was
released from the prison. He decided to come to calcutta to take up the
medical course. Keshavrao came to know of this through a friend. He
anticipated that a message to that effect would surely be received by
Ketkar. One day, when Ketkar was away, Keshavrao broke open his box, and
found in it a fresh letter saying, “N.R.S. is coming there. Keep an eye
on him.” Keshavrao showed the relevant portion of the letter to his
friends, and replaced it in the box. Keshavrao’s friends exploded, “Why
should we not throw this rascal out at once?” But keshavrao said, “He
has been sent here to watch over him. Only we have to be a bit more
careful with him, that is all.”
At about the same time, a police officer of the name of Tare was also
deputed by the madhya Pradesh Government to study medicine in the same
college. He was always reeling off perorations on patriotism. The hollow
ring in his effusions easily betrayed itself to Keshavrao. Keshavrao
would impassively listen to his talk, and his friends too did likewise.
Eventually Tare realized that he had made a fool of himself. He felt so
ashamed that he resigned his job and left for Saugor.
While staying in Shantiniketan, Keshavrao, accompanied by Dr. Parashara
and other friends, often visited Chowdhary, Professor of chemistry, late
in the nights. They continued to stay there till past midnight. The
government suspected that Chowdhary might be imparting training in the
making of bombs. Therefore, as soon as the students went to the upstairs
room of the professor, a member of the espionage used to station
himself close to the house on the main road.
` During one such session, which went on till past midnight,
the poor informant became fatigued from waiting, and slumber overtook
him. On their way out, two of the students stumbled against him and
cried out, “Who is it?” The informer bolted instantly, not fully awake.
The students caught him and gave him a couple of sound beatings and said
they would take him to the police station. The poor fellow was entirely
out of his wits, and implored them to release him. Keshavrao said,
“Well, he is really our friend. He has not up till now given out our
names.” And this literally finished his nerves.
Later, they all ate sweets, in celebration of this ‘new friendship!’
It was hardly surprising that amidst all these activities, Keshavrao
could not pay much attention to his studies outside the class-hours. But
he listened to the lectures with single-minded attention in the
classrooms, and this was enough for his sharp intellect to keep them in
memory. In the 1912 examination, he had scored 72% in Chemistry and 65%
in Anatomy. Indeed, Keshavrao was as much a model student, as he was a
model nationalist worker.
During his stay in Calcutta, Keshavrao’s mind was to-tally absorbed in
grasping the true meaning of patriotism. People who loudly voiced their
solicitude for the country, but in actual life were totally immersed in
their own or their family’s welfare, were legion. But rare were those
who really felt from the depths of their hearts and had sincerely
devoted themselves to the cause of the people. Further, Keshavrao had
seen from close quarters how students of one province viewed with
jaundiced eyes those from other provinces. Likewise, he had seen how
fleeting and shallow public enthusiasm often was. He had seen many a
leader proclaim in the heat of emotion, “As far as Bengal is concerned,
we can establish Swaraj within twenty-four hours.” Even if that were
possible, Keshavrao used to muse, such ‘Quick independence’ could as
quickly evaporate in such a disorganized atmosphere. His mind was
grappling with the question of how best to bring about a transformation
in the convictions and attitudes of the people and organize them into a
disciplined whole to face the many and varied challenges.
There was one more aspect which appeared to him to be of vital
importance. Before a person began preaching patriotism to others, he had
himself to become a shining example. For that one had to train one’s
body and mind to be able to fight on till the last breath in the cause
of the country.
When Lokmanya Tilak visited Calcutta in 1906, he had initiated the
public celebaration of Ganeshotsav. After Keshavrao arrived in Calcutta
he arranged similar celebrations in all the students’ hostels. From the
time of Lokmanya Tilak’s incarceration in the Mandalay prison in 1908 up
to the time of his release in June 1914, Keshavrao observed the vow of
fasting on Ekadashi. His mind was in deep anguish at the hardship that
Tilak was undergoing.
Ever since Tilak was sentenced, Tapasvi Babasaheb Paranjpe wore a black
piece of cloth over his coat. The renowned patriot Dadasaheb Khaparde
often met Tilak in the Mandalay prison. And whenever these leaders
happened to visit Calcutta, Keshavrao used to invite them to his lodge
and anxiously listen to the condition of Tilak and Savarkar. From the
dark dungeons of the Andamans veer Savarkar wrote occasionally to his
brother Narayanrao. As Keshavrao read those epistles ‘written in blood
and tears,’ his mind flew to the distant Andamans and resonated with
that heroic spirit who was smilingly bnearing all that gruesome
suffering for the sake of the motherland.
The heat of the movement launched in the wake of partition of Bengal was
now cooling down. On the heels of the movement the government had let
loose a reign of terror. They sought to put down Tilak and the other
revolutionaries in a ruthless fashion. In 1908, Khudiram Bose, a lad of
barely sixteen years of age, exploded the first bomb and shocked the
British out of their slumber. Veer Savarkar welcomed these activities
saying “It is as if there is resurgence of the ancient spirit of
national self-assertion, heralding a new era of armed rebellion against
the foreign rule.”
The British now geared up their repressive machinery in full steam. In
the Alipore bomb case alone, thousands of people were rounded up and
countless people imprisoned. Section 144 was universally clamped after
sunset. Government stopped the publication of Yugantar, a weekly which
had a circulation of more than twenty thousand.
These measures struck terror into the minds of common people. The
situation was thus described by Aurobindo Ghose who came out of the
prison in 1909: “Before I moved into the jail, it looked as if the
entire nation had been set afire by the resounding cry of “Vande
Mataram’; the whole nation had articulated its aspirations and ideals.
After I came out of the prison, I longed to hear the same reverberating
cry. But there was nothing but muteness everywhere. Quiet and gloom
pervaded the entire atmosphere. The people appeared benumbed…”
Even in such trying times, pulinbihari’s Anusheelan Samiti carried on
its activities assiduously. Being of a determined and irrepressible
nature, Keshavrao kept himself busy in these and similar activities. The
Samiti strove to quicken the public awakening through underground
literature. Keshavrao transmitted the books and pamphlets to Nagpur and
other places through friends going home during vactions. And whenever he
went to Nagpur during holidays, he carried revolvers for the
revolutionaries there.
It was not easy to get admitted to the Anusheelan Samiti. The applicants
were meticulously screened. The person’s attitude, character, patience,
endurance, obedience, self-control and such other traits were put to a
severe test and only those who came through it successfully were
admitted. The members were graded, and the best of them formed the
hard-core, the others constituting circles of second and third removes,
and so on. Each member on enrolment had to take a religious vow in the
presence of ten or twelve people, or in the Kali temple or in the
crematory. There were four strata of members, and the vows were
different for each category. The severity of requirement increased as
one proximated to the hard-core. Keshavrao was, of course, amongst the
hard-core. His code name was ‘Koken’. One of the leading members of the
Samiti, Trailokyanath Chakravarti, has in-cluded the photographs of some
top members of the Samiti in his book 30 years in Prison. Keshavrao’s
picture also figures in that grop. Chakravarti has remarked, “Only those
who had taken the ultimate vow were considered full and true members of
the Samiti. And only those who had renounced their homes and families
were entitled to take that vow.” Keshavrao had fully merited admission
in accordance with this stern norm.
One day, Shamsundar Chakravarti came to the Maharashtra Nivas and asked a
select group of young men to proceed to a village near Calcutta that
night. A young revolutionary of Ratnagiri who had mastered bomb-making
in a foreign country was in hiding in that village, and was teaching the
technique to the freshers. He had unfortunately fallen ill and died,
despite friends’ care and medical aid. It was his last wish that he
should be cremated in accordance with Brahmin rites. Shambabu also
accompanied the students to the village. Keshavrao was one of them. They
carried the dead body from a dark unlit house to the outskirts. With
heavy hearts they arranged the pyre; Shambabu brought a religious text
and asked for the lamp. He remarked: “Since he has died in the cause of
the motherland, he should not be cremated without proper incantation.”
Tears filled the eyes of all. Shambabu, reading through his delicately
poised reading-glasses, recited the appropriate mantras, and the pyre
was lit. Thus it was that an unknown patriotic spirit dissolved itself
in the Eternal unknown. The handful of young men present there paid a
tearful tribute to that noble soul.
Keshavrao passed the final examination and secured the L.M.S. degree in
1914. The accordance with the requirement, he underwent practical
training for the prescribed period and completed the course on 9th July
1915. He had on hand the offer of a lucrative job in Bangkok. But he
refused. He and in fact no intention of taking up any job anywhere.
However, when the First World War broke out and the government began
recruiting doctors to serve on the warfront, Keshavrao felt it to be a
unique opportunity to gather the war experiences at first hand. He and a
few of his close friends hastened to meet Dr. Suhravardi Khan and get
their names enrolled in the army. However, their names being already on
another- the black! – list, applications proved to be mere dead-letters.
Degrees from the national institutions were not being recognized by the
government in those days, and were frowned upon by it. Sir Parde Lukis
had brought a motion in this matter in the Central Legislature. That
legislation just enabled the native graduates to carry on their
profession, but the government would not consider as valid the
certificates issued to patients by these doctors. The intention was to
discourage the institutions which had defied the government and were
being run on public support. In order to counter this partisan and
arrogant attitude of government, Keshavrao started an unusual movement,
with the co-operation of the new as well as old graduates.
Reports suddenly began to appear in the newspapers of Bengal and other
provinces of meetings held in Calcutta and elsewhere to protest angainst
the ‘Bogus Medical Degrees Bill’. On the basis of these reports,
editors of papers wrote scathing editorials. This naturally upset the
government officials. But what puzzled them most was how the government
espionage agencies were completely in the dark about these protest
meetings.
The fact was that these meetings had never really taken place at all!
Before launching the move, doctorji had met Dr. Ashutosh Mukherjee and
explained the plan. Dr. Ashutosh fully supported it, and also emphasized
the need for securing wide publicity in papers. Doctorji accordingly
met leading newspaper editors. Motilal Ghose, the reputed editor of
Amrit Bazar patrika, promised his fullest co-operation for the movement.
The “protest meetings” in various parts of Calcutta were “held” by
Doctorji sitting in his own room. Reports of these “meetings” also
emanated from his room. The papers promptly carried the reports.
Prominent leaders were also mentioned as having participated in the
meetings. Doctorji had met these persons in advance and intimated the
strategy to them. Thus, even with the best of efforts, government
intellingence failed to get advance information about these “meetings”
when they went and checked with the individuals who allegedly presided
over or spoke at the meetings, they straightway corroborated the
newspaper accounts. The meeting thus eluded the informers, who earned
the chastisement of their senior officials.
Arrangements were also made to transmit the reports of Calcutta papers
to papers in other provinces. They too castigated the policy of the
government. At the height of the ‘movement’, however, Doctorji actually
did arrange a mammoth public meeting in Calcutta. The well-known
national leader of those days Surendranath Banerjee presided over the
meeting. The resolution adopted there voiced the public demand in no
uncertain terms. The government was forced to yield. It agreed to accord
recognition to all the medical graduates after holding a token
examination.
The examination was held on 3rd November 1915. Many took advantage of
it. Keshavrao was also permitted to take the examination. He, however,
refused to appear, saying, “we have all studied in the National
University. That University has examined us and awarded its degree.
Where then is the question of government recognition? It is precisely to
avoid having to submit to alien dictation that we boycotted government
educational institutions!”
It is obvious that Dr. Hedgewar had no personal axe to grind in
organizing the protest; he never had any desire to secure government’s
recognition to his own medical certificate; his sole intenion was to
expose the anti-people nature of the alien rule and arouse public
indignation against it.
After completing the five-year course, Dr. Hedgewar returned to Nagpur
in early 1916. Even prior to leaving for Calcutta he had determined not
to become “your mostobedient servant” to the government. He returned to
Nagpur with an even greater resolve about his future course of action.
Many of his co-students, however, anxious to ‘settle down in life’,
conformed to government requirements and started their professional
careers. But as far as Dr. Hedgewar was concerned, it was not for
earning money or personal prestige that he had studied. When the
government had launched prosecution against Babu Aurobindo Ghose and he
submitted his resignation from the principal ship of the National
University, he had said: “it was not to provide some book-learning or
means of livelihood to young men that we have started this educational
instituion. Our aim has been to prepare them to serve the Motherland and
undergo suffering and sacrifice if need be at her altar.” Dr. Hedgewar
volunteered to fulfil that high expectation.
3: THE REVOLUTIONARY
AFTER completing the medical course at Calcutta, Keshavrao returned
to Nagpur. His elder brother Mahadev Shastri was residing in the
parental house. The house was in a dilapidated condition, due to Mahadev
Shastri’s utter neglect. Every one expected that Keshavrao would beging
his medical practice. But evern after the lapse of several days
Keshavrao showed no such signs. On the contrary he set up camp in the
upstairs portion of the house of Tatyaji Phadnavis and engaged himself
in various public activities. Seetaram Pant, Keshavrao’s immediate elder
brother, had also been staying there and carrying on his profession as a
priest. It was at this time that there was a recurrence of plague in
Nagpur.
People had experienced the horrors of the dreaded epidemic earlier, and
therefore lost no time in moving to a safer zone on the outskirts of the
town where they improvized hutments for lodging; and all the people got
themselves inoculated. Seetaram Pant and Doctorji too shifted, and
pleaded with Mahadev Shastri to Join them. But being habitually
obstinate, he replied, “what can this plague did not spare him; and he
too, like the parents, fell a victim to it. Seetaram Pant and Doctorji
returned to their house after the epidemic subsided.
There was mounting pressure from some friends and well-wishers that
Doctorji should start his medical practice. They even offered to find a
suitable place for his clinic. But Doctorji evaded the issue saying
“Where is the hurry?” and sometimes laughing it away. He had in his
possession a few drugs, a weighing balance and some medical books. He
attended to the medical needs of close friends and acquaintances.
However, he was not in the least interested in pursuing it as a career.
Doctors were few in those days. Around 1917 it is said there were not
more than 75 private medical practitioners in the whole of Central
Provinces and Berar. A lucrative career was thus open to Doctorji who
also commanded considerable social esteem.
In addition to these pressures there were also proposals of marital
alliance, with offers of a ‘prestigious dowry’. While some people
quietly dispatched the bride’s horoscope to Doctorji and awaited his
reaction, some others tried to exert pressure through mutual friends.
But Doctorji was not in the least inclined to get involved in these
planetary muddles. He avoided the proposals saying, “ Let my brother’s
marriage be over first.” But even this excuse soon became invalid. Seeta
ramji’s Marriage took place, and the sound of bangles filled the
household. The inception of domestic felicity set in train fresh
troubles for Doctorji.
Thereafter, when marital proposals came, Doctorji beat a retreat by
directing them to ‘the elder of the family’ – his uncle Abaji. Several
interested people rushed to Rampayali too. Being fed up with such
endless entreaties, Abaji served ‘notice’ on Doctorji: “it is high time
you made your stand clear in regard to your marriage.” Doctorji, Who had
long back made up his mind in the matter, wrote to his uncle in a
polite yet firm tone: “I have decied to remain a bachelor for life and
devote all my time to the cause of the country. In that process,
misfortune may overtake me at nay moment. Knowing this full well, why
should I endanger the life of an innocent girl?” That was the finale of
the marriage proposals.
Clandestine revolutionary activity had been going on since 1908 in
Central Provinces under the leadership of Bhauji Kawre. After returning
to Nagupur Doctorji joined him. For two or three years they worked cheek
by jowl. Doctorji Provided the blueprint, and Kawre executed the plans.
But Doctorji’s services were needed elsewhere. He had wide contacts in
other provinces, and was therefore called upon to strengthen the
communications network.
Government agencies had continued their surveillance, and Doctorji was
constantly shadowed. It was therefore necessary that Doctorji maintain a
socially acceptable facade.he was frequently visiting the city’s elite,
and had earned their affection and confidence. Everybody looked upon
Doctorji as a public-spirited young man, and spoke with warmth about his
activites.
Bhauji Kawre was senior to Doctorji by two years. He had studied up to
matriculation and some basic medical literature and had been practicing.
His dress was of the simplest kind, and his nobility of character
exemplary. A widower, he lived alone. He was always a picture of joy,
unruffled and fearless. His face was radiant with enthusiasm and he
sported a burly and matching moustache. Carrying an excellent physique,
he faced adversity with rare fortitude. He exerted great influence over
the members of the Krantidal, because of his warm and amiable
disposition. One colleague who took pride in implicitly carrying out
Bhauji’s orders reminisced with tars in his eyes, “Should we regard
Bhauji as our mother of father? Brother of friend? It is hard to say. He
was an aggregate of all these and more.”
Bhauji and Doctorji formed a wonderful pair. As two lips making the same
sound, two eyes sharing the same sight, two ears listening to the same
works, their heart was one though their bodies were apart. Bhauji was
emotional by temperament, and saw blood-spilling revolution as the only
effective path to freedom. He preferred the idol of Sri Rama wielding
the mighty bow to the passive panduraga, and lost no opportunity of
making fun of the Moderates in politics. Doctorji, in contrast, kept his
emotions restrained. When he spoke of others it was in a tone of
understanding and warmth. Though thus differing in nature, Bhauji and
Doctorji were wedded to each other in unbreakable bonds of patriotism
and genuine comradeship.
Bhauji and Doctorji often visited each other and exchanged views. When
more friends also joined them there was banter and gayful mirth. The
uproarious laughter often drew the attention of the neighbours, who
wondered at the merry young group’s endless soirees. Do they have no
occupation?
It was at these gatherings that armed rebellion was being thought of to
achieve national freedom, and planms drawn to collect money and
ammunition. To gather and train fresh recruits, a gentleman called Anna
Khot started a gymnasium in Nagpur. Reading-rooms had also been started
in Wardha and Nagpur with the same end in view.
Doctorji and Bhauji toured Central Provinces and Berar in pursuit of
their plan. Even marriages and such routine occasions provided enough
excuse for them to move about. They had managed to involve a few
landlords in their activities, and were thus able to arrange strategic
dinners and luncheons in new areas for fund-raising and purchase of
arms. Each such get-together would procure five to six thousand rupees. A
la royal durbars, the group jocularly called these meets ‘Narendra
Mandal’. One would find in these gatherings Sameemullah Khan of the
Dhotiwada village solemnly attired in a dhoti, a tilak adorning his
forehead.
Doctorji bought revolvers and other weapons from these funds and sent
them to activist youths in various parts of the country. Agents were
dispatched to Calcutta, Bhaganagar (Hyderabad) and Goa to purchase the
meeded arms. Dadasheb Bakshi, a close associate of Doctorji, attended to
the repair and servicing of revolvers. Bakshi was an expert technician,
and vividly recalled collecting the revolvers from Dr. Hedgewar and Dr.
Savarkar.
By then Doctorji was also able to establish contacts with underground
workers of Bengal and Punjab, and sent a contingent of 20 selected
volunteers from Nagpur and Wardha districts, to organize work in
Northern Bharat. Gangaprasad Pande, a most energetic and fervent
revolutionary, was made the leader of the group. After surveying the
whole of Rajasthan, Pande made Ajmer his headquarters. Ghandkiran Sarda,
a leading public figure of Ajmer, also joined hands with Pande. From
the Nagpur base, Doctorji co-ordinated the movement of volunteers,
dispatch of funds for activities, etc.
World War I had just begun, and the British were obliged to deploy the
greater part of the Indian army on the Warfield. However, in order to
make a show of their power, the government continued to shift and parade
the same units of army in all the principal cities of Bharat. The
revolutionaries were not unaware of these tactics, and Doctorji set out
to make the best of this situation. He felt that all the leaders of the
nation could proclaim in concert, “From today onwards Hindusthan is an
independent country.” Doctorji spoke of his idea to Dr. Moonje, but
failed to get his approval. He discussed the scheme with a few other
leaders also, but he response was lukewarm. At last he decided to meet
Lokmanya Tilak, and obtained an introduction from Dr. Moonje. He met
Tilak at Pune. Though extremely busy, Tilak personally attended to the
guest’s food and other needs, much to the young Doctor’s embarrassment.
After the talks concluded, Doctorji left for Shivaneri. Doctorji ahd
discussed with the lokManya the war situation and the revolutionary
activities in Central Provinces and Berar. Evidentlv all the elderly
leaders must have felt that the time was not yet ripe for Doctorji’s
daring plan to fructify.
The pilgrimage to Shivaneri, the birth-place of Shivaji, surcharged with
the vibrant memories of Shivaji’s childhood, further sharpened
Doctorji’s resolve to dedicate himself to the cause of national
exancipation.
Doctorji was supplying to Punjab and Rajasthan arms and ammunition
collected at Nagpur. Once, by a sheer misfortune, the group engaged in
the work of transportaion was caught. Since then it became the practice
of the workers to move under feminine disguise, and recruits suitable
for such disguise only were selected. Nanasaheb Talatule and Bhausaheb
Talatule imparted training in handling revolvers to fresh batches of
young men. Doctorji impressed upon the recruits the need for extreme
caution and circumspection. One of these volunteers was Harikrishna
(Appaji) Joshi who later became a lifelong confidant of Doctorji.
Doctorji and Bhauji subjected the new recruits to close scrutiny and
severe tests. They also administered the ‘oath of dedication’ to them,
in front of portraits of Shivaji and Samarth Ramadas. One such incident
by way of test has now come to light. Bhauji Kawre once took three
aspiring young men to a well in the premises of Raja Bhonsle in the
Indore village, five or six miles away from Nagpur. The well was over 40
feet deep and Bhauji asked them to jump into it. Two of the recruits
shirked and stepped back, while the third jumped without a moment’s
hesitation. The bold youth was Baburao Harkare. In a moment, Bhauji too
jumped into the well and helped the boy to come out. Baburao was later
formally admitted to the Krantidal.
Meetings of these selected youth took place in Baradwari, Tulsibagh,
Sonegaon Mandir, Colonelbagh, Indora Mandir, Mohitewada and other places
in Nagpur. At each meeting the time and venue of the next meeting were
indicated. Revolutiionary litwerature was distributed. Lives of foreign
revolutionary leaders like Mazzini and Joan of Arc, Bengali rebels,
etc., reports of bomb incidents of Alipore and Manektala, Veer
Savarkar’s the 1857 war of independence under the disarming title of
‘Two Beauties’, etc. formed the basic study material.
As a result of these efforts, over 150 volunteers enrolled themselves
with the Krantidal. Greatest attention was bestowed on maintaining
absolute secrecy. No new recruits were admitted without a thorough
scrutiny. Even the training was so conceived as not to give rise to
undue curiosity. Strictest discipline was enforced. All communications
were sent through messengers, and invariably in coded language. In
Nagpur, Nanasaheb Telang and six or seven college students stayed
to-gether in Upadhye’s block; Telang’s ostensible book-cases housed
revolvers and cartridges.
Many novel methods had been devised for collection of money and
ammunition. Such great secrecy had been enforced that the exact modus
operandi has remained unknown even to this day. Some recall that
Doctorji himself used to prepare rice-cum-dal cakes for the volunteers
on the move. Once Nanasaheb Telang had to be sent for from his village
where he had just gone after completing his B.A. examination. Doctorji
wrote to him that his attendance was required at a friend’s marriage at
Nagpur. The message enabled Nanasaheb to leave his place without
arousing suspicion.
An ordnance storehouse of the army was situated in Kamthi near Nagpur.
Doctorji had established links with some army personnel there for the
secret purchase of revolvers. On one occasion members of the Krantidal
rigged themselves up in army uniforms and carted away a whole
consignment of ammunition from the railway clearing-house in broad
daylight. To destroy the last traces of evidence, Doctorji had all the
army uniforms burnt and the ash disposed of through the drains. This and
numerous other thruilling episodes, till recently kept in absolute
secrecy, have only now been revealed by contemporaries. It is to be
hoped that a full chronicle of these activities will be made available
soon.
That all this armoury, funds, men and material so strenuously gathered
was preparation for a nation-wide upraisal is obvious. The activities
stretched from Nagpur to distant Punjab. To an extent, it also depended
on the securing of ammunition from abroad,. Vamanrao Dharmadhikari of
Yeotmal has stated, “By 1917-18 Doctorji had asked us to be prepared to
rise in rebellion.” In 1918, Doctorji sent him to marmagaon, briefing
him, “ a certain ship is scheduled to arrive there. Send a message to
Nagpur as soon as it arrives.” Vamanrao accordingly sailed for Goa from
Bombay. Another volunteer of the Kranitdal, Patil from Satara, had
already reached Goa in anticipation of the ship. Vamanrao met him. Patil
arranged for Vamanrao’s food and lodge in the house of Dadasaheb Vaidya
in Keri. But though eight days elapsed there was no sign of the ship.
News was, however, received that British had intercepted and seized an
enemy ship on the high seas. Vamanrao thereafter returned to Nagpur and
conveyed the disappointing news to Doctorji.
Britain’s preoccupation with war had provided a golden opportunity for
Indians to fight for their independence. But the strategy had failed
owing to many reasons. The post-war spell of peace was a god end for the
British, and a curse for Indian revolutionaries. The government was
determined to crush the revolutionary activity, and had resorted to
repressive measures on an unprecedented scale. Though there was a
widespread network of underground workers, not much could be done, and
hopes of revolution crumbled. Patriotic youth as also the general public
became greatly depressed. The machinery which had been so painfully
built up had to be dismantled. This operation naturally caused immense
mental anguish to the concerned leaders. It was like pulling down the
marriage pandal without celebrating the marriage ! Sometimes, in the
game of chess, one’s own moves work to one’s disadvantage. It then
becomes necessary to plan fresh moves with even greater ingenuity than
before to win the game. Likewise, in politics too newer strategies will
have to be worked out bearing in mind the developing trends. This was
how Doctorji viewed the situation and prepared himself for the next
move.
The forced withdrawal, however, had dampened the hopes of the general
youth. Some took the extreme step of bidding farewell to public work
altogether, while some retreated temporarily. The latter hoped that,
even as fresh leaves sprout from the trees on the arrival of spring,
they would be in a position to resume their activity as soon as
circumstances were favorable. There was yet a third category. They were
men with undaunted will who would continue their efforts, unmoved by
failure, sharpening their wits and exploring fresh avenues of action by
shedding old methods in favour of more effective ones. Pruning engenders
fresh life in various plants. Such were Doctorji and his associates who
faced the new challenge with determination.
Doctorji now plunged into open public activities. The Ganesha festival
gave him an opportunity to tour the entire province and address
meetings. He undertook another extensive tour for the work of the Home
Rule League. Lokmanya Tilak had planned a visit to Berar, and Doctorji
went round once again for the spadework. Doctorji thus made use of every
possible occasion to educate and rouse the people. He addressed
gatherings wherever he went, and his speeches were widely acclaimed for
their incisive these travels were to meet the Krantidal workers in
person and keep up their morale. He had also to decide what was to be
done with the funds and ammunition stored already. This was in fact his
major preoccupation in those days.
Among Doctorji’s most active colleagues were Ganga Prasad Pande. Appaji
Joshi, Baburao Harkare and Nanaji Puranik. By the beginning of 1919
Doctorji had received information from Amritsar that the ammunitions
sent there had been cleverly tucked away. But the workers who had been
sent to the North had not yet returned. Appaji Joshi was sent to
Amritsar, and he arranged for the return of the workers, making the
necessary funds available in some cases. Appaji Joshi also received
instructions that Arjunlal Sethi, a revolutionary who had just been
released (1919) from jail, should be moved to Wardha. Arjunlal had faced
imprisonment for his underground activities and subjected to endless
torture. He had, however, stoutly withstood it all, and had not given
out the name of even a single colleague. But the torture he underwent
had ruined his health and affected his mental poise, and it was only
this that had prompted the police to release him. In accordance with
Doctorji’s instructions Appaji Joshi brought Arjunlal to Wardha and
arranged for his food and lodging. It took him some three to four years
to regain his normal health and mental stability.
There was no limit to the caution exercised by Doctorji and his
co-workers. They knew well that if the government got the slightest
scent, not only would their plans be dashed to the ground but lives and
liberty of numerous people would also be endangered. In these
circumstances some one who had returned form Punjab thoughtlessly
exploded a bomb at Hingani, and the incident caused grave concern to
Doctorji and his associates. Government immediately launched a thorough
and vigorous investigation followed by arrests.
As the situation worsened, discipline among the workers also weakened,
and the selfishness of some individuals came to the fore. Though
instructions were sent that all the revolvers etc. should be returned,
many failed to comply. Even where there is strict accounting, people
find ways of misappropriating money; and in this case no accounts could
be kept. And it was also risky to reveal the names of people who had
committed such breach of trust. Doctorji and Kawre had to stomach many
bitter experiences.
All this experience made Doctorji think deeply and comprehensively about
our national life in general and the movement for national liberation
in particular. Durable and healthy traditions alone, he knew, could
sustain patriotism. And without genuine patriotism there could be no
purity in public life. Doctorji had noticed yet another phenomenon. Many
young men took to patriotic work in a flush of emotion or adolescent
zeal. But a single blow dealt by the oppressive government made them
beat a hasty retreat and bid permanent farewell to all social work. How
can such people be relied upon to meet the challenges facing a slave
nation? The need, therefore, was for young men of courage, determination
and idealism- men who, unmindful of whether their path is strewn with
roses or covered with thorns, would resolutely march forward towards the
chosen ideal. Doctorji had also noticed that even patriotic young men
often resented strict discipline. He also knew, selfless dedication to a
great mission alone could breed true discipline. And also how futile it
is to expect to uproot such a tremendously well-organized and well
equipped alien government such as the British, without the required
strength! Doctorji became convinced that it was necessary to give a
totally different orientation to efforts of national emancipation.
4: IN THE THICK OF POLITICAL MOVEMENTS
THE COLLAPSE of revolutionary plans had not unnerved Doctorji in the
least. He now engaged himself in organizing various kinds of social and
political activities. At that time the followers of the Tilak school
dominated the Nagpur Congress and had formed the ‘Rashtriya Mandal.’ The
various political activates in Nagpur were all organized through this
Mandal. Doctorji was one of those in its forefront. But he was younger
and also more extremist in his views and actions than its leaders. While
the congressmen in general dreamt of an ‘Independent Dominion inside
the British Empire’ Doctorji consistently proclaimed that nothing short
of ‘Complete Independence’ should be the goal. In order to propagate
this line of thinking, he, along with some of his close friends, started
a new forum called ‘Nagpur National Union’.
The Rashtriya Mandal decided to start a weekly by name Sankalpa in
Hindi. To popularize the periodical, Doctorji undertook a brisk
four-month tour of the Mahakoshal area. In addition to publicizing the
weekly, he also developed many lasting friendships. In later days these
friends co-operated actively in starting the work of the Sangh.
Wherever Doctorji went, Sankalpa was warmly welcomed. A sole exception
was a Bengali gentleman by name Gnanaranjan Sen of Raipu who refused to
become a subscriber. He exclaimed, “I am getting Bengali and English
papers anyway. Why do I need a Hindi paper?” Doctorji’s reply was
caustic: “you have spent all your life in this Hindi province. That
being so, is one local periodical devoted to a national cause such an
unbearable burden to you?” continuing in the same vein Doctorji said:
“Whichever be the province to which we emigrate, should we not look upon
it as our own and join the mainstream of life there? If that is not
possible, why should you at all reside in such a province?” Such was the
intensity of Doctorji’s national fervor that without a murmur of
protest, Sen paid a year’s subscription.
Often, Doctorji used to participate in students’ meetings and lecture to
them. He thus developed close affinity with them. They too began to
visit him of and on. In order to imprint on their young minds the noble
ideals that had inspired the lives of great national heroes and savants,
Doctorji Founded a ‘Rashtriya Utsa Mandal’. As the secretary of the
Mandal he organized functions like the birthday of chatrapati Shivaji,
the anniversary of Shivasji’s Coronation, the Ganesha festival,
Shastrapooja, Dasanavami, Sankranti, etc. Distinguished leaders like Dr.
Moonje, Khaparde, Loknayak Ane and others spoke on these occasions.
Young men who gathered in vast numbers at these meetings longed to
listen to Doctorji’s inspiring oratory.
After the World War the entry of Mahatma Gandhi into the Indian
political scene heralded a new era. The dissolution of the Turkish
Empire by the British had given rise to strong anti-British feelings
among the Indian Muslims. The Rowlatt Act passed by the British and the
gruesome massacre of hundreds of innocent people at Jallianwalabagh in
Amritsar on 13th April 1919 had shocked the Indian conscience beyond
works. Gandhiji decided to take advantage of the mood of Muslims in
particular and the nation in general. He presided over the All Indian
Khilafat Conference organized by Shaukat Ali and Mohammed Ali in 1919
and later announced the launching of the non-cooperation movement.
And soon, as a result of government’s oppressive measures in the wake of
the Khilafat cum non-cooperation movement, the atmosphere in the
country became tense. When in this background, the British government
ordered observance of a ‘Peace Day’ in December in 1919, no wonder
Nagpur stalwarts called upon the people to observe that day as
‘Government Boycott Day’! As usual Doctorji was in the forefront. “Are
we in a position to observe a peace Day?” –this was the mocking headline
of that day’s pamphlet.
Doctorji attended the Congress session held in Amritsar that year. He
saw the blood-stained site of Jallianwalabagh at first hand. he felt the
entire atmosphere fast reaching a boiling-point. The subsequent
Congress session was to be held in Nagpur – the heartland of the
Extremists. They decided that the session should be presided over by
Lokmanya Tilak – an ambition which had not been fulfilled in 1907. the
prospect of its fulfillment now infused in them added fervour and
confidence. Preparations were started in full steam. A reception
committee was formed; publicity campaign was launched. One report in the
periodical Maharashtra read: “Accompanied by the leaders, the villagers
elaborately decorated the villages and welcomed the guests. The
enthusiasm of the peasant folk was unprecedented. The lectures by Dr.
Moonje, Dr. Hedgtewar, Ganapathrao Joshi and Babasaheb Deshpande cast a
spell over the masses.”
In January 1920, Dr. L.V. Paranjpe started the Bharat Swayamsevak
Mandal. Doctorji was his chief colleague. Efforts began in the month of
July that year to organize a corps of some 1000-1500 volunteers for the
Congress session. Doctorji threw himself heart and soul into that task.
While such fervent efforts were afoot, the tragic news of the passing
away of Lokmanya Tilak at Bomboy on the night of 31st July came like a
bolt from the blue. The entire nation was plunged in indescribable
grief. And more so the people of Nagpur. With a heavy heart, Doctorji
attended to the work for organizing hartal, mourning and condolence
meetings on the tenth day, and offered his tearful homage.
Consequent on the Lokmanya’s demise, the organizers were faced with the
task of finding another Extremist leader for the presidentship. It was
decided that a deputation should go to Pondicherry and bring Babu
Aurobindo Ghose for the session. Dr. Moonje accordingly set out for
Pondicherry. Doctorji also accompanied him as a representative of the
youth of Nagpur.
An incident that took place during the journey is worth recalling. Dr.
Hedgewar was traveling in a third class compartment, while Dr. Moonje
was in the first class. Dr. Hedgewar was looking after the needs of Dr.
Moonje. When the train stopped at the station preceding Madras, Doctorji
came to Dr. Moonje’s compartment and began arranging his luggage. But
before he could compete it the train started moving, Just at that time
the inspector came in for checking. Seeing the Doctorji’s third class
ticket, the inspector demanded the difference in fare along with the
penalty. Dr. Moonje patiently explained the situation to him. But the
inspector was adamant. Dr. Moonje lost his temper and shouted, “Get out!
We shall not pay a single pie. After all you are a mere servant of the
railways, while we are the masters!” At this, the inspector also became
furious and retorted, “who are you to tell me ? Remember, this is not a
Muslim country. It is you who should get out !”
Dr. Moonje’s black round cap. Beard, and closely clipped hair on the
head had given the inspector the impression that he was a Muslim! The
two doctors laughed heartily at this faux pas.
The doctor duo stayed in Pondicherry for four or five days. They met
Babu Aurobindo Ghose and explained the crucial situation in the country.
They pleaded with him to accept the reins of leadership. But to their
great disappointment Aurobindo refused to leave Pondicherry.
At a mammoth meeting, the students of Nagpur decided to organize an
all-India convention of college students, synchronous with the Congress
session. In order to give the widest possible publicity to it, Rambhau
Gokhale resigned from his government job and began touring the country.
Doctorji furnished him with addresses and letters of introduction to his
numerous friends. Gokhale has recorded: “…..Before I left, Doctorji
gave me a silk turban. He also briefed me as to the line of exposition I
should adopt in that area. His advice proved to be of immense value to
me.”
The Congress session took place by the end of December. Over 3000
members of the Reception Committee, nearly 15000 delegates and 7 to 8
thousand spectators participated in the session. As leaders of volunteer
group Dr. Paranjpe and Doctorji was in charge of lodging and food. All
were thoroughly impressed with his rare organizing skill, humility and
service-mindedness. Adoption of an unequivocal resolution on
non-cooperation was the highlight of the session.
Doctorji’s independence of thought and outlook expressed itself in the
Nagpur session of the Congress. At one of the meetings, Doctorji and his
friends framed a resolution to the effect, “ Complete Independence is
our aim.” They met Gandhiji and pleaded with him that Congress should
endorse this resolution. Gandhiji simply said, “that meaning is implied
in the effect, “Complete with him that congress should endorse this
resolution. Gandhiji simply said, “that meaning is implied in the word
Swaraj” and dismissed the suggestion. Prompted by Doctorji’s National
Union, the Reception Committee submitted another resolution which
declared, “it is the aim of the congress to establish democracy in India
and o strive to liberate all nations from the grip of capitalist
countries.” But the resolution was discarded at the meeting of the
steering committee itself. Commenting on this rejection, The Modern
Review (March 1921) Wrote: this resolution merited greater attention in
the steering committee.”
Finally, the resolution concerning non-cooperation was adopted. Inspired
by the slogan “Swaraj within one year,” peple jumped into the movement
with added enthusiasm. To bring momentum to the movement, Doctorji
toured scores of village in Central Provinces. He also undertook lecture
engagements along with Dr. Narayanrao Savarkar in the metropolis of
Bombay and its suburbs. His inspiring lectures drew numerous young men
to the freedom struggle. Dada Paramarth, who was also one among such,
writes: “The very mention of the name of the British or their rule set
Doctorji’s mind afire. His works made the audience feel as if the enemy
was physically present there and Doctorji was pouncing on him in fury!
Deep indignation against the foreign domination ran through him like an
electric current. Burning eyes, clenched fist, and violently
gesticulating arms made him look the very image of Yamaraja.”
It was this same fiery touch that brought Dada Paramarth to Doctorji.
The shocking news of Tilak’s death had just reached Nagpur. With a heavy
heart, Dr. Hedgewar had started for Dr. Moonje’s house. On the way, he
saw five or six schoolboys gayfully playing. Immediately he thundered,
“Tilak has died and you are making merry! Aren’t you ashamed?” one or
two of the boys thought of making fun. But Doctorji’s flashing glance at
them at once silenced them. The boys stopped playing and went home. But
Doctorji’s words had stuck in the mind of one of the boys and changed
the entire course of his life. That boy was Dada Paramarth, who
dedicated his life at eh altar of the Sangh and became one of its
pioneer builders.
Owing to these various activities, Doctorji came into close contact with
political and social workers of varied age groups and mental
persuasions. Doctorji started the practice of inviting such friends to
his house on the Kojagiri Poornima day-the autumnal full – moon-which
has its own peculiar charm. The sweet programme of drinkin milk with
kesar on the moonlit night – the moon coming out for the first time
after the rainy season-naturally engendered an atmosphere of fraternity
and absence of reserve. Doctorji used to gather some 70-80 friends.
Raja Lakshmanrao Bhonsle of the royal house of Nagpur, Dr. Moonje and
other celebrities also would join in the programme. Conversation and
discussion on various topics went on without any inhibition. And as to
humour and banter, there was no dearth. At the end, Doctorji used to
thank the invitees; and the appropriateness of his words was of the
nature of the tasty pan at the end of a sumptuous meal. In one such
thanksgiving speech, Doctorji remarked, pointing to his friend Ruikar,
“The sweet programme of Sharat Poornima has just concluded. The next
part, namely washing the vessels, will be attended to by my friend
Rambhau Ruikar, since he happens to be a labour leader!” Everybody burst
out laughing. Whatever political differences there were used to
dissolve in such friendly gatherings, and an atmosphere of warmth was
generated. This annual fete continued in Doctorji’s house for several
years.
Doctorji disapproved of Gandhiji’s policy of launching the
non-cooperation movement with Khilafat as its major plank. The Khilafat
agitation aiming to restore the Caliphate in turkey, Doctorji argued,
would only breed extra-territorial religious fanaticism among the
Muslims here. But he was not the one to stand aloof as a passive
spectator during a national struggle merely because it did not come up
to his expectations on all points.
Doctorji moved like a hurricane lighting up the torch of freedom in the
hearts and minds of people. A bonfire of foreign clothes would follow at
many a place at the close of his meetings. How could the government
tolerate all this ? Restrictions were imposed upon Doctorji about
participating in public meeting, lecturing and addressing gatherings of
more than five persons. Mr. Cyril James Irwin, the district collector,
had passed this order on 23rd February 1921, as per Section 144. The
order and continued as before. At last, the government sued him (31st
May 1921). However, it was not for violating the restrictive order; the
complaint was that of “sedition.” Doctorji’s speeches in Katol and
Bharatwada had been found “objectionable.”
Doctorji felt that no occasion should be missed to broadcast the message
of Independence. Accordingly he decided to engage a defence counsel.
The hearing began on 14th June before a Judge by name Smely. Because of
the biased attitude of the judge, Doctorji’s lawyers found it difficult
to carry on defence. Doctorji therefore prepared to plead his case
himself. He read out his written statement on the 5th of August:
- It has been charged that my speeches have spread discontent, hatred
and feelings of sedition towards the British Empire in the British
Empire in the minds of Indians and sown seeds of enmity between Indians
and Europeans. And I have been asked to explain. I consider it an
affront ot the dignity of my great country that a foreign government
should subject a native Indian to inquiry and sit in judgment.
- I do not recognize that there exists in India today any lawfully
established government. It will be surprising if anybody should claim
so. What obtains today is a regime of usurped authority and a repressive
rule deriving power thereform. The present laws and courts are but
handmaids of this unauthorized regime. In any part of the world, it is
only a government of the people constituted for the people that is
entitled to administer law. All the other forms of rule are but ruses
adopted by deceitful usurpers to loot helpless nations.
- What I tried to do was to inspire in the hearts of my countrymen an
attitude of reverential solicitude for their motherland which at the
moment happens to be in a wretched condition. I tried to instill in the
people the conviction that India belongs to Indians. If an Indian
speaking for his country and spreading the nationalist feeling is
regarded as committing sedition, if he cannot speak the truth without
promoting hatred between Indians and Europeans, Europeans and those
claiming to be the Indian government would do well to bear in mind that
the day is not far off when foreigners will be forced to quit this
country.
- The government’s version of my speech is neither accurate nor
complete. Some stray notes and absurd sentences have been sloppily put
together. But that does not bother me. In dealing with Britain and
Europeans I have borne in mind only the basic principles that ought to
govern the relationship between two countries. Whatever I have said has
been with a view to asserting the birthright of my countrymen and the
inevitability of securing our independence. I am prepared to stand by
each word that I have uttered. Though I cannot say anything else
concerning the charges against me, I am prepared to justify each word
and letter of my speech; and I declare that whatever I have said is
lawful.”
It was no surprise that the presiding judge exclaimed: “His defense is even more seditious than his original speech!”
At the time of Doctorji’s examination the court was filled to capacity.
Not content with his statement, Doctorji followed it up with a brief
speech effectively exposition and the mass of people waiting to hear
every word of what he spoke, the court itself was virtually transformed
into a nationalist platform! Those who heard Doctorji’s speech still
recall it as an electrifying experience.
“India belongs to Indians. We therefore demand Independence. This is the
content of all my speeches People have to be told how to secure
Independence, and also how to conduct themselves after securing it.
Other wise it is quite likely that our people may imitate the British in
Independent India. The British, though they are aggressing on other
nations and governing them through repressive measures. But the very
same British people are ready to shed blood when their own country’s
independence is threatened. The recent war bears testimony to it. We are
therefore obliged to advise our people, ‘Dear countrymen don’t imitate
the aggressive ways of the British. Secure independence by peaceful
means; and be happy and content with your own country without hungering
for others’ territories.’ In order to explain this idea I cannot avoid
referring to current political issues. That the British have been
carrying on their despotic rule in our beloved country is obvious to
everyone. What law is there that gives one country the right to rule
over another? I am asking you, the counsel for government, this simple
and straight question. Can you answer it? Is it not against natural
justice? If it is true that no country has a right to rule over another
country, who gave the British the authority to trample the people of
India under their feet? Do the British belong to this land? How then can
they enslave us and declare that they own this country? Is it not the
most blatant murder of justice, morality and dharma?
“We have no desire to dispossess Britain and rule over it. Just as the
British in Britain and the germans in Germany rule over themselves, we
who this country of India wish to rule over ourselves and carry on our
own affairs. Our mind revolts at the thought of remaining the slaves of
the British Empire and carrying that stigma for all time. We demand
nothing short of Complete Independence. Till we achieve it we cannot be
at peace. Is our desire to be free and independent in our own country
against morality and law? I believe that law exists not to demolish
morality and law? I believe that law exists not to demolish but to
enforce it. That ought to be the prime purpose of law.”
In his judgment delivered on 19th August, Justice Smelly ordered
Doctorji to give an undertaking in writing that he would not deliver
seditious speeches in future for a period of one year and furnish bail
of rupees three thousand.
Doctorji’s reaction was sharp and short:
“My conscience tells me that I am completely innocent. A policy of
repression would only add fuel to the fire already raging because of
government’s vivious policies. I am convinced that the day is not far
off for the foreign regime to reap the fruits of its sinful actions. I
have faith in the justice of the Omnipresent God. I therefore refuse to
comply with the order for bail.”
Even as Doctorji finished his reply, the judge pronounced one year’s
rigorous imprisonment for him. Doctorji smilingly received the verdict,
and left the courtroom for the prison. People who had come to witness
the haring throngedround Doctorji in a surge of enthusiasm. Rambhau
Gokhale garlanded Doctorji on behalf of the City Congress, followed by
Vishwanathrao Kelkar and others. Full-throated slogans filled the air.
Doctorji bowed to Abaji Hedgewar, Sitaramji, Dr. Moonje and other
elders. Barrister Abhyankar, Vaidya Harkare and others bade Doctorji a
hearty farewell and urged him to speak a few words.
Doctorji said:
“As you are aware, I have defended myself in this case of sedition
against me. However, these days, there is an impression going round that
arguing in one’s defense is an act of treachery to the national
movement. But I feel it is highly unwise to merely get crushed like a
bug when a case is foisted upon us. It is our duty to expose to the
whole world the wickedness of the foreign rulers. That would indeed be
an act of patriotism. And not to defend ourselves, on the other hand,
would be a suicidal policy. You may, if you so choose refuse to defend
yourself; but for God’s sake don’t consider those who disagree with you
as being less patriotic. If in the course of our patriotic duty we are
called upon to enter the prison or be transported to the andamans, or
even face the gallows, we shall have to willingly do so. But let us not
be under the illusion that jail-going is all in all, that it is the only
path for achieving freedom. There are, in fact, so many fields of
national service awaiting us outside the prison. I would be back amongst
you after one year. Till then, of course, I will not be in touch with
the national development, but I am confident that by then the movement
for Complete Independence will have gained added momentum. Now, it is no
more possible to keep down Hindusthan under the heels of foreign
domination. I offer my gratitude to you all and bid you good-bye.”
Doctorji left for the jail in a horse-drawn tonga, accompanied by police
officials. The mass of people kept up continuous cheering: “Bharat Mata
Ki Jai,” “Doctor Hedgewar Ki Jai.”
It was on Friday, 19th August 1921, that Doctorji moved into the prison. That very evening a public meeting to honour him in absentia was convened in the Townhall grounds.
Barrister Govindrao Deshmukh presided. Dr. Moonje, Narayanrao Harkare
and Vishwanathrao Kelkar – all spoke in a warm strain. “Because of his
sacrifice and deep concern for the nation, Dr. Hedgewar will doubtless
be the leader of the coming generation,” said Harkare. They all showered
unstinted praise on Doctorji for his commitment to Complete
Independence. Speaking at the end, Vishwanathrao Kelkar recalled the
message Doctorji had delivered just before proceeding to the prison.
Doctorji spent his one year of rigorous imprisonment in the Ajani Jail.
He was joined there by four other colleagues in the revolutionary
movement. Doctorji hardly considered jail-life a burden. While in
Calcutta, he had often spent several hours at a stretch in police
stations. On some occasions he had been in the lock-up for periods of 4
– 6 days. Even as a boy he knew no fear of the police or of the
informers. And as to hardships, Doctorji regarded them as lifelong
companions.
While in jail, Doctorji went through the jail schedule, including hard
labour, ungrudgingly. He didn’t like to escape the agony of work under
some pretext or other. When Doctorji entered the prison, the jailor Sir
Jathar had been newly appointed. And it was Doctorji who helped him to
understand the jail manual in detail. However, as Jathar himself
remarked later on : “Doctorji had no ulterior motive of securing some
favours or to come to some underhand arrangement.” Jathar was so much
moved by the courteous and winning manners of Doctorji that he remarked :
“Even though we were government servants we were so much drawn to
Doctorji by his amiable behaviour that after his release, whenever we
went to the city, our feet would automatically move in the direction of
his house.” During those days the political prisoners were treated at
par with other criminals convicted for serious offences. After his day
of hard labour, Doctorji would sit down to spinning with the takli. On some days, he would sit immersed in the Shantiparva of Mahabharata.
Once, an unpleasant incident took place. One Inamullah was also in the
same jail for his participation in Khilafat movement. He was trying to
kick up some controversy with Doctorji and others. One day he arrogantly
said to Harkare, an associate of Doctorji: “Do not forget that it is
because you are supporting us in our Khilafat agitation that we too are
joining hands with you in the non-cooperation movement. Similar is our
attitude towards cow-protection. If you humbly request us not to
slaughter cows we may perhaps desist from it. But if you make a demand
for it, then we shall consider cow-slaughter as our right.” As soon as
these words fell on Harkare’s ears he leapt like a tiger, caught hold of
Inamulla’s beard and roundly slapped him in the face. However, Doctorji
rushed to Inamullah’s rescue and saved him from further beating. Such
incidents as these only confirmed Doctorji’s foreboding about the
disastrous effect of Khilafat on the Muslim mind.
Doctorji was released from the prison on 12th July 1922. When he removed
the prison uniform and tried to wear his old clothes, his old shirt and
coat felt too tight ! He had gained 25 pounds in weight, in spite of
the rigours of the prison life.
There was a heavy downpour of rain when Doctorji came out of the prison.
Despite the rain, Dr. Moonje, Dr. Paranjpe, Dr. N. B. Khare and
numerous other friends waited at the prison gate to offer a rousing
welcome to him. Doctorji bowed to them in humility. When he proceeded
homeward, there were jubilations, welcome cheers and garlands
throughout the route. The weekly Maharashtradescribed
Doctorji’s triumphant return thus: “No words can adequately describe
Dr. Hedgewar’s intense spirit of patriotism and selflessness. These
traits of his have now become all the more resplendent after the fire
ordeal.”
The same evening, a public reception to Doctorji was arranged. It was
presided over by Dr. Khare. Many of the prominent Congress leaders
attending the meeting of the Congress Working Committee at Nagpur
participated. Pt. Motilal Nehru and Hakim Ajmal Khan also addressed the
meeting. Doctorji’s reply was brief and poignant : “The fact that I was a
‘guest’ of the government for a year has not in the least added to my
merit ; and if at all it has increased, the credit for it should go to
the government ! We have today to place before the country the highest
and noblest of ideals. Any ideal short of Complete Independence will
take us nowhere. To expound to you the method whereby that goal can be
achieved would be an insult to your intelligence as all of you doubtless
are aware of lessons of history. Even if death were to stare us in the
face, we are not to shirk in our path ; we have to keep the ultimate
goal constantly burning in our mind and calmly carry on the fight.”
One more point which Doctorji clarified during the course of his speech,
on this occasion as well as at other places, was regarding
‘non-violence.’ He would say, “Real non-violence lies in the attitude of
the mind. At heart one should not harbour feelings of violence or
hatred. One may outwardly carry out certain acts which appear to involve
physical violence, but if it is done in a spirit of detachment and
without any selfish motive or hatred, then the act can no longer be
termed violent. This is what Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad-Gita.”
After Nagpur, Doctorji received invitations from Yeotmal, Wani, Arvi,
Wadhona, Mohopa and several other places. Enthusiastic processions and
felicitations were held everywhere. He was often received with
traditional drati and given gifts of Khadi clothes. Though
outwardly he responded to the grand receptions, Doctorji’s mind was
heavy with sadness. The condition of the nation had greatly worsened.
6: IN SEARCH OF ANSWERS
THE NON-COOPERATION movement gradually died down; Gandhiji had been
jailed. Many who had jumped into it in a momentary flush of enthusiasm
were now disillusioned ; they now sulked. On 5th February 1922, people
in Chowrichowra in Uttar Pradesh made a violent assault on the police
station. They murdered 21 policemen and one officer, and set fire to the
police station. Gandhiji was shocked by the incident. He called off the
non-cooperation movement on 12th February.
In all, over twenty thousand people had participated in the movement.
What had prompted most of them was the catchy slogan “Independence
within one year.” People therefore became dispirited when the movement
came to a grinding halt. Gloom and disappointment stared them in the
face. Pt. Nehru, after he came out of the prison in 1923, described the
situation thus : “We felt exhilarated, but this was a passing
sensation, for the state of Congress politics was discouraging enough.
In the place of ideals there were intrigues, and various cliques were
trying to capture the Congress machinery by the usual methods which have
made politics a hateful word to those who are at all sensitive.” In
such an environm ent, students who had forsaken their studies naturally
went back to their books. Lawyers who had boycotted the courts
recommenced their practice.
Even though the non-cooperation movement was directed against the
government, it is clear that Gandhiji worked constantly with one eye on
Hindu-Muslim Unity. He therefore set about trying to woo the Muslims by
fully supporting the Khilafat movement. But Doctorji sensed danger in
that move. In fact, he did not even relish the newfangled slogan of
‘Hindu-Muslim Unity.’ He once met Gandhiji to explain his viewpoint.
Without mincing words, Doctorji questioned Gandhiji : “There are in
India people of various religions like Hinduism, Islam, Christianity,
Zoroastrianism, Judaism, etc. Why then do you harp upon only
‘Hindu-Muslim Unity’ instead of promoting the unity of all the various
sects ?” Gandhiji replied, “This will secure the friendly attitude of
Muslims towards our country. As you are witnessing, they can be
persuaded to side wholeheartedly with us in the nationalist struggle.”
Doctorji said : “Long before this slogan of Hindu-Muslim Unity came into
vogue, many leading Muslims had identified themselves with our nation
and worked shoulder to shoulder with Hindus under the leadership of
Lokmanya Tilak — e.g., Barrister Jinnah, Dr. Ansari, Hakim Ajmal Khan
and others. But I am afraid that this new slogan, instead of helping
unity, might further aggravate the feeling of separateness among the
Muslims.”
“I have no such fear,” said Gandhiji and closed the issue. But,
unfortunately, events of later years amply testified to Doctorji’s
fears.
By the time Doctorji came out of the prison, Muslims had begun loudly to mouth the slogan Allah—ho—Akbar’ in place of Vande Malaram: Mullahs and moulvis were openly reciting passages of Koran wherein the execution of kafirs and pursuit of jehad (religious
war) were invoked. What was surprising was that even well-educated
Muslims entertained the notion that Islam was superior to all other
faiths. English education which had deeply influenced the Hindus
appeared to have had no effect whatever on the Muslims. As Jawaharlal
Nehru remarked in his autobiography, “Even Western‑educated Muslims who
had no genuine religious feelings began to grow beards and observe
external Islamic rituals !” As a result of the Khilafat movement, a sum
of over Rs. 80 lakhs which had been contributed by Hindus went into the
hands of fanatical Muslim leadership. It is hardly surprising that
thereafter Muslims began to feel that it was more profitable for them
to retain their separate identity.
Once, Doctorji happened to attened a certain conference. Sameelullah
Khan was with him. Doctorji used a Khadi cap in those days ;
occasionally a Khadi upper garment too. Khan Saheb, however, was wearing
the Turkish cap. Doctorji asked him, “Ever since the non-cooperation
movement started, the Khadi cap is much in vogue. Why haven’t you
started using it ?” Without a moment’s hesitation, Khan Saheb replied,
“I am first and foremost a Muslim, and then an Indian. This cap is a
symbol of my religion. I cannot give it up under any circumstances.”
This reply vividly reflected the Muslims’ mood in general.
Even when Doctorji was in jail he had received news of the Moplahs’
gruesome assaults on the Hindus in Malabar and their armed rebellion
against the government. Because of the attempts of Congress to play it
down, people did not come to know of the gravity of the situation.
According to the report on the Moplah atrocities published by the
Servants of India Society, “One thousand Hindus were killed. Twenty
thousand Hindus were forcibly converted, and thousands of Hindu women
dishonoured and abducted. Property to the tune of over Rupees 3 crores
was looted.” But what is the picture, viewed through the Congress
glasses ? “….Families forcibly converted belong to the Majeri village.
The fanatics who converted them were opposed to Khilafat and the
non-cooperation movement. As per reports available up till now, only
three families have been converted.” To acquire first-hand knowledge of
the happenings, Dr. Moonje personally toured the troubled areas of
Malabar and placed before the public a factual picture of the situation.
Through Dr. Moonje, Doctorji came to know of the conditions in Malabar
in detail. He used to describe it as ” the biggest Muslim attack on the
Hindus after the Muslim rule here had ended. ”
During the non-cooperation movement, people made bonfire of expensive
foreign clothes. It set the people’s patriotic instinct and self-respect
afire. But the Muslims were totally unconcerned with this Swadeshi
aspect of the movement. Instead, they asked for Mahatmaji’s permission
to send the clothes to ‘their Turkish brethren.’ Mahatmaji too
consented. Incident after incident began to testify to the growing
feeling of separateness among the Muslims.
It was for the establishment of the Caliphate in Turkey that the Indian
Muslims had participated in the non-cooperation movement against the
British government. But to their misfortune, there was no love left in
the hearts of the Turkish people themselves for the Calipha. The leader
of the renascent Turkey, Kamal Ataturk Pasha, had declared, “Oh Calipha,
your throne today is merely a historical relic. There is henceforth no
need for it,” and had driven him out. The ousting of the Calipha had
naturally spread despair and disappointment among the Muslims in Bharat.
But their leaders cleverly converted their followers’ discontent into
an anti-Hindu hysteria. They set afloat the new slogan of Pan-Islamism,
and thus continued to fan the flames generated in them by the Khilafat
movement.
As a result, everywhere Muslims rose in anti-Hindu rebellion in 1923.
They slaughtered cows, attacked Hindu processions, molested Hindu women
and desecrated Hindu temples. About the terrible incidents of Shahranpur
in Uttar Pradesh in 1923, Bhai Parmanand wrote : “My heart wept at the
pitiable condition and hardship of the Hindus. I came to know that the
office-bearers of the local Khilafat committee were themselves
personally responsible for inciting riots and destroying Hindu life,
honour and property. It is clear that the Khilafat movement is the
source of all these Muslim uprisings.”
Unprecedented riots took place in Nagpur, Amethi, Sambhal, Gulbarga,
Kohat and other places. The bloodcurdling riot at Kohat on 9th and 10th
September took a toll of one hundred and fifty Hundu lives. Property
worth lakhs of rupees was looted. Sarojini Naidu wrote to Mahatmaji
saying, “We had better put an end to our talks of peace.” Mahatmaji,
too, was so greatly shocked by these happenings that he began at Delhi a
21-day fast in the house of Maulana Mohammed Ali, in the presence of
Dr. Ansari and Abdul Rehman. As a consequence, Peace Committees were
formed. Protesting friendship outwardly, Muslims chanted the formula of
Hindu-Muslim Unity. The end result of all this exercise has been
poignantly described by Dr. Ambedkar thus : “Lofty resolutions were
passed in Peace Committee sessions. It looked as if each such resolution
provided fresh licence for violence.”
It may be educative to recall the reactions of the various leaders to
this explosive situation. After the Moplah rebellion, Swami
Shraddhananda actively pursued the Shuddhi movement. In his evidence
before the Non-cooperation Enquiry Committee,’ he said : “I have found
that these two communities regard each other with suspicion. Hindus are
not as well organized as the Muslims, and are divided among themselves.
The only solution to the problem is for Hindu leaders to organize their
own society.” The same sentiment was expressed by Pt. Madan Mohan
Malaviya at the Belgaum session of the Hindu Mahasabha in 1924: “But for
the weakness and fear enveloping the Hindus, many Hindu-Muslim clashes
could have been averted. These clashes have driven the country to its
present critical situation. It is therefore imperative to eradicate the
weakness of the Hindus which has been very largely responsible for the
Muslim violence.”
That year Mahatmaji, too, struck a similar note. He said, “An average
Hindu is a coward and an average Muslim is a bully.” Pt. Nehru’s
experience was not different. Describing those days in his Autobiography, he
wrote : “Many a Congressman was a communalist under a nationalist
cloak.” In the same book he has described the Hindus as given to ‘stupor
and a baseles slordliness.’
Doctorji’s mind delved deep into the meaning of all these developments.
While the cries of ‘Hindu-Muslim BhaiBhai’ continued to reverberate in
the air, its prospect in reality was receding farther and farther.
Doctorji became engrossed in finding answers to certain basic questions :
Over these years of our fraternization, have the Muslims ever responded
positively to any of our gestures ? Have they developed any warmth
towards the Hindu society ? Have they reciprocated the Hindu tradition
of tolerance, of ‘live and let live’ ? Have they exhibited the slightest
willingness to join us in paying homage to Bharat Man ?
By about the same time, the historical treatise Hindutva by
Veer Savarkar reached Doctorji’s hands. Savarkar had written it while in
Andamans and with great difficulty and ingenuity had managed to smuggle
it out. Savarkar’s inspiring and brilliant exposition of the concept of
‘Hindutva’, marked by incontestable logic and clarity, struck the chord
of Doctorji’s heart. For he too, out of his clear historical insight
and practical experience, had arrived at the same truth of Hindu
Nationhood. If the Muslim onslaughts had shocked the Hindus out of their
stupor, Savarkar’s Hindutva fanned their dormant Hindu spirit into a national blaze.
Even as Doctorji’s mind was deeply pondering over the basic philosophy
.which should form the bedrock for national emancipation, he continued
to be busy with a variety of public activities. These resulted in new
experiences and fresh acquaintances.
He was appointed a joint secretary of the Provincial Congress in 1922.
He noticed pronounced indiscipline among the workers at every level. To
counter it he tried to organize a disciplined volunteer corps as part of
the Congress. To start with, he selected four volunteers from each
taluk. But the experiment did not yield the expected results. Volunteers
in those days were expected to merely act as ‘charge-free hamals’ and
play second fiddle to leaders. Besides, those who had taken the Gandhian
vow of non-violence were basically opposed to such an organization. Dr.
N. S. Hardikar of Hubli whom Doctorji had known from his student days
had started the Hindusthani Seva Dal in 1923 during the Kakinada
Congress session. Dr. Hardikar was supported by Pandit Nehru. Referring
to Dr. Hardikar’s Seva Dal, Pandit Nehru wrote in his Autobiography : “We
were surprised to find later how much opposition there was to the Seva
Dal among leading Congressmen. Some said that this was a dangerous
departure, as it meant introducing a military element in the Congress,
and the military arm might overpower the civil authority ! Others seemed
to think that the only discipline necessary was for the volunteers to
obey orders issued from above, and for the rest it was hardly desirable
for volunteers even to walk in step. At the back of the mind of some was
the notion that the idea of having trained and drilled volunteers was
somehow inconsistent with the Congress principle of non-violence.”
With such distorted notions reigning supreme, Doctorji could not hope to
organize a dedicated band of young men in the light of his ideas. He
was not interested in merely training an army of ‘yes’-men. It was
Doctorji’s dream that an organization be created consisting of lakhs of
self-sacrificing and self-inspired young men willing to lead a
disciplined life in the cause of the country. With this end in view he
initiated certain moves.
Gangaprasad Pandey, the revolutionary leader who had gone to Punjab and
Rajasthan, was still in that area. He was highly dependable, fearless
and intelligent. Doctorji invited him to Nagpur and started a national
wrestling school. But within a year or so, informers were combing the
place for Gangaprasad. Doctorji immediately closed the school and
requested Appaji Joshi to arrange a safe place for Gangaprasad.
Doctorji’s friend Govind Ganesh Cholkar had started an orphanage in
Nagpur in 1922. From the time of its inception, Doctorji was on its
executive committee. Once, two boys belonging to the orphanage had been
kidnapped by a Christian matron. Doctorji traced them with great
difficulty and brought them back to the orphanage.
Doctorji was also active in the Rifle Association started by Dr. Moonje.
It was Doctorji’s firm belief that discipline, marching, elementary
drill and similar other exercises were very necessary in order to mould
the character of a nation.
Doctorji’s co-operation was always readily available in any constructive
national activity in Nagpur. His name finds mention in the Provincial
Sports Committee for conducting sports in 1922. He never missed the
evening prayer in the Hanuman temple. He also used to participate in
discussions and study groups. He sponsored and encouraged people to hold
protest demonstrations in front of liquor shops. Though he was himself
in poverty, he used to contribute towards the Ganesh festival organized
by young and enthusiastic boys. He also attended at that time one of the
secret meetings of the underground revolutionaries held in Calcutta.
Doctorji used to be a most active participant in all national meets and
conferences. He presided over a Congress conference at Dehgaon village
in April 1923. The organizers had planned to perform go-pooja (cow-worship)
at the commencement of the conference, and also to pass a
cow-protection resolution during the session. But this was not to the
liking of some of the followers of Gandhiji attending the conference.
They were greatly upset. Mahatma Bhagawan Deen vehemently remonstrated
with Doctorji, “Cow-worship and cow-protection are not part of the
Congress programme. If you have these on the agenda I shall not take
part in the session.”
Doctorji coolly listened to the outburst. But he refused to make any
changes in the arranged programme. As soon as cow-worship began Bhagawan
Deen started leaving the meeting. But Doctorji somehow persuaded him to
sit beside him. After the welcome speech, Doctorji requested Bhagawan
Deen to present his point of view. He spoke, and this was followed by
Doctorji’s speech. Doctorji would not favour estrangement merely because
of ideological differences. He knew that a spirit of cordiality and
‘give-and-take’ are the secret of collective public work. Referring to
this, Ramgopalji, editor of the Rajasthan Kesari weekly of
Wardha, wrote : “Doctorji never lost a friendship on account of
differing viewpoints. Thus, whenever I went to his house, he used to
say smilingly, ‘I welcome you, but not your way of thinking !’ ”
This attitude of Doctorji was beautifully manifest in the reverence he
had for Gandhiji, in spite of his sharp differences with him in regard
to several of his policies. When Gandhiji was arrested and convicted for
six years on 18th March 1922, the 18th of every month came to be
observed as Gandhi Day till his release. On that occasion in October,
this is what Doctorji observed : “This is a most sacred day for us, for
it is an occasion for us to listen to and contemplate on the noble
virtues of the saintly life of Mahatmaji. And those, especially, who
call themselves as his followers, have a special responsibility of
emulating those qualities in their day-to-day life. The greatest virtue
of Gandhiji lies in his capacity to dedicate himself wholly and solely
for the nation’s cause. To preach one thing and practise the opposite,
would be the very antithesis of what Gandhiji stands for. To shout
‘Mahatma Gandhiji ki Jai’ and raise one’s hands in support of his
programmes in the public meetings and then coolly walk back to one’s
house and get totally lost in selfish affairs would be nothing less than
hypocrisy. … Let us not chant the hymn of peace just to cover up our
weaknesses. Let us first become physically stronger than our adversary
and then speak the language of peace. It is only he who is prepared to
throw himself and his family into the sacrificial fire of struggle that
can rightly claim to be a follower of Gandhiji.”
Such was the beautiful harmony he was building up between diametrically
opposite viewpoints. He never felt any contradiction in his
participating in the non-violent Satyagraha launched by Gandhiji and
following all its rules, even though he himself was a fiery
revolutionary who believed that it was armed rebellion alone which would
ultimately free the country from the shackles of foreign slavery.
(Doctorji was himself an excellent marksman, having started on that line
right from his Calcutta days. He loved to be in the deep jungles for
days on end ostensibly for hunting and he would always excel others in
marksmanship.)
The Muslims of Nagpur resorted to highhanded ways in 1923. They started
objecting to the playing of music in front of Masjids, which had in fact
been built in 1921 with the co-operation of Hindus and some of them
endowed by Raja Lakshmanrao Bhonsle. They had now gone back upon their
own earlier pledges. In 1923, all of a sudden, the Muslims brought an
injunction from the district collector against the Ganesh immersion
procession. As instructed by leaders like Raja Lakshmanrao Bhonsle, Dr.
Moonje and Dr.Hedgewar, the Hindus decided that the entire Ganesh
immersion ceremony be stayed till the playing of music was permitted.
All this happened in September. In October the Bhajan groups had to pass
through the same route. Muslims objected to this also. But ignoring
their protests, the Bhajan groups went through the same route for two or
three days. But later on the police sided with the Muslims and started
obstructing the Bhajan processions. Dr. Hedgewar and other Hindu leaders
went from house to house and mobilized a large number of people to join
the Bhajan. On 8th November, 41 prominent leaders including Dr.
Hedgewar, Dr. Paranjpe, Dr. Cholkar and others took part in the
Satyagraha. Thousands of people had gathered. On 11th December, Raja
Lakshmanrao Bhonsle also joined the movement. Over forty thousand people
had congregated to witness this rare sight of Hindu resurgence. The
Muslims then voluntarily allowed five people to pass in front of the
Masjid singing Bhajans.
That evening a mammoth meeting was held under the presidentship of
Doctorji. At that meeting Raja Lakshmanrao Bhonsle proclaimed that the
Nagpur branch of Hindu Mahasabha had been formed. The Raja himself was
the president, and Dr. Moonje the Vice-President. Dr. Hedgewar became
its Secretary.
The institution of singing Bhajan in public was popularized with great
vigour. The entire city was reverberating with full-throated chanting of
`Jai Vittal’, ‘Jai Jai Vittal’. After seeing the mood of the
people, government allowed the Hindus to carry on Bhajan when passing in
front of Masjids at any time except at the five stipulated Namizz timings.
This success resulted in more enthusiastic participation of people in
Bhajans. The Ganesh immersion function, which had been kept in abeyance,
was celebrated with great eclat on the full-moon day.
Irked by this ‘defeat’, the Muslims attempted at revolting in a few
places. Some threatening letters were also received by Dr. Hedgewar and
Dr. Moonje. But they moved fearlessly all over the town with a view to
keeping up the morale of the people. Because of the in-built fear of the
Muslims among the Hindus, the band troupes sometimes shirked to play
before the Masjid. On such occasions, Doctorji himself would take over
the drums and rouse the dormant manliness of the Hindus.
Often he would be invited and urged to be specially present even for
family functions such as marriages and thread ceremonies, just to ensure
their smooth and undisturbed completion.
Veer Savarkar was still in prison in those days. In 1923, Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel and others pleaded in the Bombay Legislative Council
for his release. The Congress at Nagpur also arranged a public meeting
in which Doctorji made a trenchant attack on the government : ” In
convicting Savarkar the government has murdered justice ; and if the
government is interested in washing off this blot, let it forthwith
release him. The government will not be bestowing any special favour if
it were to release him now, after fourteen years of cruel incarceration.
If even now the government does not care to release him, it will only
be one more evidence of its evil intentions towards our country.”
The Nagpur National Union founded by Doctorji was unreservedly dedicated
to the goal of Complete Independence. Either for political reasons or
because of personal inhibitions, not a single elderly leader of those
days was prepared to think in terms of more than ” Independence within
the empire.” In the atmosphere of frustration enveloping the country
after the failure of the non-cooperation movement, it had become all the
more essential to intensify the campaign for full independence. It was
therefore decided by Dr. Hedge-war, Dr. Khare and others in the middle
of 1923 to start a daily newspaper called ” Swatantrya.”
After a couple of months’ efforts, Swatantrya Prakashana Mandal was
established on a co-operative basis. Dr. Hedgewar and Dr. Khare toured
the Vidarbha area to collect necessary funds. At that time there were
not more than six weeklies in that entire region. It was also a most
backward province as far as education was concerned. Under such
conditions, it was not easy to run a daily newspaper. But the idealist
youths recognized no such handicaps and went ahead with its publication.
Swatantrya
began to appear under the editorship of
Vishwanathrao Kelkar. However, Doctorji bore the main brunt of the work,
from solving the day-to-day problems in the press to writing articles
whenever needed. But the venture was short-lived. Within a year a loss
of over ten thousand rupees was incurred. The editorship had to change
hands twice. At the point of closure, nobody was prepared to assume the
onus of editorship. Doctorji volunteered for this unpleasant duty too,
and wrote the swansong as the editor.
A small incident that took place in the office of Swatantrya throws
light on a distinctive trait in Doctorji’s character. Once, a
sub-editor of the paper sent a leave letter to Doctorji saying that he
was unwell, but actually went to the house of one Phadnavis to play
cards. Doctorji guessed straightway that the ‘illness’ was fictitious.
Doctorji was also aware of the hideout of the card-addicts. After
finishing his work in .the office, Doctorji went straight to the house
of Phadnavis. The game had just warmed up. Seeing Doctorji, the
sub-editor turned pallid. But Doctorji did not seem to notice him at
all. As usual he carried on a pleasant chat with Phadnavis for some time
and returned.
Doctorji had his own ways of disciplining. Very often, Doctorji’s silence itself was sufficient to correct errant colleagues.
Doctorji now began concentrating more and more on youth. He started
teaching swimming to a few youngsters. During one such session he saw a
boy passing by, and asked him, ” Can you jump into the well ? ” The boy
did not know the a b c of swimming ; but he said, “Yes, I can.” He at
once removed his clothes, tied a rope round his waist and fearlessly
jumped into the well. Doctorji was immensely pleased with the daring
nature of the young boy. Thereafter Doctorji cultivated him more and
more. The boy, who in later days became a devoted worker of the Sangh,
was Gopalrao Yerkuntwar. For a long time Gopalrao used to recall the
sharp eyes and imposing personality of the dark-complexioned stranger
who drew him to himself near the well.
Doctorji often spoke to student gatherings. He contributed
thought-provoking messages to students’ manuscript magazines. Mentioning
the young men’s regard for Doctorji, Professor Sawalapurkar wrote :
“Doctorji was deeply interested in all the programmes of the Nagpur
youth. He was an unfailing source of inspiration and guidance for them
all. Stories of his connection with the Krantidal thrilled us. We had
invited Doctorji for our Rashtriya Charcha Mandal in 1923 or 1924. He
then tellingly expounded the concept of true nationality.”
In 1924, Doctorji gathered together Bhauji Kawre, Appaji Joshi,
Vishwanathrao Kelkar and other friends and also a few political workers
of the Central Provinces, and placed before them his ideas in regard to
organizing the Hindus. Doctorji invited their reactions and suggestions.
Appaji Joshi recalls the meeting thus : ” The friends who had assembled
that day belonged to different parties. Some had been influenced by
Mahatmaji. Some owed allegiance to the Swarajya Party. Seeing their
disparateness, Doctorji decided early in 1925 to initiate the work of
resurrecting the Hindu nation with the help of only like-minded people.”
As soon as his ideas became crystallized, Doctorji went to meet
Swatantrya-Veer Savarkar who was then in detention in Ratnagiri. As
there was an outbreak of plague in those days, Savarkar had moved to the
house of Vishnu Pant Damle in Sirgaon. Doctorji spent two days in
useful exchange of views with Savarkar there.
In July 1924, the Muslims in Nagpur attempted one more uprising. But
this time the Hindus were on the alert and prepared, due to the timely
efforts of Dr. Moonje and Dr. Hedgewar. The Musilms fared badly this
time. Some 30-35 of them had to be hospitalized. Hindus residing in
Muslim localities had been moved to the Bhonsla Palace for safety.
Day-and-night vigil had been set up for protection of the Hindus.
At that time, Muslims had carried out similar violent outbursts against
the Hindus throughout the country, and Hindus had to suffer severe
losses and hardships. Doctorji was searching for an answer to the
question uppermost in many minds : “How is it that Muslims, who are so
few in number, are so fearlessly attacking the Hindus ? And why are not
the Hindus, who constitute the majority, even able to protect themselves
? Isn’t this a matter of shame ? Why is this so ?”
This situation gave rise to a variety of reactions among the Hindu
leaders. Some were frankly in despair. “The Muslims are unified and
powerful. We cannot hope to cope with them. God alone should save us.”
Some others would be content to find some make-shift solution to the
problem. They would not bother to diagnose the root cause and find a
permanent remedy.
7: FOUNDING OF THE SANGH
THE IDEA of establishing the Sangh became gradually crystallized in
Doctorji’s mind. It now only remained to translate that concept into
actuality. Doctorji chose the sacred day of Vijaya Dashami, 1925, for
the historic occasion)That day was, indeed, very auspicious for
launching the work, since Vijaya Dashami traditionally symbolized the
conquest of good over evil. Founding the Sangh was the first step in the
future victorious march of the Hindu Nation – from the individual to
collective life, from subservience to invincibility. About 1520 young
men gathered in Doctorji’s house on that day. Chief among them were
Bhauji Kawre, Anna Sohni, Vishwanathrao Kelkar, Balaji Huddar and
,Bapurao Bhedi. Doctorji announced to the gathering : ” We are
inaugurating the Sangh today.” He elicited the views of all of them in
regard to the activities of the Sangh. “All of us must train ourselves
physically, intellectually and in every way so as to be capable of
achieving our cherished goal,” he declared.
Founding of any institution is usually preceded by fixing up its name,
constitution, office, fund collection, etc. There is also a lot of
advance publicity. But strangely, there were no such preparations when
the Sangh was started. The sole capital of the Sangh at the time of
founding was Doctorji’s own life of utter dedication and sterling
character, his unsurpassed organizing ability and spirit of
self-effacing service.
Activities relating to physical training were conducted by Doctorji’s
friend Anna Sohni, who was an adept at handling lathi, dagger, lance and
such other conventional weapons. He was himself a well-built figure and
his unique technique of coaching fascinated the youth. A special
feature of his posture-training was the normal stance siddha-sthiti of the body, gracefully and perfectly balanced on the two feet. Even more impressive was the yuddha-yoga, an
effective technique of defence. Training in drill, marching, etc., was
imparted on Sundays by another friend of Doctorji, Martandrao Jog. On
Thursdays and Sundays there were discourses on national affairs. These
sessions later on came to be known as Bouddhik Varga. Doctorji
and Vishwanathrao Kelkar lectured at these sessions. Among the younger
leaders, Balaji Huddar, Dada Paramarth, Bhaiyaji Dani and others were
encouraged by Doctorji to speak.
(In the earlier days, there were no daily meetings of Swayamsevaks. The
requirement was that they should regularly attend some gymnasium, meet
at one place on Sundays and attend the discourses. Physical exercise’
was not Doctorji’s primary aim. Therefore’, within a short time,
Doctorji evolved an integrated scheme of threefold training covering the
three aspects – physical, intellectual and mental.)
The Swayamsevaks thus began to assemble every day on the grounds of a
primary school. As the number grew, that place proved insufficient. The
Mohitewada ground, which was then in utter neglect, was cleared and the
Shakha was started there. From 28th May of 1926, the daily Shdreerik (physical culture) programme was commenced as a regular routine. New commands Sdvdhdn’ , Daksha’, `yiratna’ were
first used there. But Doctorji was not blind to practical needs and
exigencies. For the physical training he did not hesitate to employ the
existing English vocabulary as well as methodology. He regarded the
adoption of the British conventions in this field as dpaddharma. In more recent times, of course, Sangh has introduced Sanskrit expressions in place of the English ones.
The tradition of commencing the daily activities with salutation to the Bhagawd Dhwaj and
concluding with the prayer was instituted with a view to deepening the
intellectual and emotional content of the training)The prayer then
consisted of a combination of a Marathi verse and a Hindi verse. The
meaning of the first part of it was as follows :
Salutations to the Motherland where I am born.
Salutations to the Hindu Land where I have been brought up.
Salutations to the Land of Dharma for which may my body fall.
To Her, I salute again and again.
For the naming of the Sangh, Doctorji arranged a baithak in his
house on 17th April 1926. Twentysix Swayamsevaks participated in the
discussion. Several names were suggested, and there was elaborate
discussion about each. After the process of elimination, three names
remained in the tally : (1) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ; (2) Jaripatakd
Mandal ; and (3) Bhdratoddharak Mandal. The name adshtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh’ was finally decided upon.
Referring to that discussion, Professor Sawalapurkar says : “Surely,
Doctorji must have decided about the name of the Sangh after prolonged
thought even before that baithak. But he gave the aspiring
Swayamsevaks an opportunity to suggest names, so that the young
enthusiasts could feel themselves as part of the decision-making
process. A student who had just joined the college also suggested a name
and spoke vehemently in support of it. Others too suggested their
choices and spoke. Doctorji then suggested to me to expound the
appropriateness of the name `Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.’ I spoke for
about half an hour. Doctorji was very much pleased, and patted me on my
back. Needless to say, was able to speak convincingly only because of
the training that I had imbibed from Doctorji over a long period.”
The name aashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’ was evolved by Doctorji after long
and intense deliberation. Especially, the choice of the word
`Rashtriya’ to denote the work of Hindu consolidation was intended to
emphasize the fact that it is the Hindus who form the backbone of the
nation in Bharat and that organization of Hindus is a task of supreme
national importance.
One lamp lights up another. One inspired heart kindles another. This was
how Doctorji touched the hearts of countless Swayamsevaks and kindled
in them the spark of idealism. While activities on the playground were
many and varied, it was in Doctorji’s house that the true
character-moulding work was carried on. Doctorji’s rapport with the
Swayamsevaks was of the most intimate kind ; he evinced keen interest
in the welfare of each Swayamsevak. His warmth and friendliness endeared
him to every one of them, young or old. Through suggestive questions,
he whetted their power of thinking, and goaded them into activity. All
the Swayamsevaks would meet once a month, and plan the programme for
the ensuing month.
Doctorji desired that Swayamsevaks should, out of their own devotion to
the cause, be able to act without waiting for instructions from others.
Doctorji had several ways of instructing the Swayamsevaks. He would
ask, “Why did you take to learning lathi ?” “Suppose you learn lathi
singly ?” “How many new persons can you contact and mobilize ?”
Through such simple questions he would instil in them a sense of
corporate thinking and working. When there were intelligent young men
around, he asked questions such as “What is Swaraj ?” “How many people
are there who demand Swaraj, and how many are there who work for it ?”
He would thus bring home to the young minds the need for more young
people to actively join the movement for Swaraj. And again he would put
some searching questions such as “Supposing on your way back home a
policeman takes you to the station and confronts you with the question,
‘You had gone to Dr. Hedgewar; what was the topic of discussion there ?’
– what would you answer ?”, “What makes you come to the Sangh ?”, and
so on and gauge the Swayamsevak’s sharpness of understanding.
There is a report of a baithak held on 21st June 1926 recorded
by Raghunathrao Bande who was the Nagpur Kciryavdha at that time. In
that session Doctorji asked each Swayamsevak to state in writing his
ideal, the ideal of the Sangh, and how he would organize the Sangh and
its activities if he were made the Chdlak, i.e., chief. The statements
were to be handed over to Doctorji before 28th. This indicated the
measure of Doctorji’s concern that the Swayamsevaks should themselves
think over and imbibe the Sangh ideal and pursue the Sangh activities
with self-sustaining zeal and devotion.
In 1926, Doctorji initiated certain measures to instil the spirit of
hard discipline in the Swayamsevaks. He requested Martandrao Jog who had
retired from the army in 1920 to conduct the weekly parade of
Swayamsevaks. Jog was the chief for the Congress Seva Dal also at that
time ; but no party considerations existed for Doctorji. Martandrao in a
letter to Guruji later on wrote : “I am now totally one with the Sangh.
It is the Sangh which has developed my personality. It was Doctorji’s
love which had carved out a place for me in Sangh.” Doctorji also
encouraged the setting up of cavalry units wherever it was possible.
Wearing of uniform during parades was made obligatory for the
Swayamsevaks. Upasani, an army officer of Gwalior, used to visit Nagpur
during holidays. Doctorji deputed a few Swayamsevaks to him for advanced
training in physical fitness and discipline. Swayamsevak who took part
in the first route march numbered 30. Stepping signals were given
through the whistle on that day, and the need for the bugle was then
keenly felt. And it was with great difficulty that money was raised for
purchasing the first ever band instrument. The throb of joyous
enthusiasm that coursed through the Swayamsevaks at the first sound of
the bugle truly defies description !
A special training programme for selected Swayamsevaks was also begun in
May 1927. The object of the programme was to equip the Swayamsevaks to
enable them to carry on the Sangh activities on their own, wherever they
might go. The programme was therefore called the Officers Training
Camp-0. T. C. In the first camp of 1927, there were only 17
participants. There were physical culture sessions from 5 to 9 in the
morning and again in the evening. The afternoon hours from 12-30 to 5 p m
were spent in discussion, writing, etc. There were also swimming
exercises. These intensive summer training camps have continued to this
day under the name of `Sangha Shiksha Varga.’ Every province now has
its own separate camp.
Doctorji was keen on developing the various necessary qualities among
the Swayamsevaks. He was very particular that the allotted job should be
executed well and efficiently by every one of them. A worker should
never try to shift his responsibility to another, nor should he beat his
own drum when the work is finished. Doctorji would narrate an
experience of his own in this connection.
Once, after a feast at Raja Lakshmanrao’s palace, chewing lime was exhausted, with only pan going
round. Lakshmanrao ordered his junior to bring lime. He in turn passed
on the order to his junior. Thus the order for lime passed on from mouth
to mouth, but no lime came. However, Doctorji, who was well acquainted
with the household, quietly went inside and brought the lime. But the
shouting for lime continued for quite some time even after that !
Doctorji had no dearth of interesting anecdotes to drive home his point.
Here is one such. Once a king ordered that every one of his subjects
pour before sunrise a cup of milk into a big pot in the temple. However,
each one thought, “After all, every one else is pouring milk. What
difference does it make if I pour a cup of water instead ? ” As a
result, every one poured his own quota of water. By sunrise the huge
vessel was filled to the brim, with pure water and not a drop of milk !
Another weakening trait among the Hindus was the firmly rooted mentality
– “I am alone, what can I do ?” Once an incident took place in Nagpur
which was narrated by Doctorji to bring home the disastrous results of
such an attitude.
Once, all of a sudden, a commotion started in a public meeting. A few
persons stood up, some began to run and soon the rest also took to their
heels helter-skelter. In that mad rush several were trampled, hundreds
left their chappals and dhoties behind, and the entire audience
numbering thousands was speeding in all directions as if chased by some
wild beast. The speakers and the president too did not lag behind; they
too sped as fast as their legs could carry.
Later on, on enquiry it was found that it all started with a person in
the middle of the meeting suddenly getting up as he felt something like a
frog entering his dhoti. Persons sitting around him also got up, with
one of them crying out ‘snake, snake !’ That was the signal for all
others to join the running spree. Not one of them knew what had actually
taken place : each said that because others were running he also
started running ! Doctorji, who met the organizers the next day, asked
them : “Let alone the audience, but why did you not try to
control the situation ?” Each one of them replied, “What could I alone
do ?” In fact, every one of the fleeing heroes was pleading the same
reason – “What could I alone do ?”
The Sangh grew slowly but steadily with enrolment of young men one after
another, in ever increasing numbers. Doctorji spent every single minute
of his waking hours in building up the nascent organization.
Poverty continued to haunt Doctorji’s household as before. It was not
possible to run the household from his elder brother’s meagre earnings.
Because of his public activities, Doctorji had an endless stream of
visitors from morning right up to midnight. Hospitality, which could not
be avoided, meant expense. In addition to it, Doctorji was a strict
adherent of aparigraha; no one dared to offer any financial help to him.
Raja Lakshmanrao Bhonsle, who was all admiration for Doctorji, once made
a personal effort through his secretary Vasudeva Shastri Sangamkar to
lessen Doctorji’s financial strain. The effort failed. Nanasaheb
Talatule of Sindi was a close friend of Doctorji, and Doctorji
customarily spent a few days with him every year. He too sounded
Doctorji a couple of times regarding financial assistance. But Doctorji
remained cold. Once while in Sindi, Nanasaheb and Appaji Joshi broached
the subject cautiously and told Doctorji, “Financial worry is chasing
you like a shadow ; some arrangement must be made.” Doctorji replied, “I
shall ask for it when there is need. Help should not be felt like an
obligation, and should not strain the mind. I have no objection to
accepting help from people with whom I feel free, but right at present
there is no need for it.”
While Doctorji put his friends at ease, he continued to refuse help.
Coming to know of the trying situation at Doctorji’s house, Narayanrao
Deshpande of Arvi and Appaji Joshi began secretly handing over fifty
rupees every month to Doctorji’s sister-in-law. But Doctorji soon
scented it, and the practice had to be given up after two or three
months.
About this time some friends of Doctorji started a company under the
name of Ideal Insurance Company, and made Doctorji the chief of medical
examination unit of the company. This brought a remuneration of four to
five hundred rupees every year. The arrangement, which continued up to
1935-36, met Doctorji’s domestic needs to some extent.
In the year 1926, for the Ramanavami festival, Doctorji took
the Swayamsevaks, all in uniforms, to Ramtek. The Swayamsevaks helped
in organizing the huge concourse for the darshan of the deity,
in arranging for adequate supply of water, etc. The presence of
Swayamsevaks saved the pilgrims from the guiles of the Muslim moulvis,
as well as from the exploitation of the pandas.
Though the ideal of Sangh as well as its actualization through the
Shakha was conceived and worked out by Doctorji, he never regarded the
Sangh as his personal creation. He always described it as a collective
effort, saying, “WE have started the Sangh.” But in order to
ensure smooth operation, it was unavoidable to have centralized
planning and direction. For this reason, Doctorji was designated as the
formal chief of the organization at a baithak held on 19th
December 1926. The relevant resolution read : “In order to carry on the
activities of the Sangh in a regular, smooth, and disciplined manner,
it is essential that there should be one chief person at the helm. For
this reason, this meeting unanimously appoints Dr. Hedgewar as the chief
organizer (Chalak).”
After strenuous efforts of a year and a half, the Sangh became firmly
rooted in Nagpur and Wardha. Through it was shaped the technique for
rejuvenating the collective social life of Hindus, which had virtually
gone out of existence for the past several centuries. Wherever the
Shakha was started, every evening the Bhagawa Dhwaj fluttered with the glow of the sacrificial fire. And full-throated chants offering everything at the altar of Matribhoomi and Dharmabhoomi were heard in unison from scores of hearts.
8: IN THE FACE OF CHALLENGES
THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY of the Sangh was celebrated at a simple
function on the Vijaya Dashami day of 1926 On that occasion, Doctorji
also started a library for the use of Swayamsevaks.CThe activities on
the Sanghasthan had by then settled down to a regular routine) S
wayamsevaks were grouped into several sections, according to age –
children, boys, adolescents, adults ; and the groups were named after
Lava, Kusha, Dhruva, Prahläda, Abhimanyu, Bheema, Bhishma, etc. Doctorji
himself would attend the Shakhd daily. After the close of the Shdkh .„
members of each unit met Doctorji before departing. Doctorji would
keenly inquire about absentees, if any, and made it a point to visit
their houses to find out the reason for their absence. If he was
preoccupied, he sent some other worker to inquire and report. Often,
Doctorji came to the Sliakha earlier than others. He would clean the
ground and sprinkle water. He freely joined with the youngsters in
various games, as he was convinced that that was the surest way to enter
into their lives.
Doctorji used to say – “We need lakhs and lakhs of young men wholly
dedicated to the uplift of the nation. It is they who can bring about
the much needed national awakening ; and this national consciousness has
to be transmitted to successive generations. Then only will the grave
problems besetting our country be solved.” The Shdkhd was the
instrument he conceived of for realizing this goal of national
self-rejuvenation.
Children and adolescent Swayamsevaks vied with one another in bringing
new entrants to Doctorji’s house for admission to Sangh. Whether it was
in the house or in the school, the discussion of the Swayamsevaks
centred round Sangh. Need for organizing the Hindus, message of the Bhagawd Dhwaj, National
Independence, past invasions and the reason therefor, significance of
the daily programmes, discipline – these were some of the topics which
often came up for discussion in Doctorji’s presence. Doctorji also gave
the Swayamsevaks thought-provoking books such as `Ilindutva’, `Danger Signal’ etc. to study and discuss.
About this time Swami Shraddhananda, who had assiduously worked for
organizing the Hindus, was heinously murdered. When Abdul Rashid, the
murderer, was hanged, the Muslims honoured him as a martyr and widely
distributed his pictures. The Muslims were in a violent mood everywhere
and attacking the Hindus. However, these incidents were described as
“Hindu-Muslim riots.” Doctorji used to pertinently ask : “How can these
be called Hindu-Muslim riots ? Why not call them simply as Muslim riots
which in fact they are ? How can the Hindus, who are invariably the
victims of Muslim onslaught, indulge in riots ?”
In 1925, an enquiry committee consisting of Pt. Motilal Nehru, Moulana
Azad and Dr. Mohamed came to Nagpur to settle the “communal issue.” It
put forward a mutually agreed formula, as to when and where the music
could be played before the mosques and when and where it was to be
stopped. But so far as the Muslims were concerned the agreement
remained only on paper. They continued to become more and more
aggressive. Hindu ladies proceeding for religious festivities like
Haritalika became subject to Muslim mischief. However, Doctorji promptly
deputed batches of Swayamsevaks to such places and the women devotees
could thereafter breathe a sigh of relief. Along with their prayers to
the Almighty they must have also prayed for the welfare of Sangh !
However, Doctorji’s reaction to this incident reflected his basic
viewpoint : “It is a matter of shame that our society is reduced to a
state in which a special band of Swayamsevaks has to be deputed to
protect the honour of our motherhood. As a matter of fact, the entire
society should be in such a vigilant and organized condition that no one
would dare to cast an evil eye on any of our points of honour.”
By 1926, Muslims in Nagpur were making hectic preparations for
assaulting Hindus. Several anonymous letters threatening murder were
received by Doctorji and Dr. Moonje. During informal chats, Doctorji
would read out such letters to Swayamsevaks and would have a hearty
laugh over it. He would remark, “If these fellows had indeed the guts,
they would have simply acted instead of shouting about it !” Some of his
friends would urge that he should never fail to take a couple of
body-guards with him whenever he has to go out, whether during the
day-time or nights. To one such suggestion by the editor of Maharashtra, Gopalrao Ogale, Doctorji solemnly replied, “Yes, these days I always take a rakshak along
with me.” Surprised at this answer, Ogale queried : “Who is he ?”
Doctorji pointed to a tender boy standing by his side and said : “Here
he is !” All burst into laughter.
Dr. Moonje received a threatening letter that his life would come to an
end on the day of Id Milad. Doctorji and a few Swayamsevaks went and
stayed that night at Dr. Moonje. At midnight a gang of Muslim goondas
approached the house. But the Swayamsevaks took care of the
mischief-mongers and the night passed off peacefully. Hindus in many
other places were also subjected to frequent harassment and humiliation.
In order to reinforce the morale of Hindus, Doctorji undertook several
steps. For instance, he collected hundreds of rupees for the Shraddhananda weekly
being published from Bombay in memory of Swami Shraddhananda. He toured
widely to publicize the periodical. He also helped in establishing the
Shraddhananda Orphange in Nagpur.
The day of Mahalakshmi festival dawned. The Muslims of Nagpur had
secretly planned to rise in revolt on that day. This festival is
celebrated with much fanfare in the Nagpur Vidarbha area. Images of the
deities are gaily decked in costly silkwear and gold ornaments ; many
delicacies are prepared. Muslims planned to loot the Hindus belonging
to the rich and middle classes – including the ornaments decorating the
goddesses – while they would all be in the festive mood of worship,
eating, etc. And as everybody elsewhere also would be busy, no one would
come to the help of the residents of Mahal, the main target area for
attack.
Doctorji came to know of the murderous design well in advance, and set
about to warn the Hindus about it. He then started out to Wardha,
Chanda, and other places as arranged previously, to deliver lectures in
connection with the Ganesh festival. At 2 o’clock on the afternoon of
Sunday the 4th of September 1927, thousands of Muslims started out in a
procession. They had advertised that they would be taking out a
procession in observance of the death anniversary of a certain Syed Mir
Saheb. The processionists were fully armed with lathis, daggers and
other lethal weapons. Cries of ‘ Allah ho Akbar’ , ‘ Din din’ etc.
rent the air. While the armed procession was going on in a state
capital the police nonchalantly looked on like mute spectators. The
reason was plain. As John Strachey had written, “Their interests are
interwoven with ours.”
The warlike posture of Muslims sent shock-waves through the hearts of
the Hindus. But a little over hundred young men of the Sangh were
determined to protect the Hindu society. Anna Sohni had divided them
into sixteen groups and stationed them in strategic places in different
Hindu areas. As planned, Muslim goondas began abusing the Hindus and
attacking them. However, they were in for a rude shock. Swayamsevaks,
who were on the alert, repelled the attacks instantly. The Muslims were
totally taken aback at this unexpected turn of events and found it hard
even to make a getaway. Seeing the Swayamsevaks repulsing the Muslims,
other Hindus also felt emboldened and joined the fray – many of them
barely dressed, some in their silk dhoti customarily worn during pooja !
The encounter went on for three days and ultimately the Hindus
triumphed. Hundreds of Muslim goondas were hospitalized, and 10-15
died. 4-5 Hindus too succumbed ; one of them was a Swayamsevak by name
Dhundiraja Lehgaonkar. Peace returned after the arrival of the army.
After that day history had taken a new turn. The Hindus remained no
longer at the receiving end of attack.
News of the Muslim onslaught reached Doctorji when he was in Chanda. He
at once started back for Nagpur. He found the railway station totally
deserted, and no vehicles in sight. People in the city were afraid to
walk alone in the streets. But Doctorji calmly reached his house on
foot. His house also had not been spared and bore the marks of attack.
He immediately proceeded to the hospital to enquire about the
Swayamsevaks and other citizens who had been injured. He visited the
houses of the deceased ; lie went to the houses of those who were
imprisoned, and assured their near and dear ones of prompt efforts to
secure their release. A committee was formed by the Hindu Mahasabha for
the relief of the distressed, with Doctorji also as one of its members.
The committee began attending to the cases.
After the Nagpur incident, the name of the Sangh as well as its founder
Doctro Hedgewar spread throughout the length and breadth of Central
Provinces. While the Hindus were being driven to the wall everywhere,
the Hindus of Nagpur had stood up and given a fitting reply. This
greatly surprised the Hindu leaders of other provinces. Referring to the
incident, Dada Paramarth has written : “The Swayamsevaks’ courageous
conduct indeed augured well for the future. After 1927, there wasn’t a
whisper of Muslim trouble in Nagpur.”
That year’s session of the Hindu Mahasabha was to be held in Karnavati,
i.e. Ahmedabad, under the presidentship of Dr. Moonje. The reception
committee and Dr. Moonje specially invited Doctorji to introduce his
unique organization to the workers from various provinces. For some
unavoidable reasons, Doctorji could not attend the session personally ;
instead, he deputed Balaji Huddar along with seven Swayamsevaks. All of
them were dressed in the Sangh uniform.
Most of the other representatives repeated the crestfallen refrain of
constant defeat of the Hindus in their places. Many also stressed the
need for organizing the Hindus. When the turn of the Central Provinces
came, Balaji Huddar stood up at the instance of Dr. Moonje. The
self-confident personality of that youth, attired in the well-pressed
uniform, appeared to be a living witness to the revolution wrought by
the Sangh. His normal stance itself exuded courage and self-assurance.
His speech reflected the conquering zeal of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh : “I come from the province where the Hindus have fought back
Muslim aggression. This miracle of eradicating the lowly and submissive
nature of our society has been achieved by the organization which has
been created under the leadership of Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar.” This
was how leaders of different provinces were first introduced to the
Sangh. It was natural that all of them developed great warmth towards
the Sangh.
After this incident, Doctorji took care to see that this jubilation did
not turn the heads of the Swayamsevaks. The merest shadow of pride would
mean the end of service-mindedness. Such an attitude would be
counter-productive to the Sangh’s effort of organizing the collective
social life. He therefore strove to inculcate a spirit of pure service
in the minds of the Swayamsevaks : “We are part of this society. We
happened to be in the vanguard when our society was attacked and we were
duty-bound to protect it. There is thus no cause for pride. On the
contrary, we should be grateful that we could render our humble bit of
service to our people.”
That year the self-styled ‘general’ Awari of Nagpur had launched an
agitation against the Government’s ban on carrying of arms. Processions
were taken out with naked swords and the police would promptly arrest
them and confiscate the arms. Doctorji sensed the foolishness of this
step. He met Awari and told him : “Who khows when and in what form the
opportunity would present itself to strike for our Independence ? It
would be the height of folly to give up our arms into the enemy’s hands
in this fashion and render ourselves armless and helpless.” Awari too at
once understood the soundness of Doctorji’s advice. “How then shall we
proceed with our agitation ?” he asked. Doctorji suggested that dummy
swords of tin with sharpened edge could be used for Satyagraha. Through
this device, Doctorji could save thousands of swords in the possession
of Hindus.
This incident also highlighted the great harmonizing trait of Doctorji’s
character. Many more are such incidents. During those days Dr. Moonje
and Barrister Abhyankar were looked upon as the leaders of bitterly
opposing camps in Nagpur. In October 1928, the Abhyankar group arranged
the unveiling ceremony of Lokmanya Tilak’s statue at the hands of Dr.
Ansari. Doctorji was looked upon by the Abhyankar group as a member of
the Moonje group and none of the latter including Doctorji were invited
for the function. However, Doctorji did not in the least feel insulted.
On the contrary, he was joyous that Lokmanya’s statue was being
installed, whoever might have been instrumental in installing it. He
also arranged a guard of honour to the statue by the Swayamsevaks. On
that occasion, Doctorji was personally present in uniform and eulogized
the shining virtues of Lokmanya Tilak. Newspaper reports of that
function also mentioned that the chief of police who was present could
not help expressing his high admiration for the disciplined turn-out of
the Swayamsevaks.
As far as any issue of upholding Hindu honour and faith was concerned,
Doctorji could always be counted upon for his ready helping hand.
Chounde Maharaj who had dedicated his life to the cause of
cow-protection desired to take out a colourful procession of cows on a
particular sacred occasion. But he was nervous about the possible
hostile reaction of Muslims. He approached Doctorji and what followed is
best described in his own words : “Even as I saw Doctorji, who appeared
to be the living manifestation of Hindutva, my fears were dispelled.
When I presented my plan and the problem, the Sarsanghachalak reacted
sharply – ‘How can any one dare to come in the way of protection of the
cow in this land of Hindusthan ?’ He immediately called a worker, gave
some instructions and assured me of full protection. Within an hour or
so, I witnessed the miraculous sight of the Ramasena of Dr. Hedgewar
assembled in thousands before the Ram Mandir and Doctorji himself
present to guide.”
By about this time, the institution of formally initiating the
Swayamsevaks had begun. It is a vow of lifelong service and sacrifice.
In the vow, the Swayamsevak pays homage to the Almighty and to one’s
ancestors, and pronounces his firm and lifelong resolve of offering
himself entirely – body, mind and wealth – for the preservation and
progress of the Hindu Nation.
The first ceremony of initiation took place in the month of March 1928.
There is a hill covered with dense forest some four miles away from
Nagpur on the Nagpur-Amaravati road. It bears the name of Storkey Point.
A group of 99 selected Swayamsevaks were initiated at that spot, the
Swayamsevaks spending the whole day in the cradle of nature. The solemn
oath-taking ceremony concluded in the presence of the holy Bhagawa
Dhwaj.
Doctorji took extra precaution to ensure that the Sangh was not caught
in the clutches of the British because of some inadvertent revolutionary
incident. Here is a revealing instance of 1927. Dacoity had taken
place using a pistol, near the Hinganghat railway station. Gangaprasad
Pande whose hideout was near the station found to his dismay that his
own pistol had been employed by one of his friends for that purpose.
Doctorji’s intimate well-wishers who were spread in all the departments
of government immediately conveyed to him that among the suspects his
name topped the list. Doctorji surmised that the pistol with
Gangaprasad might have been used in this affair.
One day, without giving any clue to any one else, Doctorji quietly
slipped out of Nagpur and reached Appaji Joshi’s house at Wardha in the
night. There the secret agents of the government had already cast their
net. But there was not a minute to be lost. The risk involved was too
great. If the police were to get scent of Gangaprasad’s hideout, the
entire revolutionary network, along with the store of arms and
whereabouts of other revolutionaries, would fall into the hands of the
Government and the Sangh too could be caught in its clutches.
Doctorji took a calculated risk and both he and Appaji Joshi hurried to Gangaprasad’s hideout in that darkness.
Doctorji sat beneath a neem tree at a distance and sent Appaji Joshi to
bring the pistol. Even as Appaji Joshi brought the pistol and handed it
over to Doctorji, from somewhere a man pounced upon him and catching
hold of Doctorji’s wrist, exclaimed in sheer delight, “See, how I have
caught you red-handed.” Instantly with a jerk Doctorji freed himself and
handed over the pistol to Appaji Joshi. Then tightening his iron grip
over the informer, he began delivering crushing blows and kicks on him.
The informer felt that he would be finished ; he fell at the feet of
Doctorji begging for mercy. Doctorji then told him, “See, is there
anything in my hands ?” and leaving him to his fate, disappeared in the
darkness. Gangaprasad and Appaji Joshi who were at a distance too
vanished in different directions. The same night Doctorji reached Nagpur
and on the next morning engaged himself in the routine organizational
activities as if nothing had happened.
The informer ruefully reported the incident to his seniors but there was
nothing that they could do about it, since the prey had already escaped
the trap. However, thereafter, informers began to hover round Doctorji,
Appaji Joshi and the activities of Sangh in general. Appaji Joshi was
at that time the Provincial Secretary of Congress and a member of the
A.I.C.C. Respected people in the society felt infuriated that such
‘respectable persons’ like Doctorji and Appaji Joshi should be shadowed
like common criminals. They approached the Chief Secretary and the
District Collector and protested against these unwarranted and
high-handed actions of the police. When Govindrao Charade, advocate,
pleaded with the District Collector, the latter remarked : “What can we
do, if even such respectable gentry take to dacoity ?”. Upon this
Charade retorted, “Why do you indulge in such baseless allegations ? If
you are so sure of your evidence, why don’t you arrest them outright
and proceed against them in a court of law ?” Of course, the Government
knew pretty well that it had not a shred of concrete evidence. And in
the face of mounting public protest, they thought it prudent to
gradually withdraw the surveillance over the Sangh leaders.
Doctorji’s role at that time was like walking on a razor’s edge. On the
one hand, he had to discharge his revolutionary obligations and at the
same time protect the sapling of Sangh from government’s clutches. It
was in the beginning of 1929 that Rajguru, after assassinating Saunders
at Lahore, came to Nagpur. He was already acquainted with Doctorji,
because as a student of the Bhonsle Vedashala, Nagpur, he used to attend
the Shakha at Mohitewada in 1927-28. Doctorji arranged a safe asylum
for him in the farmhouse of Bhaiyaji Dani at Umred. Doctorji had also
specially warned him not to proceed to Poona. But Rajguru ignored it and
reached Poona only to be caught there within a matter of days.
9: LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS
The ACTIVITIES of the Sangh continued to grow steadily. Doctorji was
constantly on the move. Even his manner of propagation was unique. In an
age when publicity is supposed to be the life-breath of any movement,
he evinced but little interest in it. Doctorji believed in Rabindranath
Tagore’s dictum : “Till we achieve something solid, let as remain
anonymous : let us be in the background and away from
limelight.’Doctorji concurred with Tagore’s analysis of a serious social
failing of ours : “But the mental composition of our people is not
suited to such withdrawal. They do not pursue even the most elementary
day-to-day tasks (which deserve no public attention at all) to their
successful conclusion, but work with one eye on loud and vulgar
publicity.” Doctorji therefore concentrated on transformation of the
hearts of people, and kept the character-forming activity of the Sangh
away from the glare of publicity and propaganda.
Doctorji even refrained from written correspondence during the early
years of the Sangh. If a message had to be conveyed, he sent it through a
messenger. If it was crucially important he conveyed the same in
person.
Soon, Sangh spread its activities to other places of Central Provinces.
Since Doctorji had had a long and varied record of public life, he had
numerous friends at almost every place. And whenever he toured, he
always carried with him the Bhagawa Dhwaj, an image of Maruti, and a
copy of the written oath. As soon as he reached a place, he would gather
the enlightened citizens and explain to them the Sangh ideology in a
simple and lucid style. Doctorji possessed an impressive personality,
and his talk was most appealing. Whenever the subject of aggression and
insult to the Hindus came, his voice would quiver with emotion and his
eyes would flash, as if emitting sparks of fire. His voice would often
choke when he started elaborating on the pitiable state of the Hindu
society. The eyes of the listeners too would well up in tears. Doctorji
had also exemplified through the Sangh the fruition /of the long and
keenly felt need of an organization for strengthening the Hindu society.
t was therefore hardly surprising that his words carried cony ction. At
the end of the baithak he would administer the oath to those
present in the presence of the Bhagawa Dhwaj. The branches thus set
afloat were later strengthened and formalized.
The need to find funds naturally arose as the Sangh activities grew.
Doctorji was up till now managing the affairs by raising money from
well-meaning friends as and when need arose. As the organization
acquired nation-wide dimensions, it became necessary to lay down a sound
policy. Doctorji was at no time in favour of going to the people with a
begging bowl. That would breed a feeling of inferiority in the
recipients and also a feeling of self-glorification in the donors. An
organization like the Sangh should be under no obligation to anyone, and
be ever self-dependent. Donations should be offered voluntarily,
prompted by a natural and self-inspired concern for the cause. People
should donate in a spirit of selfless devotion. Just as a ripe fruit
falls to the ground with effortless ease at a mere touch, dedication of
the workers to the cause alone should inspire donations.
Doctorji gave a concrete shape to these ideas by introducing the system of Guru-Dakshind. Guru-Dakshindthe
humble offering to the Guru — imparts a feeling of pure joy and
self-fulfilment to the giver. It thus becomes an instrument of
expressing and strengthening his commitment to a noble cause.
It is customary among the Hindus to observe Vyasa-Pooja or Guru-Pooja
(worship of the preceptor) on the full – moon day in the month of A
shddha. The institution of Swayamsevaks’ offering their mite before the
sacred Bhagawa Dhwaj was begun on that day in 1928. Doctorji had
instructed the Swayamsevaks on the previous day : “Guru-Pooja is to be
observed tomorrow. All of you should bring your offerings to the best of
your ability, and flowers for worship of the Guru.” Speculation ran
rife among Swayamsevaks. “Here is an opportunity of offering our poojd
to Doctorji,” said one. “No, Anna Sohni will be worshipped,” ventured
another and so on.
Next day, however, surprise awaited them. After the Flag was hoisted,
Doctorji addressed the Swayamsevaks asking them to offer worship to the
Flag. Doctorji said : ” The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh does not
recognize any individual as its Guru. The sacred Bhagawa Flag alone is
our Guru. An individual, however great, is after all temporal and
imperfect. The individual is conditioned by time ; it is the principle
alone which is timeless. The Bhagawa Flag symbolizes that timeless
principle. The very sight of this Flag brings before our mind’s eye the
entire history, the glorious culture and tradition of our land ;
inspiration wells up in our mind. That is our true preceptor. The
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh therefore accords the place of Guru to none
else, and has accepted the Bhagavd Flag as its Guru.”
Then Doctorji himself worshipped the sacred Bhagawa Dhwaj. He was
followed by the Swayamsevaks. The GuruDakshind that day amounted to
Rupees 84. As time went by the offerings registered a steady increase.
Gradually, it proved adequate to meet all the financial needs of the
Sangh.
In this arrangement, the rich as well as the poor could make their
offering, each according to his capacity. None felt it a burden, nor as
having made a sacrifice. It was a symbol of one’s spirit of surrender in
the cause of the Nation. It was not the amount involved in offering,
but the spirit behind it that was all important. Even a flower offered
with utmost devotion was equally holy and sanctified. This indeed is the
speciality of the Guru-Dakshina institution. At one stroke it purged
one’s mind of distorted notions that invariably accompany a regular
subscription. On the other hand, everyone would feel, “The cause of the
Mother deserves much more than this. I shall increase my offering next
year. And I shall not be satisfied with anything less than a total
surrender of all that is mine at Her altar.” Such is, in fact, the true
spirit of Hinduism, which develops the personality of an individual by
instilling in him a sense of duty and devotion.
By the end of 1928, there were 18 Shdkh5s in the Vidarbha area. Many of
the Swayamsevaks were just matriculates. Doctorji suggested their
undergoing university education so that they could be of even greater
usefulness for spreading the Sangh activities. He was very particular
that the Swayamsevaks should at least be graduates, because, in the
initial stages of the organization especially, when the people were
entirely unaware of the nature of the work, a university degree would
naturally increase the credibility of the worker. They could carry
conviction with the people much better and not be looked upon merely as
dropouts or jobless young men or, worse, as self-seekers in the guise of
social workers. Because of Doctorji’s insistence, a number of
Swayamsevaks completed their graduation. Doctorji helped the son of a
priest to study up to M.A. Of course even in those days many young men
studied in order to secure cosy jobs. But Doctorji instilled in the
,Swayamsevaks the idea of studying so as to be able to work better for
the national cause. The better placed among the Swayamsevaks were sent
by Doctorji to other provinces for advanced education. Bhaiyaji Dani,
Baburao Telang, Tatya Telang and others proceeded to the Banaras
University. This was the first leap that Sangh took to reach another
province.
Work of deepening the roots as well as expanding the branches of Sangh –
such as cultivating the Swayamsevaks more and more intimately,
instilling in them pure and positive patriotic zeal, involving prominent
leaders of society in Sangh activities – kept Doctorji busy practically
round the clock. Two workers, Babasaheb Apte and Barve, were staying in
those days in a rented house. Doctorji and the other Swayamsevaks used
to have countless ‘chitchat sessions’ there. Time seemed to stand still
on such occasions. Sometimes, because of the lateness of the hour and
the Swayamsevaks’ insistence, Doctorji joined them for supper. Food used
to be prepared by Apte and Barve. The roti used to be as thick as one’s
palm ! Doctorji used to describe it as an excellent ‘tonic’. The meal
was accompanied by pleasantries and endless mirth. It was looked upon as
a most enjoyable feast.
Doctorji once went to attend a music concert, reluctantly yielding to
friends’ persuasion. The programme took place in January 1929, in
Venkatesh Chitrapat Griha. Students from three music institutions
participated in the programme. In the visitors’ book, Doctorji wrote :
“…Many boys sang. Scholars in the field of music will be able to judge
them professionally. But what appealed to an uninitiated person like me
was the spell-binding singing of Prabhakar and Yadav Joshi. And I feel,
such singing which goes straight to the heart could well be made into
an effective medium for national awakening…” After this incident
Doctorji drew Yadav close to himself. And the intimacy resulted in
Sangh’s becoming the music of life for Yadavrao Joshi !
As part of the customary Dasara festivities in the Hindu tradition, it
became a practice in Sangh also to worship symbolic weaponry. Once it so
happened, a Punjabi merchant selling some well-designed daggers and
swords came to Wardha. The local I(Dyavaha, out of over-enthusiasm,
thought it would be nice to have at least one real dagger for worship.
He inquired about the price and went to the house of the Sanghachdlak to
secure approval for the purchase. By a coincidence, Doctorji also
happened to be there and discussion began in his presence. Doctorji
raised the question, “Even though we were well equipped with weapons and
armaments, why did we become a slave nation ?” He continued and replied
to the poser himself : “From whichever angle you view the situation,
there can be but one answer. The crying need of the hour is to instil a
strong sense of loyalty to the motherland in the heart of each and every
Hindu. When the nation becomes charged with such patriotic fervour,
there will be no dearth of weapons of defence, and the country will be
liberated from the foreign yoke in no time. During their ajntaveisa the
Pandavas had hidden all their armoury in the Shami tree. So also let us
not worry about weapons for the present. Let us concentrate on
spreading our movement to all parts of the country and making our
organization a most powerful and disciplined one.”
Vijaya Dashami was celebrated with great enthusiasm on 23rd October
1928. The function acquired added lustre by the parade of Swayamsevaks
in uniform and the participation of national leaders of the stature of
Vitthalbhai Patel. Some five to six hundred Swayamsevaks took part in
the parade. Vitthalbhai Patel was immensely pleased with their highly
disciplined turn-out.
Doctorji was keen on securing the sympathy, goodwill and co-operation of
senior national leaders. With this end in view he met Subhas Chandra
Bose in Calcutta towards the end of 1928. Doctorji was at that time a
member of the Working Committee of the Central Provinces Unit of
All-India Congress, and had gone to Calcutta to attend its annual
session.
Subhas was the Mayor of Calcutta at that time. Just ten minutes had been
allotted for Doctorji’s interview with him. But once the two of them
got into the flow of conversation, the clock ticked away with neither of
the two noticing it. There was detailed discussion and exchange of
views. Doctorji’s cogent and well thought-out replies to his searching
questions deeply impressed Subhas. At the end Doctorji requested Subhas
to extend his active support to the Sangh.
Subhasbabu replied, “Doctorji, I fully agree with what you have said.
There is no doubt that yours is the only effective method of
emancipating the nation. But I am already too much engrossed in the work
of a purely political kind, and am not in a position to venture anew in
another direction. You will therefore kindly excuse me.”
By about the same time, Doctorji invited Dr. Ketkar to the Shakha. Dr.
Ketkar is the celebrated author of an encyclopaedia in Marathi. When he
witnessed the Swayamsevaks in uniform carrying out demonstrations, he
was overwhelmed with emotion. Subsequently, Doctorji attended the state
convention of Hindu youths — Akhil Maharashtra Taruna Hindu Parishad —
held at Akola on 20th April 1929. Doctorji used that opportunity to
introduce the work of the Sangh to many prominent leaders assembled
there. He had detailed discussions with distinguished persons like
Masurkar Maharaj, Loknayak Bapuji Ane, Swami Sivananda, Dr. Shivajirao
Patwardhan, Pachlegaonkar Maharaj, Brijlal Biyani and others. Doctorji
never let go any opportunity of introducing the Sangh to prominent
people in the Hindu society, irrespective of their party or ideological
persuasions.
The visit of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya to the Nagpur Shakha is worth
recording. Doctorji brought him to the Mohitewada Shakha. Looking at the
dilapidated structures all around, Malaviyaji sensed that the Sangh was
financially hard-pressed. He turned to Doctorji and said, “People call
me a royal beggar. If you consent, I shall be happy to collect some
funds for you also.” Doctorji lost no time to reply, “Panditji, I am not
in need of money. Blessings of elderly people like you are enough for
me.” Malaviyaji was simply amazed. In his long experience of public
life, he knew that institutions were only too eager to welcome funds. He
told Doctorji, “Many institutions first think of money, and then only
about men. You are the very opposite of this ! You place the heart above
everything else. In future, I shall make it a point to mention this
speciality of yours wherever I go.”
Yielding to Doctorji’s entreaties, his uncle Abaji Hedge-war consented
to come over to Nagpur in 1927 to live with him. The illness of Abaji’s
wife Gangubai took a serious turn in 1929, and Doctorji took her to
Indore for treatment. He had to stay at Indore for a month. He
corresponded with the various Shakhas from there itself. He was already
familiar with the conditions in Indore. He now cultivated many new
acquaintances. As a result, Shakhas were soon started in Indore and
Dewas. Wherever Doctorji went, on whatever pretext, Shakhas would follow
him !
The health of Gangubai showed no improvement and she was brought back to
Nagpur. Eventually she expired when Doctorji was incarcerated for
participation in Satyagraha in 1931.
The first winter camp of the Sangh was held in 1928. As part of the
programme, parade of the young Swayamsevaks was in progress. Doctorji
was showing that enthusiastic turnout to some elders. Just then a
disciple of Bhauji Kawre happened to come there. The sight of him filled
memories of Bhauji in Doctorji’s mind. Doctorji took the young man
aside and told him, “Bhauji should have been amidst us today to witness
the performance !” Doctorji could not suppress his emotions evoked by
the memories of his bosom friend and he began shedding tears like a
child.
As the unique technique of Shäkha for organizing the Hindu youth began
to spread far and wide, it naturally attracted the attention of the
public as well as of the government. The British government began eyeing
the Sangh with suspicion. Swayamsevaks became the target of frequent
interrogation by the police and the intelligence corps. Because of this
development, Doctorji began appointing prominent local citizens for the
office of Sanghachalaks. Financial responsibility for the unit was also
entrusted to them. This arrangement helped in earning greater
respectability for the Sangh and also in building up youth leaders.
Doctorji was keen that financial transactions in public bodies should be
meticulously clean and above board. And so were the accounts of the
Sangh kept. On one occasion in 1930, when Doctorji went to Raosaheb
Datar, Editor of All India Reporter, to solicit funds, Datar
was at first sceptical. He desired to see the accounts of the Sangh.
Doctorji immediately had the account books brought there itself. Datar
closely scrutinized the accounts. Even the single pie found on the
Sanghasthan had been taken into account. Datar became fully satisfied
and happy and gave a handsome donation to the Sangh.
There was a meeting of Sanghachalaks in Nagpur on 9th and 10th November
1929. With regard to that meeting, Doctorji had sent a circular to all
the Shakhas on 19th October. It reads in part : “Amidst the political
and social storm that is about to engulf the country, how do we row the
boat of the Sangh to safety ? What should be the policy of the Sangh ?
What programmes should be undertaken to accelerate the growth of the
Sangh ? To discuss these and other momentous issues, it has been
decided to call a meeting of the Sanghachalaks at Nagpur on 9th and 10th
November.”
The meeting took place accordingly. There was free and frank exchange of
views. Among other things, it was also decided that from the point of
view of internal discipline, the organization should work under one
leader who would mastermind the programmes.
On the 10th a full-fledged organizational meeting was held in the
Mohitewada Sanghasthan, in which all the Swayamsevaks of Nagpur as well
as mofussil workers who had come for the meeting participated. The
Sanghach5laks and other workers stood with their back to the stone wall,
which has survived to this day. Doctorji was standing next to the Flag
and was visibly moved by the impressive congregation of such sincere
and dedicated souls. Appaji Joshi had been assigned the task of
announcing the decision of the baithak. Appaji Joshi, who had already briefed the workers, gave the command in a raised voicel”Sarsanghacheilak PranamEk, Do, Teen.” All the Swayamsevaks offered PranJm to
Sarsanghachflak Dr. Keshavrao Hedgewar. This was followed by a talk by
Vishwanathrao Kelkar who beautifully described the unique concept of
‘chalak’ in Sangh, as being the ‘head of a wider family’.
Doctorji, however, was not happy. After the programme was over, he told
Appaji Joshi : “Appaji, today you have done something unplanned. I do
not approve of it. It is not proper for me to accept salutation from my
own colleagues, many of whom are senior to me and entitled to my
veneration.” Appaji Joshi breiefly replied, “All of us have decided on
this procedure unanimously in the interest of efficient organization,
even though you might not personally relish it.”
Some critics compared this arrangement to the Fascist army of Mussolini.
But the Sangh had no need to derive its inspiration from any such
perverted foreign model; it modeled itself on an ideal Hindu family. The
Swayamsevaks are like children of one family. All of them work unitedly
for the welfare and prosperity of the family. And the Sarsanghchalak
is the head of this family. He protects the family and nourishes it,
often unmindful of his personal hardships. Appropriate to that position
in a national organization, Doctorji was a fervent patriot, sincere to
the core, and had not a shadow of ego. He harmonized in himself the best
of discipline as a characteristic of centralized authority and
democratic freedom of thought.
Doctorji’s reaction to being designated the Sarsanghachdlak may be
recalled in his own words. The notes he jotted down in 1933 in this
context are indicative of his rare thoughtfulness and objectivity :
- I am fully aware of the fact that I am not the originator of the
Sangh nor its founder ; the Sangh owes its existence to you all.
- In accordance with your wish and demand, I am in the place of a nurse to this Sangh which has been established by you.
- Even in future, I shall continue to foster it as long as you desire
and as long as I am ordered to do so by you. I shall not shirk from my
responsiblity at any time, even when faced with danger or the prospect
of personal fame or ignominy.
- However, if and when you feel that I am not competent to carry on
this work and that this is hindering the progress of the Sangh, I
request that you select someone else suitable to replace me.
- When you choose my successor, I shall willingly hand over the reins
to him with the same happiness that marked my acceptance of the office,
and I shall from that very moment continue to function as an ordinary
Swayamsevak devoted to him.
- Because, as far as I am concerned, my personality is not of
consequence ; the work of the Sangh is the one thing which is
all-important. And I do not feel slighted in the least in doing any work
conducive to the progress of the Sangh.
- It is essential that the Swayamsevaks should implicitly obey the
command of the Sarsanghachdlak. The Sangh should not reach a stage where
the tail should wag the body. That is the secret of success of the
Sangh.
- It is therefore the primary duty of each and every Swayamsevak to
carry out the given injunction and also ensure adherence to it by other
Swayamsevaks.
A strong sense of duty, a complete absence of love of authority, an
eagerness to project not himself but the organizational ideal, a spirit
of renunciation and service – well, it is these traits of Doctorji that
sanctified the seat of Sarsanghachalak.
As the Sangh grew, reports of opposition from Congress and Hindusthani
Seva Dal came from many places. In some places the Seva Dal units even
vowed to “demolish the Sangh.” Doctorji was sad to hear of these
developments. But it was not in his nature to get ruffled or indulge in
counteroffensives. Doctorji felt that one wrong could not be set right
by another. And he simply continued building up the Sangh work ignoring
opposition. A letter that he wrote to Dada Paramarth and Krishnarao
Mohrir reads:
“In your letter, you have informed me of a significant development. Let
us pray to God that He guide these critics. As far as we are concerned,
we work with faith in God and heeding to the dictates of our conscience.
If in this process we fail to please some sections, or if some are
inclined to oppose us, what can we do ? All this has its root in
politics. We need not be afraid of these expressions of others born out
of malice.”
A few days after the baithak of Sanghachdlaks, news was received that the Congress had adopted a resolution proclaiming Complete Independence – Samprana Swatantrya – as
its goal. Doctorji was immensely pleased. He immediately sent out a
circular to all the Shakhas that they should congratulate the Congress
and also celebrate 26th January 1930 as Independence Day. He said in the
course of that letter: “This year the Congress has passed a resolution
declaring Complete Independence as its goal. The Congress Working
Committee has called upon the entire nation to celebrate Sunday the 26th
of January 1930 as Independence Day. We of the Sangh are naturally
immensely happy that the All-India Congress has endorsed our goal of
Complete Independence. It is our duty to co-operate with any
organization working towards that goal … It is therefore suggested that
all the Swayamsevaks of each Shdkha meet at 6 p. m. on Sunday, 26th
January 1930, at the respective Sanghasthans. After offering salutation
to the National Flag, i. e. the Bhagawa Dhwaj, the concept of
Independence and the reason why this ideal alone should be kept before
every one should be explained. The function should conclude with an
expression of congratulations to the Congress for having accepted the
ideal of Complete Independence.” In accordance with these instructions,
meetings were held in all the places where Shakhas were functioning.
It would be useful to refer to the notes put down by Doctorji in the
above context. These jottings throw clear light on the policy of Sangh
with regard to a crucial national issue:
“The Hindu culture is the life-breath of Hindusthan. It is therefore
clear that if Hindusthan is to be protected, we should first nourish the
Hindu culture. If the Hindu culture perishes in Hindusthan itself, and
if the Hindu society ceases to exist, it will hardly be appropriate to
refer to the mere geographical entity that remains as Hindusthan. Mere
geographical lumps do not make a nation. Unfortunately, the Congress
organization has given no thought to protecting the Hindu Dharma and
Hindu culture. The organization keeps its eyes closed to the daily
onslaughts by outsiders on the Hindu society. It is to fulfil this duty
of protecting the Hindu society that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has
come into existence. But the Sangh harbours no ill-will towards the
Congress. The Sangh will co-operate with the Congress in the efforts to
secure freedom, as long as these efforts do not come in the way of
preserving our national culture. The Sangh has indeed been co-operating
with the Congress all along.”
10: IN THE FOREFRONT OF STRUGGLE AGAIN
WHEN MAHATMA GANDHI launched the `Salt Satyagraha’ in April 1930,
Doctorji was naturally pleased. Many workers of the Sangh sought
permission to participate in the movement. But Doctorji had undertaken
the enduring and basic task of national rejuvenation through the Sangh.
That longterm work had to go on unhindered and grow stronger whatever
the external conditions. Doctorji wrote to all the Shalchds : “…The
Sangh as such has so far not resolved to participate in this movement.
However, those who would like to participate in their personal capacity
are free to do so after obtaining permission from their Sanghachalaks.”
The number of trainees for the annual training camp of the Sangh for the
year 1930 far exceeded those of the previous years. By then a good
number of workers had been moulded who could, on their own, operate the
Shakhas in any area. Formation of a medicare and first-aid unit was a
new feature of the programme. Doctorji strongly felt that whenever mass
programmes or parades are held, there must be a medicare unit handy. If
someone fell unconscious or someone needed first-aid, only the
availability of such a unit could ensure smooth continuance of the
programme. Otherwise there would be panic and disorder. In Delhi, when
Lord Hard inge, the Viceroy, was being taken in a procession, someone
threw a bomb at him. A medicare unit had been thoughtfully arranged, and
it took care of the situation so efficiently that the public hardly
noticed anything amiss. The ceremonial procession continued as if
nothing had happened. Doctorji often recalled this incident to emphasize
the need for providing for all eventualities.
A contingent of one hundred Swayamsevaks of Nagpur Sh5khd was trained
for needs of medicare. This came in very handy in those stormy days of
Satyagraha. The medicare unit accompanied the Satyagrahis. Victims of
police atrocities were promptly treated, and transported to the
hospitals or their homes. The Swayamsevaks were in their uniforms and
wore the Swastika symbol on their shoulder. There were days when they
worked continuously from morning till late in the night.
Some selected Swayamsevaks who came forward to participate in the
Satyagraha were encouraged by Doctorji to carry on the Sangh work also
simultaneously. In his style of constructive thinking, carrying on the
Sangh work was no less patriotic than going to jail.
However, Doctorji himself decided to participate in the Satyagraha. That
would also give him an opportunity to get acquainted with the patriotic
youth from many places who would throng the prisons ; and he could
expound to them the need for the positive work of building up a
disciplined nation-wide organization. That would greatly help in
expanding the Sangh activities in future. Doctorji decided to join the
Jungle Satyagraha which was being led by Loknayak Ane. It was decided
that Appaji Joshi of Wardha also be permitted to join the movement.
Doctorji transferred the responsibility of guiding the Sangh activities
in his absence to Dr. L. V. Paranjpe, who was nominated as the new
Sarsanghachdlak. Doctorji informed all the workers about the change in
the organizational set-up. And on the Gurupooja day, 12th July, he
publicly announced it.
Doctorji cogently explained the position : “After I tender the vote of
thanks in a few moments, I shall cease to be the Sarsanghachalak. Dr.
Paranjpe has agreed to accept the stewardship of the Sangh. I express my
gratitude to him on behalf of the Sangh. All of us are participating in
this movement in our personal capacity. There has been no change either
in our policy or in our way of working, nor has our faith in the Sangh
suffered in the least because of these developments. It is the duty of
all organizations working towards the country’s independence to keep
themselves abreast of all such movements in the country. All those
Swayamsevaks who have already jumped into the Satyagraha movement, and
we who are doing so presently, have been inspired by these
considerations.
“Going to jail is today considered a sign of true patriotism. However, a
person who would willingly court a two-year prison term hesitates when
he is asked to come out of his house and work for organizing the freedom
movement. Why should this be so ? Is six months or a year enough to
secure the country’s Independence ? However, the people are not yet
prepared to realize the simple truth that organized work for several
years alone can take us to our cherished goal. There can be no salvation
for the country until this type of fleeting emotion gives place to
positive and lasting feelings of devotion and sustained efforts.
Preparedness to lay down one’s life for the country is the essence of
such lasting patriotism. The present fate of the country cannot be
changed unless lakhs of young men dedicate their entire lifetime for
that cause. To mould the minds of our youth towards that end is the
supreme aim of the Sangh.”
After this speech, Doctorji and the other SatyagrahiSwayamsevaks were
garlanded. The group left Nagpur on the evening of 14th July. Hundreds
of people came to the railway station to bid them farewell. They reached
the Satyagraha centre at Pusad, after receiving felicitations on the
way at Wardha and other places. Loknayak Ane had already initiated the
Satyagraha at the Pusad centre. Organizers of that centre, therefore,
felt that a leader of the stature of Doctorji should inaugurate the
Satyagraha movement at another important place, Yeotmal. It was decided
that Doctorji should proceed to Yeotmal and sound the clarion call
there.
There is a telling instance of Doctorji’s concern for the cow while he
was in the Pusad Satyagraha centre. Early in the morning Doctorji had
gone to the river for bath, and was returning to the camp. He sighted a
couple of Muslim young men holding a hefty cow. Doctorji enquired,
“Where are you taking the cow ?” “Nowhere,” replied the young men, “We
shall shortly be cooking it !” The locality was predominantly Hindu, and
these Muslim boys wanted to kill the cow – in broad daylight and in
public ! Doctorji was not the one to tolerate it. He asked the Muslim
boys what the price of the cow was. “We have bought it for rupees
twelve. But since selling beef is our business, we are not going to sell
the cow”–they replied haughtily.
Just then an aged Muslim emerged from the nearby house. When Doctorji
asked him why the cow was being butchered in such a locality, he
replied, “For years this has been the place where we cut the animals and
sell beef.” “I shall pay the price of the beef. Give me the cow,”
pleaded Doctorji.
By then a few other Muslims also had gathered. When the old man said he
would make Rs. 25-30 out of the beef, Doctorji offered to pay it. But
the butcher refused to give up the cow. “I don’t need the money. I shall
kill it right in front of you,” he said arrogantly.
Doctorji was infuriated. He snatched the rope tied to the cow in his
hand and thundered, “As long as I am alive you shall not lay your hands
on it.” Seeing Doctorji’s adamant stance, the Muslims went and brought a
few prominent Hindu men of the locality. Even they began pleading with
Doctorji, “It has been the custom to use this place for butchering cows.
Please do not meddle with this practice.”
Doctorji was shocked beyond words at this depravity of the Hindus. One
of the Hindu gentlemen said, “You have come to participate in the Jungle
Satyagraha. Why do you involve yourself in such trivial matters ?”
Doctorji replied passionately, “Protecting the cow which is sacred to
the Hindus cannot be a trivial matter. The Jungle Satyagraha and
Satyagraha for saving the cow are both equally holy to me.”
In the meantime the police arrived. They in turn tried to threaten
Doctorji. But Doctorji was unyielding. At last the Muslims acquiesced
and sold the cow for Rs. 30. Doctorji gifted the cow to the local
cow-protection institution.
As a result of this incident, Doctorji’s name was on the lips of
everybody and the entire town was present to hear him in the evening.
Doctorji’s speech on that occasion was remembered for a long time for
its fiery patriotism. Especially the following remark of his became
deeply engraved on the minds of one and all :
“So far as I am concerned, I would undertake any means in order to
achieve Independence. I would, if need be, take to polishing the boots
of the English or take out his boot and crush his head with the same. I
have no prejudice against any of the methods. I have only one supreme
goal before me –the driving out of the British.”
From Pusad, Doctorji and others reached Yeotmal. There, some of the
Satyagrahis insisted that they would offer Satyagraha in Sangh uniform. A
wire to Nagpur was also drafted for despatching uniforms to Yeotmal.
Doctorji who was till then quietly listening to the arguments
intervened : “I believe you would all keep the interest of Sangh
uppermost in your minds. Have you realized the full implications of
offering Satyagraha in uniform ? It will mean that Sangh itself has
officially joined the agitation. But, as you are aware, that is not our
policy ; we are participating in our individual capacity. This we have
deliberately decided upon so that the basic and most important work of
Sangh goes on unhindered ; for, it is Sangh which has to play the most
effective role in times to come.” Needless to say, the enthusiasm for
uniform died away after Doctorji’s remarks.
Doctorji and his batch had announced the breaking of the Jungle Law on
the 21st of July. Over ten thousand people had assembled to witness the
Satyagraha. As the Satyagrahis registered their defiance of authority by
entering the reserve forest, the police officers promptly arrested
them. Doctorji, before getting into the police van, gave a farewell
message to the people to carry on the movement with ever greater
momentum. Doctorji was awarded six months’ rigorous imprisonment and
three months’ simple imprisonment. He and others were shifted to Akola
Jail. All through the journey, at every railway station hundreds of
people gathered with resounding shouts of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Dr.
Hedgewar ki Jai’ playing on their lips.
En—route, the police officer got a brain-wave that the Satyagrahis might
give a slip ; he ordered his junior to handcuff the Satyagrahis.
Doctorji retorted : “Why this order all of a sudden ? We have never been
handcuffed previously and I shall not allow you to do so now.” The
youthful police officer was stung to the quick. In a threatening voice
he said, “So, you will not allow me to handcuff you, is that so ?”
This threatening remark sparked off Doctorji into an explosion.
“Come on, handcuff me, if you dare ! What do you take us to be ? If you
speak one word more I will throw you out of the train ! I may have to
undergo a longer term of prison, that is all. After all, when we jumped
into Satyagraha we never stipulated for ourselves just nine months !”
This fierce outburst had its desired effect on the officer and the
journey proceeded as before. A moment later, Doctorji opened a basket of
sweets, invited and treated all those in the compartment, including of
course the police officials, with sweets. The police officer was
speechless with surprise at this sudden transformation in Doctorji.
Satyagrahis of various political persuasions had joined Doctorji in the
prison. Doctorji’s dynamic personality, his spirit of selfless service
and sense of humour immensely enlivened the prison atmosphere. Strong
ties of friendship developed between Doctorji and others. The basic
reasons for the pitiable state of the country and the right solution
therefor were frequently discussed in depth. In this context Doctorji
also explained to them the ideals and activities of the Sangh in great
detail.
As a result, a considerable number of Satyagrahis enlisted themselves as
Swayamsevaks. Daily parade, prayer and other activities of the Sangh
were begun in the prison itself. Even as Sri Krishna was born inside the
prison walls, the Vidarbha unit of the Sangh too took its birth in the
Akola prison !
While in jail, Dada Paramarth contracted tuberculosis. Partly because of
the illness and partly because of his temper, he became very restless.
His treatment therefore demanded a lot of patience on the part of the
attendants. But Doctorji served him for several months with exemplary
concern and infinite patience and saved that loyal lieutenant of his
from the jaws of death. There was no end to the physical and mental
strain that Doctorji had to endure for the sake of his co-workers and
friends.
While in jail, Doctorji was often found in deep contemplation over `Gitarahasya’ of
Lokmanya Tilak. He had a special love for the stars and planets in the
sky, and he would unravel the secrets of the various planetary
movements, the distance of the stars, etc., in a most fascinating
manner. Doctor Thosar, a co-prisoner, writes : “Doctorji’s style of
narration was so gripping that even those of us who had no inclination
previously for such things gradually became his ardent listeners. When
darkness descended in the prison, we would eagerly look forward to this
programme of recreation and illumination. Before this, most of us did
not even kno w that anything other than the sun and the moon existed in
the sky!” Doctorji had made a serious study of the science of astronomy
during his revolutionary days. The positions of planets would enable
one, when thrown into an unknown place during nights, to know the
direction and the time – a faculty exceedingly necessary for a
revolutionary.
Doctorji was keenly aware that an atmosphere of self-confidence and
manliness had to be carefully maintained in the prison. The psychology
of the prisoners would be very delicate ; even a small incident was
sufficient to upset them. He would not allow, as far as it was in his
power, any such tendencies to develop in the prison atmosphere. Once an
interesting incident took place. There was an astrologer by name
Agnihotri and there used to be a crowd around him extending their hands
anxiously to know their future. Doctorji was a firm believer in the
supremacy of manly effort and would often quote Samarth Ramdas : “Know
that effort is Almighty” “The lines on the hand too will change,” etc.
This astrologer, who was not acquainted with Doctorji before, was
surprised that Doctorji had not shown any interest in him at all. Once
Doctorji and his friend Bedarkar planned a trap for him. Within the
hearing distance of Agnihotri, Bedarkar would often ask Doctorji about
his family affairs, whether he had received any letter from his wife,
how his children were faring at home, and so on. Doctorji too would in
solemn tones reply giving out the details of his ‘family’ conditions.
One day Bedarkar, again within the hearing distance of Agnihotri,
pressed Doctorji to show his hand to the `reputed astrologer.’ Doctorji
consented and came to Agnihotri.
Agnihotri made a serious study of the lines and began to give out his
findings : “You are now having a second wife and are having four
children…” The other Satyagrahis who had crowded round Doctorji burst
into an uproarious laughter. Doctorji took back his hand and just
remarked : “All right, better luck next time.” Needless to say that
thereafter demand for Agnihotri slumped !
Outside the jail, the first-aid unit of the Sangh Swayamsevaks was busy
offering aid to the Satyagrahis wounded in the brutal cane charges of
the police. At the same time the Swayamsevaks also took extra care to
see that the Sangh work did not suffer in the least. The Sangh office
was busy as ever. Dr. Paranjpe who was then the Sarsanghachalak would
often visit Doctorji in jail and convey all the tidings. On the
Rakslobandhan day of that year he had gone to offer his respects and
Rakhi to Doctorji and other Satyagrahis.
Doctorji continued to play the same role of a harmonizer inside the jail
as well. There was once a heated discussion over ‘who was greater,
Gandhiji or Savarkar ?’ Just then, Doctorji chanced to come over there.
Both the groups placed before Doctorji their respective viewpoints and
requested him to give his judgment. Doctorji smilingly said : “This is
just like asking, which is more pleasant, the rose or the jasmine ? The
fact is, neither the rose is like jasmine nor is jasmine the same as
rose. Of course, there is bound to be differences of opinion according
to one’s taste about which of the two is superior in beauty, softness
and fragrance. In such a situation, rather than decrying the one and
eulogizing the other, it would be far better to enjoy according to one’s
own liking.” It was in fact this trait in Doctorji which had percolated
into the Swayamsevaks and had made them whole-heartedly support the
Congress movement in spite of the latter’s criticisms against them.
As the day for the release of earlier batches of Satyagrahis approached
and farewell was given to them, they invariably entreated Doctorji to
come to their places to start the Sangh work. Many of them were in tears
at being separated from Doctorji.
Doctorji was released on 14th February 1931. He stayed for a couple of
days in Akola and Wardha, where felicitations were held, and reached
Nagpur on the evening of the 17th. There was a vast crowd to welcome him
at the railway station. Resounding shouts of “Doctor ‘Hedgewarji ki
jai” rent the air. Many organizations garlanded him. There was a mammoth
procession, accompanied by band. At the close, Dr. Paranjpe delivered a
short welcome speech. He then requested Doctorji to resume the office
of Sarasanghachalak which he had temporarily relinquished.
The Swayamsevaks were overjoyed to see Doctorji after that long period.
Doctorji enquired about the welfare of each of them. And before going
home, he went to visit the sick.
11: RAPID STRIDES
EVEN WHILE coming out of the prison, Doctorji had
sensed danger ahead. The Muslims had come out in their true colours at
the Round Table Conference in London. Doctorji clearly foresaw the
looming peril of partition. But the Hindu society was in a blissful
slumber. It was this, more than anything else, which tormented Doctorji
most.
But there was also a factor of joy waiting for him. In his absence the
Swayamsevaks had vied with one another in expanding the organization.
Doctorji was very much pleased and he proceeded to Bombay to press
forward the expansion of the Sangh in that area. He held detailed
discussions with Babarao Savarkar and Narayanrao Savarkar in that
regard.
Within a few days of Doctorji’s return to Nagpur from Bombay, he was
asked to go over to KTishi (Banaras) by Babarao Savarkar who had gone
there for convalescence. The Muslims there were planning an assault on
the Hindus. Babarao thought it was imperative for the Hindus to
organize themselves and therefore urgently sent for Doctorji. Doctorji
simply wired back, “Wait, watch, pray and hope” and reached Banaras in a
couple of days. Workers received Doctorji at the railway station, and
took him to the residence of Bhaurao Damle, where Babarao was
impatiently waiting for him. As soon as Babarao heard the sound of the
tonga, he closed the door. Doctorji knocked. Babarao shouted back from
inside : “Wait, watch, pray and hope !”
Doctorji stayed at Banaras for twenty days from 1 1 th March to 1st
April of 1931. Some ad-hoc measures were initiated to awaken the Hindus
to the imminent danger ; but Doctorji was not content with such
temporary arrangements. He set about organizing a regular Shakha of the
Sangh, and spoke to many local leaders about it. Madan Mohan Malaviya
was already familiar with the work of the Sangh. Doctorji met him and
with his blessings and active help, a branch of the Sangh was started in
the University. Doctorji reported to Nagpur about the starting of the
Shakha on 26th March. “Two new Shakhas have been commenced – one in
Banaras City and the other in the Hindu University. I visited the
University five or six times. I addressed three meetings ; there were
also three sessions of discussion. The Shakha at the University
promises to shape well ; and the one in the city is also not bad.
Gradually elders and prominent citizens are taking interest.”
At the close of one of the elderly persons’ baithaks in the city, Doctorji suggested that those who liked the mission of Sangh should come forward to take the oath – pratijnei. Doctorji
also explained the relevant ideas contained in the oath, one of them
being ‘to work life-long, offering one’s body, mind and wealth.’ One of
the participants, thereupon, suggested an amendment for replacing these
words with the words ‘as far as it lies in one’s power’ – yathjshakti. Doctorji
replied, “Well, no individual, in fact, can work beyond his powers. But
often the expression ‘as far as it lies in my power’ is used just to
save one’s skin and plead one’s inability to do one’s duty.” Doctorji’s
penetrating analysis had its effect, and with one of the advocates
taking the lead all the rest followed.
While at Kashi, Doctorji had learnt that one Madhavrao Golwalkar, called
‘Guruji’, a lecturer in the Banaras Hindu University, was taking
interest in the Sangh activities. During the next summer vacation in
1932, Guruji had returned to Nagpur. One day, as he was passing through a
road, Doctorji chanced to see him. Immediately, he accosted Guruji,
“Are you Madhavrao Golwalkar ?” Guruji was amazed because neither of
them had seen each other before. Doctorji had just made a guess about
him from the description he had heard about him while he was in Kashi.
When Guruji said “Yes,” Doctorji invited him to his house. Accordingly,
Guruji went and met Doctorji. This was the first occasion when the two,
the first and the future Sarsanghachalaks, met.
Describing his reactions to this sudden and unexpected meeting with
Doctorji, Guruji humorously remarked : “This was how I was caught, as a
mouse is caught by the cat !”
In 1931, the Congress appointed a committee consisting of seven
members-Sardar Patel, Pandit Nehru, Pattabhi seetaramayya, dr. N.S.
Hardikar, Acharya Kaka Kalelkar, Master Tara Singh and Maulana Azad-to
decide about the National Flag for the country. The committee went into
all the aspects and finally presented a unanimous report: “Our National
Flag should be of one single colour and it is the saffron colour which
can represent to the maximum extent the entire populace of India. This
colour has a speciality of its own over the other colours and reflects
the ancient tradition of India.” Doctorji was no doubt happy when he
learnt about the committee’s recommendation. His views about the
National Flag were, from the very beginning, clear and convincing.
Bharat has been living as a nation since hoary times and as such all its
national symbols too have been in existence since long. Bhagawa Dhwaj
has, over the last several millennia, been signifying our national
aspirations, our cultural and spiritual heritage and our historical
tradition. As such, it is ni truth the National Flag of Bharat par excellence.
But Doctorji had his own apprehensions about the fate of the Flag
Committee’s recommendations at the hands of the Congress Working
Committee. He felt that Gandhiji would oppose it and the Working
Committee would meekly submit to his wishes. Doctorji met several
leaders and even proceeded to Delhi at the time of the Congress Working
Committee meeting to persuade the members to uphold the claim of Bhagawa
Dhwaj, but to no avail. Doctorji’s apprehensions only proved too true.
Bhagawa was sacrificed at the altar of political and communal
considerations and the tricolour was accepted in its place.
When Dr. Moonje returned from the Round Table Conference at London in
1931 he gave out his reactions at a public meeting, of how British
imperialists and Muslim communalists had made an unholy, powerful
alliance in order to thwart the national aspirations and give a fillip
to separatist forces.
At the conference, Dr. Moonje had taken an uncompromising nationalistic
stand to which Doctorji paid glowing tributes in the meeting. The
general atmosphere in the country had then become topsy-turvy, inasmuch
as taking a bold and unadulterated nationalistic stance was dubbed as
‘communal’ and appeasement of communal and separatist demands was
considered ‘national’. Doctorji’s depicting, in that background, of the
distinguishing quality of a real national leader, was very significant.
“It is easy to achieve cheap popularity by flowing with the current of
popular opinion. But the real leader is one who dares to stand up
against the popular opinion if his discrimination tells him so. He will
speak out his opinions, though they may be unfashionable at the time.
Instead of being carried away by the circumstances he gives a turn to
the circumstances themselves. The touchstone of real leadership lies in
one’s capacity to guide the popular opinion and not to be carried away
by it.”
Impressed by Doctorji’s organizing ability, Babarao savarkar merged his Tarun Hindu Mahasabha with the Sangh.
In an emotion-choked voice Babarao told Doctorji :
“Doctor, I am today dissolving the Tarun Hindu Mahasabha. Please accept
it and merge it in the Sangh. I shall henceforth devote whatever energy
I have to the work of the Sangh. May the Sangh live long and achieve
its goal. This is my benediction.”
Doctorji had long been thinking of expanding the Sangh base in Vidarbha.
The seed had been sown while he was in prison, and now it needed to be
nourished. Doctorji, therefore, planned a tour of the province.
Meantime, news was received that the Hindu Mahasabha had decided to hold
its session at Akola on 8th and 9th August. Doctorji proceeded to
Akola. There was already a Shakha there, though small. Doctorji tried to
enthuse the workers into presenting an inspiring image of their Shakha
to the delegates of the Hindu Mahasabha session.
After the Mahasabha session concluded Doctorji began his tour and was
able to start Shäkh5s in 15-20 places. In his 1 etter of 30th September,
Doctorji reported to Nagpur :
“Many leading advocates and doctors have joined the Sangh…. However, it
is not easy to work in Vidarbha ; we have to press forward through hard
and difficult terrain. Our efforts are succeeding only because this is a
divine work and carries God’s belssings. The responsibility of the
Nagpur Shakha is correspondingly increasing. And Swayamsevaks of all
ages in Nagpur must realize this responsibility. It is only my complete
trust in you which has prompted me to expand the Sangh activities
outside Nagpur.”
After the Dasara festivities at Nagpur, Doctorji resumed his tour. This
time he set out to Chattisgarh and other Hindi-speaking areas of Central
Provinces. His tour was briefly reported in Maharashtraof 9th
December : “Dr. Hedgewar, the founder of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh,
toured the Chattisgarh area for three weeks to popularize the Sangh
ideals. Branches of the Sangh have now been started in all the district
headquarters of that area. Dr. Hedgewar has now undertaken a tour of
Vidarbha.”
It had been decided to hold the session of the All-India Tarun Hindu
Parishat at Karachi in the first week of May 1932. Babarao Savarkar
wrote to Doctorji urging him to attend the session. Bhai Paramanand had
also asked Babarao to prevail upon Doctorji to attend. Doctorji too was
eager to participate since that would give him an opportunity of
meeting young men from all over the country and propounding the
philosophy of Sangh to them. But the summer training camp of the Sangh
was in progress. More than that, Doctorji was under severe financial
strain and was therefore in two minds. But when Babarao wrote again,
Doctorji was forced to explain his hard-pressed situation. Babarao’s
monetary situation too was no better. Having come to know of Babarao’s
plight, Bhai Paramanand had promised to meet his travelling expenses.
And Babarao in turn offered to share that allowance with Doctorji so
that his burden could be lightened at least to some extent. Doctorji
then decided to go to Karachi.
Doctorji was in Karachi for six days. He met and spoke to many young
workers from Punjab and Sind. People of those provinces, who had been
the constant victims of Muslim onslaughts, eagerly endorsed the need for
organizing the Hindus. But none knew how to go about it. Meetings,
resolutions and lectures were the only method known to them till then.
Doctorji, who had tremendous organizing ability, explained the right
technique to them. After coming to know of Doctorji’s plan in detail,
the Tarun Hindu Parishat also emphasized the necessity of spreading the
Sangh throughout the country. Doctorji, thereafter, got hold of a few
workers from Karachi and started a Sh5khd there, nominating an
enthusiastic worker by name D. D. Chowdhary as the Sanghachalak.
Doctorji seemed to have liked Karachi greatly. He wrote from there :
“This city is definitely far better than Bombay or Calcutta. It excels
all other cities in beauty, cleanliness, broad and well-tarred roads,
electrical illumination, gardens and parks.” What a tragedy that this
most beautiful city itself has today disappeared from the political map
of our country !
After the summer training camp (1932), Doctorji set out for a tour of
Maharashtra with Babarao Savarkar. They visited Bombay, Pune, Satara,
Sangli, Kolhapur, Karhad and other cities. The wide contacts that
Babarao Savarkar had developed over the years proved very useful to
Doctorji. Because of the baithaks of young men, meetings of
elders, administering of vows, launching of Shakhd s, interviews with
leaders and other varied activities, the Sangh quickly came to be known
far and wide. This popularity came to the help of prachcraks from Nagpur who later went from place to place to launch new Shdkhds.
Doctorji’s tour of Maharashtra extended for over a month. Bhaurao
Deshmukh and Kasninathpant Limaye were appointed the Sanghachdlaks for
Pune and Sangli respectively. It was also during this trip that Doctorji
visited Jamkhandi in North Karnataka and started the Shakhd there.
Doctorji often used to say that each Swayamsevak should feel himself as a prachärak of
the Sangh. Sangh was not the kind of activity which could be spread by
publicizing through newspapers and public meetings. The Sangh was a
living and vibrant body, and only the ‘living’ Swayamsevak could spread
it. It became a rule that a Swayamsevak should attend the Shdkha at
whatever place he may go to. And if there was no Shakhd he should take
steps to establish one.
A Swayamsevak by the name of Madhavrao Mulye of Nagpur was planning to
settle down in Konkan after completing his matriculation. Doctorji sent
for him and talked to him about the ways of initiating Sangh activities
in that region. A meeting was convened to bid farewell to Madhavrao
Mulye on behalf of the Nagpur Shakha. Doctorji was also present. Later
he also went to the railway station to see Mulye off. This gesture of
Doctorji gave the Swayamsevaks a new vision. Everybody felt that a
Swayamsevak leaving Nagpur was not merely a private individual going to
some place ; on the other hand, he was a prachdrak setting out to a new place to broadcast the Sangh message of Hindu consolidation. Madhavrao Mulye subsequently became the Prdnt Prachärak for Punjab and, later on, the Sarkdryavdha of the Sangh.
Doctorji sent out invitations for the Vijaya Dashami celebrations at
Nagpur to all those with whom he had come into active contact during his
tours. In the course of a letter which he addressed to the Swayamsevaks
of Nagpur on 1st September, he observed :
“Our Dasara festival at Nagpur is the measuring-rod for the people to
gauge our strength and vitality. The enthusing sight of these
celebrations is bound to instil a sense of pride and joy in the minds of
our well-wishers. We should ever remember that it is such countless
sympathetic hearts that are the pillars of strength for us. Not only
from our province but even from distant provinces distinguished people
come to attend the function. Since it ;is our desire that branches of
the Sangh should sprout in all the provinces of the country, we should
see to it that these functions leave a lasting impression on the minds
of those who attend.”
As expected, the Dasara festival went off on a grand scale. Over 1,200
Swayamsevaks attired in full uniform participated in the parade.
Sadgopal and Madhavrao Golwalkar had come from Banaras. Doctorji
introduced them to the Swayamsevaks as spirited and enthusiastic
workers, and garlanded them.
As the Sangh grew in strength, it naturally attracted the wrath of the
government. The intelligence agency in Bombay and Central Provinces was
put on the alert. And as, at that time, there was a fresh upsurge of
freedom struggle (1932), it was also rumoured that the government might
ban the Sangh. Doctorji had in fact received reports to that effect from
reliable sources in the government itself. However, he took it up as a
challenge and decided to expand and strengthen the Shakhris in the
quickest possible time. For that purpose he began constantly and
tirelessly moving from place to place. Fatigue, worry, financial
straits, and endless other obstacles began to tell upon his health. But,
impatient as he was to expand the Sangh in the shortest possible time,
Doctorji continued to toil from morning till past midnight, day after
day.
While in Nagpur, in order to meet the Swayamsevaks and well-wishers, he
often had to walk from the Mahal area to Dhantoli — a distance of over
five miles — and return in the scorching sun by 1 p. m. ; and
immediately after bath and the midday meal, he had to attend to the baithak, correspondence
and so on — almost up to midnight. At no time could he afford
transport, since his pockets were always empty. Even during summer,
Doctorji would be totally unmindful of the severity of the Nagpur heat,
though he was sweating profusely.
Doctorji had brought home to the Swayamsevaks that the spread of the
Sangh depended not on any external circumstances but on the sustaining
efforts of the Swayamsevaks themselves. He was convinced that sincere
efforts always bore fruit. An observation he made in his diary on 29th
January 1934 is memorable : “It is only a worthless individual who puts
the blame on circumstances.”
While offering his guidance to the Swayamsevaks as to how they should
face the looming challenge of the government, Doctorji said : “Granted
that government is planning to ban the Sangh ; but how can they stop its
functioning ? Shakhas will spring up many-fold. At the most,
government can stop the external activities, but how can they efface
the feelings surging in the heart ? I am sure the number of Shakhas will
then become the same as the number of Swayamsevaks ! If this is so,
then, why not we expand the Shakhas now itself to the same extent ? That
would be the fitting reply to the government’s challenge.”
Because of this robust approach ingrained in the workers, the Nagpur
Shakhd progressed in leaps and bounds. 17 subunits sprang up in the
city. “My hands are full, and I find it well-nigh impossible to move
out,” writes Doctorji in one of his letters. That year the annual
training camp was held in two places – Nagpur and Mehkar. By then, there
were over a hundred Shakhas in the country, and the number of
Swayamsevaks exceeded ten thou sand.
Seeing the rapid spread of the Sangh, the Government of C. P. and Berar
issued a circular in 1932 prohibiting government servants from joining
the Sangh. Within a few days, government pressurized even local
self-government institutions to pass similar orders. Timid as the Hindu
society was, it was expected that this move of the government would
discourage people from joining the Sangh. But by a bold and clever
counter-offensive, Doctorji staved off that prospect.
12: SOME NOTABLE EVENTS
THE FOLLOWING was the text of the government circular issued by the
chief minister of the Central Provinces, E. Gordon, on 15th December
1932: “The organization called Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is, in the
opinion of the government, undoubtedly of a communal nature and its
participation in political movements is increasing. Association with
such an organization by the government servants is or likely to become a
hindrance to impartial discharge of their duties. Government has,
therefore, decided that government servants should not become members
of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh nor participate in its activities.”
Doctorji immediately set about to counteract the mischief sought to be
created by the order. He invited distinguished people from different
fields to preside over Sangh functions. Programmes for mobilizing public
protest were organized. Doctorji began a crusade for propagating the
Sangh philosophy from countless platforms.
A former Home Minister of C. P., Sir Moropant Joshi, was invited to
preside over the Sankranti celebration in January 1933. He showered
praise on the work of the Sangh. Cogently explaining the policy of the
Sangh on that occasion, Doctorji said :
“The Sangh is aloof from politics. It is striving to strengthen the
Hindu society and has hatred for none. I am surprised at the government
order. I could hardly believe that C. P. Government would take such a
foolish step. If the government really believes in what it says in the
order, I challenge it to prove it. Let them reply to these questions :
In which political movement has the Sangh taken part ? Against which
non-Hindu community has the Sangh taken up cudgels ? If `European
Association’, ‘European Chamber of Commerce’ and such other bodies are
not ‘communal’, and if government officers are allowed to participate
in their activities, how could this organization established for
organizing the Hindu society be ‘communal’ ? And how could govenment
servants be prevented from participating in it ? If any community acts
against another, then its actions could be called communal. But if there
is an organization or a group of people who hate none and are
interested in working for the welfare of their own society, how would it
be justifiable to call it communa I and try to curb it ? Maybe the
government is worried about the activities of the Sangh, and would like
to suppress it. I should like to submit, in all humility, that it will
not be possible for the government to do so. We have undertaken this
task trusting in God in utmost sincerity. Whatever the obstacles in our
way, we shall resolutely overcome them and achieve our goal.”
The New Year festival Varshapratipada of that year was presided over by
the former governor of C. P., B. Tambe. In his presidential speech he
said : “No doubt the government has passed orders against the Sangh.
However, for those who would like to serve the Hindu society, there is
no better way than joining the Sangh, since this organization represents
the inmost Hindu feelings and aspirations and is aloof from
contemporary politics.”
Kesari
of Pune as well as papers from Nagpur strongly supported Doctorji’s stand. Hitavada, the
English daily from Nagpur, also wrote an editorial severely castigating
the government policy. But despite these vehement public protests and
objections, government stuck to its stand.
In December 1933, local self-government institutions were also asked to
ban their servants’ participation in the Sangh activities. The following
was the relevant order : “It has come to the notice of government that
many teachers in schools run by district councils have become members of
the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. This institution being communal in
character, government servants have been prohibited from either becoming
members of that organization or participating in its activities. It is
the opinion of the Home Secretariat of the C. P. Government that it is
not desirable that even those in the service of local self-government
institutions should associate themselves with this organization in any
manner. They are the employees of institutions which represent all
sections of society and these institutions derive their authority for
collecting taxes from the ordinary voter. That being so, it will not be
proper for these local bodies to permit their functionaries to associate
themselves with any communal organization. I therefore request you to
explain this position clearly to the local bodies under your division
and prevail upon them to clearly instruct their employees accordingly.”
The local self-government institutions did not relish this government
order. The councillors were enraged. Not all the members of these bodies
were Sangh-sympathizers ; in fact most of them were connected with
other institutions. But they were all infuriated that the government was
interfering even in the little sphere of local autonomy granted to
them. Doctorji helped this resistance manifest itself openly, and
encouraged people to express their disapproval in no uncertain terms.
He met many people in different walks of life and explained to them the
positive and truly nationalist viewpoint of the Sangh. Workers in
different parts vigorously campaigned to propagate the Sangh philosophy
and expose the hollowness of government’s objection.
In the last week of December, the Akhil Maharashtra Sahitya Sammelan
held its session in Nagpur. By a happy coincidence, the training camp of
the Sangh was also held at about the same time. Doctorji was not the
one to let slip such an opportunity. He introduced the Sangh to hundreds
of leading intellectuals of the proivnce. The sight of thousands of
disciplined Swayamsevaks parading in uniform and of the township of
tents built by themselves was enough to enrapture any patriotic heart.
Krishnaji Pant Khadilkar, a close associate of Lokmanya Tilak and editor of the daily Nav?.71c1, was
the president of the prestigeous literary conference. He visited the
Sangh camp, accompanied by other leading men of letters. Seeing the
inspiring spectacle of Swayamsevaks’ parade he exclaimed, “This sight
defies words. The very sight is its own description.” Addressing the
Swayamsevaks he said : “We are men of letters, revelling in words,
words, and words. But what is being presented here is the Divine Power
mainfesting itself in a concrete form. Even thousands of lectures and
writings will not be able to inculcate in the minds of the people the
patriotic spirit which the mere sight of this organizational build-up
will generate. The Sangh is a most telling instance of the saying that
it is only the actual sight of its concrete manifestation that will
effectively convince one of the truth of any sublime concept.”
After the demise of Doctorji’s intimate friend Raja Lakshmanrao Bhonsle,
due to government’s indirect pressure the branch of the Sangh which was
located in Hathikl-ond had to be shifted to Tulsibagh. The latter place
also belonged to the Bhonsle family. Anticipating further interference
from government, Doctorji bought a plot of land measuring about 21–
acres for a sum of rupees 700. The land was in Reshambagh on the other
side of the river Naga. The Sangh activities were then onwards held in
this spacious new locale.
It was not uncommon for Congress workers to heartily join in the Sangh
activities in those days. The Secretary of the Provincial Congress
Committee, Appaji Joshi, himself was the SanghachFilak of Wardha, the
centre of Gandhiji’s activities. Appaji evinced keen interest in the
Sangh work and because of his efforts, the Sangh soon made commendable
progress in Wardha district. However, senior leaders of the Congress did
not relish this.
With a view to making a “comparative assessment of the ideals and
policies” of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha and
the Congress, Seth Jamnalal Bajaj of Wardha sent a questionnaire to Dr.
Moonje and Dr. Hedgewar. The questions related to prevention of
untouchability, Khadi, the Congress programme, relationship between the
Mahasabha and the Sangh, etc. Doctorji replied, “It is rather hard to
send written replies to your questions. Kindly come over here whenever
you are free. We can have a detailed discussion. Or if you so prefer, I
shall myself come over to Wardha and meet you.”
Jamnalal Bajaj came to Nagpur on the morning of 31st January 1934. He
met dr. Moonje and dr. Hedgewar separately. He was accompanied by
Ganapatrao tikekar and tarabehn. Doctorji dealt with the various aspects
clearly and cogently. “The Sangh is aloof from politics. It has no
hatred for any other institution. Nor is it opposed to Khadi. And it
totally disapproves of the practice of untouchability.”
But during that discussion Sethji was repeating has presumption that the
sangh was opposed to the Congress. Doctorji, however, presented
instance after instance wherein Congressmen had tried to malign the
malign the sangh in the public eye. Doctorji also happened to remark:
“Probably you too are aware that a certain Mirabehn or Tarabehn among
you has make some irresponsible and uninformed comments about the Sangh
just two or three days ago.” Seth Jamnalal was greatly embarrassed, and
was also puzzled as to how Doctorji had come to know about it. He then
introduced Tarabehn to Doctorji !
Doctorji sent several of his associates to Maharashtra area to spread
the activities of Sangh – Gopalrao Yerkuntvar to Sangli, Dadarao
Paramarth to Pune and Babasaheb Apte to Khandesh districts. Thus was
begun the practice of sending out pracharaks.
Thus, while on the one hand efforts were being made to spread the Sangh
activities far and wide, on the other the public were being mobilized to
protest against the government order. The public response seemed highly
encouraging. The C. P. Legislative Council was to meet in March 1934.
Doctorji met several legislators and prepared the groundwork for
mounting a strong opposition to the government order. The Akola District
Board and the Municipalities of Wardha, Umred, Savaner, Katol,
Bhandara, etc., had already passed resolutions in protest and demanding
revocation of the order. It was significant that the government, while
issuing the second order urging the local bodies also to fall in line
with the government’s policy vis-a-vis the Sangh, had quietly dropped
the charge about the Sangh’s participation in political activities
contained in the first order.
It was against this backdrop that the session of Legislative Council
began in Nagpur. Heated discussion about the government order took place
on 3rd March and the Home Minister Raghavendra Rao found himself in a
most unenviable position. Questions were raised – “How is a ‘communal
organization’ defined ?” “Which Muslim organizations are ‘communal’ ?”
There were also highly interesting exchanges such as the following.
Kashiprasad Pande : “Is it a fact that a former minister of C. P. has presided over a meeting of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ?”
Home Minister Rao : “It is only now that I am hearing about it.”
Pande : “Has the government received no CID report about it ?”
Rao : “Perhaps reports may have been received. But it appears strange to
me that while the government order banning the Sangh was in force a
former minister should have presided over a meeting of the Sangh.”
Pande : “When did the government ban the Sangh ?”
Rao : “I need notice for this question. Do not interpret the word ‘ban’ literally. I have used it in a general sense.”
Babasaheb Khaparde : “Which policy or programme of the Sangh is objectionable to government ?”
Rao : “From the talks of the Sangh leaders it looks as if they have
adopted the policy of Hitler and modelled their programmes on those of
the Nazi party of Germany.”
“Who are the leaders of the Sangh ?”
“Of course Dr. Hedgewar is one. I think the other is Dr. Moonje.”
“Can you substantiate the charge that you have just made from the lectures of those two people ?”
“I based my statement on the report of a speech made in Nagpur by Dr. Hedgewar.”
“Please read from that report.”
At this demand Raghavendra Rao began fumbling. The Chairman came to the
rescue of the Home Minister by closing the matter – “We may discuss this
matter in detail at some other time.”
“When was this Sangh established ?”
“In 1918.” (!)
“Will the government insist that local self-government institutions should enforce the order ?”
“We have made only a suggestion. It is not an order.”
It emerged from this discussion that the ‘notice’ from government to the local bodies was only recommendatory and not mandatory.
While all this discussion went on, Doctorji was sitting in the visitors’
gallery enjoying the outbursts of laughter emanating time and again
from the Assembly Hall. As proceedings came to an end, he met and
expressed his gratitude to all those members who had exposed the
government’s folly so effectively.
Babasaheb Kolte of Bhandara, who had been Doctorji’s teacher, moved a
resolution on the 7th of March condemning the government’s order. Many
members spoke passionately in defence of the resolution. Kedar, Ramabai
Tambe, Mangalmurthy, Rahman, Phule and others supported the resolution.
The discussion went on for three days. At last, the motion was put to
vote, and was carried. It was a signal defeat for the government.
Although, to save its face, the government refused to annul the order
officially, it refrained from enforcing it. And for all practical
purposes, the order remained a dead letter. And the ministry itself
collapsed. After this sequence of events resulting in government’s
defeat, the atmosphere everywhere proved far more favourable to the
Sangh than ever before.
Doctorji’s concern for old friends and colleagues was deep and enduring.
Dr. Mohrir of Arvi was in the Nagpur Jail. He was a friend of Doctorji
from the Calcutta days. He had been given a life sentence because of his
participation in the Arvi uprising. Busy though Doctorji was, he often
met Dr. Mohrir in the jail, made affectionate enquiries about his needs
and also facilitated visits of Dr. Mohrir’s relations. And when he was
released in 1934, Doctorji treated him to a party at Nagpur.
Another revolutionary friend of Doctorji was Ramlal Vajpayee who visited
Bharat after a lapse of 17 years. Doctorji had not forgotten him. He
showed him the various activities of the Sangh, and held free and frank
discussions with him. Vajpayee was immensely pleased with Doctorji’s
achievement in the field of organization.
Another distinguished personality, who was destined to have a
far-reaching influence over the Sangh, was coming close to Doctorji. He
was Madhavrao Golwalkar who subsequently became the Sarsanghach5lak of
the Sangh. He had resigned his lecturer’s post in Banaras in 1933 and
had come to Nagpur to study law. He had, as mentioned earlier, been
introduced to the Sangh in Banaras. His was a razor-sharp intellect and
he went deep into any issue that faced him. Family attachment or earning
money held no fascination for him. In 1934, Doctorji sent him to Bombay
along with Baba-saheb Chitale, the Sanghachlak of Akola district. They
spent a month in Bombay and did the spadework for initiating Sangh
activities there. Golwalkar was later placed in charge of the main
branch at Nagpur.
In 1934, Sant Panchlegaonkar Maharaj merged his Mukteswar Dal in the
Sangh. The Dal had been formed for the protection of the Hindus during
the periods of Muslim onslaughts. The Dal had 25 branches in Yeotmal,
Khamgaon, Washim, Nagpur and other places. They all now became part of
the Sangh.
In June 1934, the Congress passed a resolution prohibiting its members
from associating themselves with the Hindu Mahasabha, the Muslim League
and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Doctorji, however, continued to
enrol fresh members irrespective of their party affiliations. For him,
all Hindus were worthy of equal love and respect. In contrast to the
narrow-minded policy of the Congress, Doctorji imposed no such
restrictions on members of the Sangh.
The Sangh was steadily expanding and began exerting ever greater
influence over the society. Eager to know at first hand the secret of
the Sangh’s steady progress, Dr. N. S. Hardikar of Hubli, the Chief of
the Hindustani Seva Dal, wrote to Doctorji about it. Doctorji replied
with great warmth : “Your letter of 10th December 1934 has reached me.
Reading it has given me much pleasure. I am indeed very happy that you
are desirous of studying the Sangh activities at close quarters. I shall
be out of town for a few days after the Akola Parishat. It might
therefore be useful for you to go over to Nagpur a couple of days prior
to the Parishat, so that you may familiarize yourself with the working
of the Sangh.” Dr. Hardikar, however, could not go to Nagpur on account
of his indisposition. But he spent two days with Gopalrao Yerkuntvar,
the prachörak at Bombay, and closely studied the Sangh activities.
A memorable event in the year 1934 was the visit of Mahatma Gandhi to
the Wardha District Camp of the Sangh and the meeting ‘between Gandhiji
and Doctorji. Gandhiji was then camping at the Sevagram Ashram near
Wardha. The Sangh camp was right opposite that house. Near about 1,500
Swayamsevaks of Wardha district were camping. Gandhiji had seen the
preparations for setting up the camp. He also observed the camp
activities from his residence and felt like seeing the camp from close
quarters. He spoke to Mahadev Desai who in turn wrote to Appaji Joshi.
Appaji immediately went and met Gandhiji and invited him : “Please do
come whenever it is convenient for you. You will be most welcome.”
That was the day of silence for Gandhiji. He wrote on a slip of paper :
“I shall come at 6 tomorrow morning and shall spend an hour and a half
there.”
The next day, i.e. on 25th December 1934, Gandhiji arrived at the Sangh
camp punctually at 6 a.m. All the Swayamsevaks offered their pranam to
him. Gandhiji was accompanied by Mahadev Desai, Mirabehn and a few
others. After seeing the camp in its impressive get-up, Gandhiji patted
Appaji on his back and said : “I am really delighted. I have not
witnessed such a sight anywhere in the country before.” He then
inspected the kitchen. Food was prepared and served to over 1,500 people
without the least fuss or confusion ; the cost to each Swayamsevak came
to just one rupee and a certain quantity of grain, and all the expenses
of the camp were met by this ; the Swayamsevaks themselves made up the
shortfalls, if any. All this information astonished Gandhiji.
He later visited the sick ward and the tents of the Swayamsevaks. He saw
people of all castes and classes harmoniously engaged in work without
any reservations. In order to confirm his observation, he interrogated
the Swayamsevaks themselves. Their response was uniform : “There are no
differences like Brahmin, Maratha, Asprishyas, etc., in the Sangh. We
are in fact not even aware of what castes many of our Swayamsevak
brethren belong to ; nor are we interested in knowing it. It is enough
for us that we are all Hindus.” Gandhiji asked Appaji, “It appears
almost impossible to ward off the evil of untouchability from our
society. How has this phenomenon been made possible in the Sangh ?”
Appaji replied, “Feelings of high and low, touchability and
untouchability can be abolished only by emphasizing the inherent oneness
of all Hindus. Then only will the spirit of fraternity be reflected in
their sincere behaviour, and not merely in words. The credit for this
achievement goes to Dr. Keshavrao Hedgewar.”
By then it was time for the general assembly. The bugle was sounded. All
the Swayamsevaks stood to attention. Flag was hoisted. In accordance
with the Sangh custom, Gandhiji also joined Appaji in offering pranam to the Bhagawa Flag.
Gandhiji then visited the stores. Provisions and various requisites had
been neatly arranged. There was a decorated portrait prominently
displayed. Mahatmaji looked at it intently and enquired, “Whose
portrait is this ?”
“That portrait is of Dr. Hedgewar,” replied Appaji.
“Is that the same Dr. Keshavrao Hedgewar you mentioned when we were
talking about untouchability ? How is he connected with the Sangh ?”
“He is the Chief of the Sangh. We call him the Sarsanghach5lak. All the
activities of the Sangh are carried on under his guidance. It is he who
has started the Sangh.”
“Will it be possible to meet Dr. Hedgewar ? If possible I want to hear about the Sangh from him directly.”
“He is due to visit the camp tomorrow. If you desire, we shall bring him to you.”
Gandhiji then returned to his Ashram.
Next morning, Doctorji arrived at the camp. That evening the valedictory
function was held under the presidentship of Bhopatkar of Pune.
Afterwards, at Gandhiji’s invitation, Doctorji went to meet him,
accompanied by Appaji Joshi and Bhopatkar. The discussion between
Doctorji and Gandhiji extended for over an hour. The general trend of
discussion was as follows.
After preliminary exchange of courtesies, Gandhiji turned to a point uppermost in his mind :
“Doctorji, your organization is admirable. I am aware of the fact that
you were for many years a Congress worker. That being so, why did you
not build such a volunteer cadre under the aegis of a popular
organization like the Congress itself ? Why did you float a separate
organization ?”
“It is true that I worked in the Congress. I was also the Secretary of
the Swayamsevak Dal at the time of the 1920 session of the Congress,
when my friend Dr. Paranjpe was the Dal President. Subsequently the two
of us tried to build such a volunteer cadre inside the Congress. But our
efforts were not successful. Hence this independent venture” – replied
Doctorji.
“Why did your attempt fail ? Was it for want of financial assistance ?”
“No, no ! There was no dearth of funds. Money can be a great help, no
doubt. But money alone cannot accomplish everything. The problem that
faced us was not one of money but of attitudes.”
“Is it your opinion that noble-hearted people were not there in the Congress, or that they are not there now ?”
“That isn’t what I meant. There are many well-meaning people in the
Congress. What is at issue is certain basic attitudes. The Congress has
been formed primarily with a view to achieving a political end. Its
programmes have also been drawn up accordingly, and it needs volunteers
to arrange for these programmes. The Congress leaders are therefore used
to looking upon volunteers as unpaid servants who arrange chairs and
benches during meetings and conferences. The Congress does not seem to
believe that the problems of the nation can effectively be solved only
when there is a large and disciplined body of dedicated Swayamsevaks who
are eager to serve the country of their own accord and without waiting
for inspiration from elsewhere.”
“What exactly is your conception of a Swayamsevak ?”
“A Swayamsevak is one who would lovingly lay down his life for the
all-round upliftment of the nation. To create and mould such
Swayamsevaks is the aim of the Sangh. There is no distinction between a
`Swayamsevak’ and a ‘leader’ in Sangh. All of us are Swayamsevaks and
are therefore equal. We love and respect everybody equally. We give no
room for any differences in status. This is in fact the secret of the
remarkable growth of the Sangh in such a short period without any
outside help, money or publicity.”
“I am indeed very glad. The country will certainly be benefited by the
success of your efforts. I have heard of the vast following the Sangh
has acquired in the Wardha district. …How do you meet the expenses of
such a huge organization ?”
“The Swayamsevaks themselves bear the burden, each offering his mite as Gurudakshina.”
“It looks as if your entire time is consumed by this work. How do you carry on your medical profession ?”
“I have not taken to medicine as a profession.” “How then are you supporting your family ?”
“I am not married.”
Gandhiji was evidently taken by surprise. In the same surprised tone he
said, “I see – you are not married ! Very good. That explains the
remarkable degree of success you have achieved in such a short duration
!”
At the end, Doctorji said, “I have probably taken too much of your time.
I have no doubt that, with your blessings, our efforts will succeed.
Permit us to take your leave now.”
Gandhiji came up to the door to bid farewell, and said, “Doctorji, with
your character and sincerity, there is no doubt you will succeed.”
Doctorji offered his prandm to Gandhiji and returned to the camp.
13: WIDENING HORIZONS
THE MARCH of the Sangh began covering town
after town and province after province. Every day brought fresh reports
to Nagpur of the founding of new Shakhas in Vidarbha, Maharashtra, etc.
A new Officers Training Camp was begun in Pune in the year 1935.
Many in the northern parts of the country had by this time begun to
realize the grim political prospects, and saw that the only way of
countering it was to strengthen and expand the Sangh — the only
effective organization of Hindus —speedily. A highly respected Hindu
leader from Calcutta, Babu Padmaraj Jain, wrote several letters to
Doctorji urging him to undertake a tour of Punjab and United Provinces.
Dharmaveerji, son-in-law of Bhai Paramanand, wrote to Doctorji from
Lahore on 3rd October 1935: “The position of the Hindus here is
precarious. I want to spend a few days with you to train myself in the
art of organizing mass self-protection of the Hindus. Another friend
will be accompanying me.” In the meantime, as instructed by Bhai
Paramanand, Indra Prakash wrote to Doctorji requesting him to attend the
session of Akhil Bharat Hindu Yuvak Parishat scheduled for January
1936. He also pleaded, “In order to organize the movement, you should
spend at least a year in Punjab. We shall bear all your expenses.”
In view of these developments, Doctorji started training a few
Swayamsevaks to undertake study tours of different provinces and
organize the movement there. Familiarity with the language of the new
area and capacity to get used to the atmosphere of those places were
essential for the Swayamsevaks. Doctorji therefore insisted on
Swayamsevaks’ learning Telugu, Hindi, Bengali and other languages. It
was an advantage that Nagpur had a confluence of Hindi and Marathi.
Doctorji himself began using Hindi in the Nagpur Shakha. He deputed some
workers to spread the Sangh activities in the Mahakoshal sector.
Whenever a Swayamsevak expressed a preference to go to a Marathi area,
Doctorji used to tell him, “How can you sit in your own area merely
because you don’t know other languages ? Go to a new area and start the
work. You will get to know the language automatically. Is it possible to
learn swimming without stepping into the water ?” In 1935, Doctorji
despatched a fresh batch of Swayamsevaks to Khandesh and Mahakoshal.
Doctorji bestowed much thought on the organizational aspects and
streamlining of activities of the Sangh. He defined the responsibilities
of the office-bearers of the Sangh, the conventions to be followed in
the daily Shakha, etc., and saw to it that the same methods were adhered
to in all the Shakh5s. In fact, officers were appointed precisely to
ensure smooth and streamlined working. Doctorji had extensive exchange
of views with his close associates in 1927 concerning the rules and
methods.
In October 1935, Doctorji visited Chikkodi, Nipani and Sadalga in Belgaum district. This was his second visit to Karnataka. A patha-sanchalana — route
march — was held in Sadalga. Doctorji delivered an inspiring speech
elaborating the Sangh philosophy at a gathering of Swayamsevaks and the
public. He also addressed a meeting at Chikkodi. A Shakha of the Sangh
was established there on 23rd October 1935. Dadarao Paramarth stayed
there for a few days to brief the local workers about the technique of
running the ShakhTi. That marked the beginning of Sangh activities in
Karnataka.
In his tour of Karnataka, Doctorji added to his vocabulary the Kannada word `fludugaru’ (boys)
and continued to use it jocularly in the Nagpur headquarters. By
nature, Doctorji responded warmly to the customs and usages of the
places he visited.
In March 1936, Krishnarao Wadekar was sent to the Dhule–Jalgaon area in
Maharashtra to establish branches there. On 24th March 1936, Doctorji
gave him a written aidememoire – `Sangha-stkipana Vidhi’. That document clearly set down the conduct expected of a Swayamsevak. Its salient features included the following:
“Just as every officer under Shivaji was an expert strategist, every
officer of the Sangh should be well versed in all aspects of the Sangh
training…The Swayamsevak may, with the SanghachTlak’s permission,
participate in any activity not inimical to the welfare of the Hindus,
on their personal responsibility. Swadeshi should be
cultivated, inspired by a patriotic attitude. Keeping one’s self aloof
from the extremes of lack of any code of conduct on the one hand, and
meaningless rituals on the other, the Sangh activities should strike a
golden mean to energize the entire society. The Sangh must stay away
from programmes born out of momentary enthusiasm and outbursts of
mercurial emotion. Association with such programmes will only harm the
stability of the Sangh.”
Doctorji was bestowing extra care on all monetary transactions. He
would insist that money offered for a particular purpose should be used
only for that sake and never be diverted to other purposes. After the
death of the famous jurist Dada-saheb Karandikar of Satara, his son
Vitthalrao Karandikar sent one hundred rupees to Doctorji and conveyed
the desire of his father that the amount be used to present a shield to
the Swayamsevak who achieves mastery in archery. To this Doctorji
replied : “Archery is not taught in Sangh. Though we have thought over
the proposal of introducing it in our training, it has not been found
possible to do so. In view of this, since it is not possible to use the
amount for the purpose you have indicated, it is kept in deposit with us
here. We shall make arrangements for its use in the manner you
suggest.” Later on, on receiving Vitthalrao’s reply, the amount was used
to purchase land for the Sangh office at Sangli.
In response to the requests from Punjab, Janardan Chinchalkar, Rajabhau
Paturkar, Narayanrao Puranik and other workers were sent there.
Simultaneously with studies, they went about organizing branches in the
Lahore area. Babasaheb Apte and Dadarao Paramarth were touring, whenever
needed, in Maharashtra, Mahakoshal, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
With a view to imparting military training to the youth, Dr. Moonje
decided to start a military school. Doctorji was on the committee of
conveners and participated in the first meeting of the committee held at
Bombay in 1936. Later on Doctorji became a member of its executive
committee also.
Doctorji never missed a chance to put the idea of nonviolence in its
right perspective before the Swayamsevaks as also the rest of Hindu
society. This had become especially necessary in view of the muddled
thinking all around with respect to that concept. In his public speech
at Nagpur in 1936, Doctorji said : “We should be clear in our minds that
ahimsa (non-injury) is not dtmahimsä (self-injury) and that the former should not result in the latter. Further, the precept `ahimsä paramo dharmah’ (the
highest code of morality is non-injury) is well rooted in the Hindu
mind. As such, it is the duty of the Hindu society to teach the same
sublime principle to other communities as well. But if our well-meant
teaching is to be listened to respectfully by others, we should have the
necessary strength. Unfortunately, our society today is weak and the
predatory communities simply do not care for the weak ones. Therefore,
we have first to eradicate the weakness from the Hindu society and make
it invincibly strong. Strength, it should be remembered, comes only
through organization. It is therefore the duty of every Hindu to do his
best to consolidate the Hindu society. The Sangh is just carrying out
this supreme task.”
The intensity of Doctorji’s activities and the extraordinary strain that
he had to undergo are vividly portrayed in a letter written by one of
the accompanying workers after one such tour in the Vidharbha region :
“After the Shdkhd programme in the evening, meetings of workers would
start and continue right up to midnight ; then would follow informal
chitchat extending up to nearly 3 a.m. The day-time was bristling with
meetings with persons of various hues and shades of opinion.”
In spite of such a physically exhausting schedule, Doctorji’s face never
showed any signs of fatigue. Wherever he went, he would radiate joy and
enthusiasm and sometimes even indulge in playful jokes. In 1937, he was
travelling from Nagpur to Pune to visit the training camp there. All
through the way the Swayamsevaks would gather to meet him at stations.
When the train reached Sindi station the local Sanghachalak and the
Swayamsevaks began running here and there in search of Doctorji. In the
meanwhile, Doctorji had coolly got down and was standing in front of his
compartment. But nobody observed him. Having failed to locate Doctorji,
the Swayamsevaks felt disappointed and stood at one end of the
platform. When the train whistled and the train moved in front of them,
Doctorji loudly called out the name of the Sanghachalak and offered his prandm. And
as the Swayamsevaks’ eyes became rivetted on Doctorji, they could not
suppress laughter, because Doctorji was dressed in a Khadi kurta and
pyjama, with a Khadi cap in a slanting position ! This amusing scene was
repeated in station after station throughout the journey.
A noteworthy incident took place during his visit to the Pune camp. The
government had then prohibited music in all routes near a particular
Tambeli Musjid. Even the ringing of the small bells of Sonya Maruti
temple, a little distance away from the Musjid, was objected to by the
Muslims and the government had banned that also ! The Hindus of Pune
took it up as a challenge and Satyagraha was launched by ringing the
temple bells. After completing his programmes in the Sangh camp,
Doctorji too offered Satyagraha. On all such occasions, Doctorji’s
approach was both basic and comprehensive. He explained the stand of
Sangh vis-a-vis Satyagraha thus : ” Programmes such as these are like
external bandages to treat the boils on the body. But it is not a
lasting cure for the basic malady of impurity of blood. So long as the
germs remain in the blood, such boils would appear again and again. So
also, it is only when the germs of disunity in the Hindu body-politic
are eradicated and the society made healthy and robust that such
frequent eruptions of external attacks on our society could be stopped
for good. It is towards this end that the Sangh is striving its utmost.
But until this goal is reached, external applications like Satyagraha
also have their place.”
The activities of the Sangh had their beneficial effect on women too.
Smt. Lakshmibai Kelkar, mother of a Swayamsevak in Wardha, felt a strong
urge to start similar activities among women. She met Doctorji in
Appaji Joshes house.
The report is worth recalling in her own words : “Doctorji asked me
about the purpose of my visit. ‘Why don’t you impart this training and
idealism to women also ?’ I asked. ‘Well’, he replied, ‘for the present
we have restricted the activities to men.’ I said, ‘If you can permit my
son to teach me the techniques, I shall in my turn teach them to other
women of the town.’ Doctorji did not agree. I persisted, ‘Just as women
are part of the family, they are part of the nation too. If your message
reaches women at home, that will certainly strengthen the Sangh.’
Seeing my insistence, Doctorji finally agreed and said, “If you are
prepared to take up the entire responsibility, Appaji Joshi will offer
you the necessary help.”
Lakshmibai met Doctorji thrice or four times subsequently and finalized
the plans. She says : “Doctorji suggested that the name of the
organization should be different from the Sangh, though conveying the
same meaning ; the two organizations should work parallelly to each
other, though independently. He also explained the peculiar problems
that would confront a women’s organization. At each meeting he was
minutely observing and assessing my firmness in the matter. r remained
steadfast and told him, ‘With your blessing and by the Grace of
Almighty, I shall not waver in my effort.’ I think I passed in
Doctorji’s test. At last, he agreed to give all possible help. On the
Vijaya Dashami day, 25th October 1936, the `Rashtra Sevika Samiti’ was
born.”
During Doctorji’s tour of Maharashtra in 1936, a couple of incidents
took place which are worthy of note. In Kolhapur, a princely State,
Sangh was started under the name of ‘Raja Ram Swayamsevak Sangh’, as the
State had banned the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’ for fear of the
displeasure of the British. A public speech by Doctorji was arranged in
the premises of the famous temple of Ambabai. However, the president did
not turn up because of government’s fear. Promptly, Doctorji placed a
picture of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the presidential chair and
began his address. His opening remark itself captivated the minds of the
vast audience : “In a city like Kolhapur, with Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj himself gracing the presidential chair, where is the need for
any other president ? I consider myself most fortunate to address you
under the presidentship of Shivaji Maharaj.”
The famous cinema director Bhalji Pendharkar met Doctorji at Kolhapur.
Pendharkar described the effect of that meeting, in one of his public
speeches at Pune in 1940 : “I had heard that one Dr. Hedgewar of Nagpur
had come to the town. Just out of curiosity, I went to meet him. But
when, after conversing with him for about half an hour, I came out, I
had become his ardent follower !”
In 1937, Doctorji deputed ten associates to Northern Bharat. Some of them were students and some prachdraks. Their
efforts resulted in the spread of the Sangh activity in Punjab, Delhi,
Uttar Pradesh and Central Bharat. Dadarao Paramarth and Babasaheb Apte
were constantly on the move supervising the efforts of the workers and
enthusing and guiding them. Doctorji himself went and spent a few days
in Delhi and Banaras. His stay at Delhi helped to speed up the progress
of the Sangh work in Punjab. He met and held discussions with Seth Jugal
Kishore Birla and invited him to a function. Impressed by the ideology
and method of working of the Sangh, Jugal Kishorji offered a donation of
Rs. 500. Doctorji however said, “The Sangh wants you, and not your donation !”
The return to Nagpur of Guruji Golwalkar from Saragachi Ashram about
this time provided immense relief to Doctorji. Motivated by a spiritual
urge, Guruji had gone away in 1936 to the Saragachi Ashram of Swami
Akhandanandaji, an associate of Swami Vivekananda, without informing
anyone. Guruji’s parents, as well as Doctorji, were in deep anguish at
his sudden disappearance. Guruji spent over a year in spiritual
practices in the ashram. After the passing away of the Swami, Guruji
returned to Nagpur. His parents and Doctorji were naturally greatly
relieved and happy. Guruji then onwards became the cynosure of
Doctorji’s eyes. Doctorji instinctively felt that Guruji had a great
part to play in moulding the future of Sangh. As days rolled by the
personality of Doctorji had its inevitable impact on Guruji. In
Doctorji’s company, Guruji visualized ‘God in the form of society
giving us a chance to serve.’ Consequently, Guruji threw himself heart
and soul into the Sangh work and followed Doctorji like a shadow.
By then the Shakha in Banaras had struck roots and made significant
progress. However, some Socialists intolerant of the Sangh had started
spreading wild and malicious rumours against it in student circles. And
they redoubled their campaign when they learnt that the founder of the
Sangh himself would be visiting Banaras. They strained every nerve to
malign the Sangh ; they distributed a pamphlet titled “Beware of little
fascists.” The pamphlet had accused the Sangh of being fascist, and so
on, and ended up calling on the students and the people to boycott the
programmes of Dr. Hedgewar, ‘the Paigamber of the Sangh.’
Doctorji had seen the pamphlet soon after his arrival in Banaras.
However, he had instructed the Swayamsevaks to ignore it completely.
Doctorji stayed in Banaras for three weeks, and not once did he refer to
that pamphlet either in speeches or even in his casual conversation.
The opponents were severely disappointed : Doctorji’s approach and
cogent reasoning had drawn unstinted appreciation from the intellectual
circles. Reporting about his visit in a. letter, Doctorji wrote :
“After listening to the exposition of the Sangh philosophy, people felt
that those who had published the pamphlet had committed an injustice.
As a result of the appearance of the pamphlet, even those who had not
known about the Sangh became curious….Instead of doing harm to us, the
pamphlet has in a way done a signal service to us.”
In decem ber 1937, veer savarkar tourd the Vidarbha area amidst scenes
of unprecedented joy and enthusiasm. He had been released just four
months before. Doctorji was naturally happy beyond words. He was
convinced that Savarkar’s triumphant tour would greatly help the work
of organizing the Hindus ; that Savarkar was more than a mere
individual, he was a dynamo of social force. Doctorji therefore
accopmanied Savarkar during his tour of Vidarbha area, Nagpur, Chanda,
Wardha, Akola, Umred, etc. Savarkar was accorded a rousing welcome by
the Nagpur Shakhd on 12th December. Programmes for him had been arranged
by other Shakhas also. Savarkar felt that the Sangh symbolized the
self-resurrection of the Hindu society. He showered unstinted praise on
Doctorji and heartily blessed the Sangh. Savarkar’s programmes in
Vidharbha drew epic crowds and literally shook the society out of its
slumber. Referring to that tour, Doctorji wrote : “The tour of Savarkar
is comparable to the churning of the ocean described in our mythology. A
fresh spout of energy seems to be coursing through the people’s veins
now.”
Subsequently too Savarkar maintained close liaison with the Sangh. He
happened to visit the Officers Training Camp of the Sangh in Pune in
1940. At Doctorji’s request he also addressed the Swayamsevaks. His
talk, though it lasted for just five minutes, reflected the warmth of
his feelings towards the Sangh : “In the present sad plight of the Hindu
society, the Sangh appears to be the only ray of hope. What the Sangh
is doing today is what all resurgent nations have been doing all along.
The weak cannot become strong except by organizing themselves. We have
in the past organized many movements for saving the nation. But none of
them has met with the required degree of success. I, therefore,
reiterate that the only hope for our nation lies in this great
organization.”
By this time winter camps of Swayamsevaks had become an annual feature
in many districts. And Doctorji attended such camps at several places.
The camp at Nagpur was inaugurated by the Raja of Aundh. He was so much
captivated by the disciplined turn-out of over one thousand young
Swayamsevaks that he instructed his cine-photographer to take a film.
Even as a few moments had passed, Doctorji noticed it and stopped it
forthwith as it was against the convention of Sangh. It was in those few
moments that Doctorji has been filmed hoisting the Bhagawa. And that,
fortunately, has remained as an inspiring legacy for the posterity to
have a glimpse of the living image of that great national redeemer.
In the circumstances then prevailing, many Congressmen themselves felt
the need to reconsider their stance vis-a-vis Sangh. It looked as if
time itself had brought home to them the urgent need and inevitability
of the work of Hindu consolidation. This was reflected in a talk of
Loknayak Ane of those days. Presiding over the valedictory function of
the Nagpur district camp of Sangh at Katol on 1st January 1938, he said :
“The flood of the Sangh activity is rapidly advancing, shattering the
rock of indifference of our society and cutting through the mountain of
opposition. In future, everybody will of necessity be obliged to
co-operate with the Sangh. This organization has provided the much
needed protective sheath to the Hindu nation, and I offer my heartfelt
congratulations to Dr. Hedgewar for this great achievement. I ardently
hope that this organization will spread to each and every corner of the
country.”
Dharmaveerji came from Punjub to Nagpur in the beginning of 1938. He
felt profoundly inspired in the company of Doctorji. He wrote to
Doctorji in most enthusiastic terms after his return to Punjab : ” I am
immensely delighted that I came to Nagpur. After this, I shall gladly
welcome even death while doing the work of Sangh. The credit for all
this must go to you.”
Doctorji’s letters always instilled self-confidence and conquering zeal.
He wrote to a Swayamsevak of Delhi : “God has indeed given you a rich
area to conquer. All of us are confident that you will succeed in your
efforts.” On another occasion, he wrote to Baburao More of Nagar : “We
can now safely say that the hardest of our days are over. This is the
result of the arduous work and unbounded loyalty of your colleagues and
yourself.”
Doctorji was nominated President of the Akhil Maharashtra Hindu Yuvak
Parishat planned to be held at Pune in 1938. Veer Savarkar also had
telegraphically asked Doctorji to accede to that request. Doctorji
reached Pune on the morning of 30th April. He was welcomed at the
Railway Station by hundreds of young men and the elite of the city like
Ganapatrao Nalavade, J. S. Karandikar, Editor of Kesari, L. B.
Bhopatkar, Acharya Atre, Rajabhau Rajwade, etc. Doctorji stopped for a
while at Acharya Atre’s house. Atre has recorded his impressions of
Doctorji thus : “Doctorji’s personality was imposing, majestic and
serene… At home, we were anxious about the arrangements to be made for
receiving such a high dignitary. But Doctorji’s simplicity and informal
manner of speech soon put us at ease.” The presidential procession later
started from there itself.
It was indeed a grand procession. The President and other leaders were
seated in a decorated chariot followed by eight to ten thousand people.
Their joyous shouts rose sky-high. One lame youth, passionately joining
in the slogans, was following the procession close to the chariot,
supporting himself on a stick. Doctorji observed him. As soon as the
procession stopped for a while, Doctorji called him and made him sit on
the chariot next to himself, and the procession moved on. None could
escape Doctorji’s affectionate care,whatever the circumstances. When the
procession approached the city municipal office, the Municipal
President welcomed Doctorji on behalf of the city.
The Conference went on for two days. Doctorji’s speech, born out of rich
experience, was marked by simplicity of style and a drive-home manner.
Expounding the real meaning of national service, he said : “While
thinking of offering our service to Hindu Rashtra we have to remove from
our minds all thoughts of the ‘ self’. A real servant of the nation is
one who identifies himself totally with the nation. There are some who
take pride in proclaiming their ‘sacrifices for the sake of the nation’.
Such an expression only betrays their feeling of being something
distinct from the nation. Just as a father never says that he has made
sacrifices for the sake of his son, so also any service offered to our
broader national family does not amount to sacrifice. It is just a
sacred duty to be performed by us.”
Doctorji also gave the call to the youth to cultivate intellectual
honesty and courage of conviction : “Accept only that which stands to
your reason. Never accept anything merely because it is preached by some
great leader. Test its truth on the touchstone of your intellectual
discrimination. Lokmanya Tilak propounded a particular school of
thought. Many were the followers who took a pledge to stick to that path
life-long. But later on, even as the Lokmanya died on the night of 31st
July and the 1st of August dawned, a seachange came over. A new
thought-wave took over in place of the old. And most of the followers of
Tilak were swept away in that new current. If the followers of any
ideology are to be tossed over by the fancies of every new leader, how
can they hope to reach their chosen goal ?”
On the third day, Veer Savarkar, Kshatra Jagadguru and Hedgewar were
felicitated by the `Kesari’ institution in the Gaikwad compound.
On his return journey from Pune to Nagpur, Doctorji was urged to spend a couple of days as a guest of the Raja of Aundh.
The temple adjoining the palace was decorated with artistic pictures.
Doctorji’s eyes fell on one picture, in which Lord Shankara was depicted
as taking birth in the womb of Jijabai. Doctorji turned to the Raja and
said : “Your Highness, it is this perverted concept of Divine
Incarnation that has spelt the doom for our Hindu society. Why should we
inflict the stamp of divinity on a great human personality such as
Shivaji, who out of his peerless courage and manly efforts breathed new
life into the Hindu people ?” This unexpected remark of Doctorji came as
a sudden revelation to the Raja. After a moment of stunned silence he
exclaimed, “Well, Doctor Saheb, it had never occurred to me before. What
you say is perfectly correct.”
By the end of December 1938, Balaji Huddar, a close friend and associate
of Doctorji in former days, returned from Spain. Doctorji had taken
great pains to send him to England, from where he had gone to Spain on
some assignment. When, however, he returned to Bharat, he had turned a
leftist. But it made no difference so far as Doctorji’s friendly
attitude to him was concerned. Huddar once reminisced about this trait
of Doctorji in an emotional strain : “A spirit of genuine friendship
formed the secret of Doctorji’s success. He was at once one with others —
whatever their views or age. And he would maintain that friendly spirit
till the very last. Even with my differences of opinion with him, never
once did the thought of breaking my bond of affection with him cross my
mind. Such was Doctorji !”
In fact, Doctorji even arranged a talk by Huddar to the Swayamsevaks of Nagpur in 1938 to narrate his experiences abroad.
Reports of progress of the Sangh work were received from Gujarat, Bihar
and Karnataka in July-August. Doctorji asked the Vidarbha workers to
initiate work in the neighbouring province of Andhra. In view of the
spread of activities in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, Doctorji decided to
establish a new Officers Training Centre in Lahore. Addressing that
Centre, Bhai Paramanand referred to Doctorji’s life of total
self-sacrifice :
“For the past few years Doctorji has been devoting all his time and
energy to the Sangh work, totally unmindful of the needs of his home. He
does not ask for funds, and he shuns publicity. Many people do not know
that in Central Provinces alone there are now over 35,000
Swayamsevaks…. No organization can be built merely by speeches or
resolutions. It is only when someone makes a supreme sacrificial
offering of one’s life, and also moulds many other people like himself,
that an organization can grow. The Sangh itself evidences this truth.”
Swayamsevaks of Punjab were eager to have the darshan of
Doctorji and to listen to him. Doctorji reached Lahore on the morning of
22nd August. He delivered his first speech the next day. Guruji spoke
on the 24th. Doctorji was scheduled to speak on the 25th, but he
suddenly took ill and Guruji himself had to address the meeting.
Doctorji was given a ceremonal salute on the 27th. Raja Narendranath was
immensely delighted with the various programmes of the day. As
Doctorji was indisposed he could address the Swayamsevaks for only about
half an hour. But that speech, though brief, was full of feeling and
vigour. Referring to it in the course of a letter, Guruji wrote : “It
was a unique privilege to listen to such a logical, coherent and
comprehensive exposition of the Sangh ideal. What a forceful and
attractive address it was ! When it was over, everybody wished it had
continued for another half an hour or more.”
After the programme, Doctorji developed severe pain in the chest.
Despite the handicap, he met Dr. Gokulchand Narang and invited him to
preside over the Vijaya Dashami celebration at Nagpur. Dr. Narang gladly
accepted.
Doctorji left Lahore on the night of the 29th. A musical homage to
Doctorji by a Swayamsevak at the time of bidding farewell furnished a
most touching finale to the entire programme.
Doctorji arrived at Delhi on the morning of 30th. By then his health had
deteriorated further and he was therefore obliged to send Guruji in his
place for the Gujarat tour. His tour of Maharashtra also had to be
cancelled. Considering his own failing health, Doctorji began entrusting
more and more of his responsibilities to Guruji. As the chief of the
training camp at Nagpur in 1938, Guruji fulfilled the responsibility
admirably. Doctorji was a judge par excellence of men and was given to
observing the minutest details of a person’s calibre and character.
Often he arranged lectures by Guruji in his own presence. He scrutinized
his way of thinking again and again. Guruji’s highly satisfactory
performance of duties entrusted to him pleased Doctorji immensely. The
problem of succession to the office of Sarsanghachalak seems to have
been even then settled by Doctorji in his own mind.
The Vijaya Dashami celebrations of 1938 at Nagpur was a milestone in the
triumphant march of the Sangh. Dr. Gokulchand Narang had come from
Punjab to preside over the festival. Over 3,000 Swayamsevaks in uniform
participated in the parade. The hearts of thousands of Nagpur citizens
proudly resona ted with the marching rhythm of the endless rows of
Swayamsevaks. The periodical Sovadl7n commented : “The musical
band setting the rhythm for the stepping of the uniformed Swayamsevaks
roused curiosity in the hearts of the indifferent, pride in the hearts
of the sympathetic, and fear in the hearts of the enemies. It was a
harbinger of hope for the future, a roar of the valorous and a trumpet
call of battle. It symbolized the glorious future as much as the
blessings and fruition of a timeless tradition.”
A mass agitation against the Nizam of Hyderabad was begun in 1938 under
the leadership of Veer Savarkar. The `13higanagar Non-violent Satyagraha
Council’ was established for the purpose. A massive Satyagraha was
launched against the anti-Hindu repressive policies of the Nizam. About
1,500 – 2,000 Swayamsevaks also took part in the agitation. Bhayyaji
Dani was one of the leaders of the movement. Doctorji had long before
clarified the Sangh policy in regard to such political movements :
“Whoever wants to take part in the Satyagraha may do so in his personal
capacity.” The same policy was observed with respect to this Satyagraha
also.
During that period Doctorji had gone for a day to Bilaspur in connection
with a marriage. He was to return to Nagpur the same night. However,
his already deteriorating health touched a new low. Fever shot up to
104°. Everyone became anxious and insisted that he postpone his journey,
but Doctorji stuck to his decision. He said, “Vishwanathrao Kelkar is
leading a batch tomorrow for Bhagaganagar Satyagraha. I must be present
on that occasion to bid him farewell.” When pressure was again brought
upon him, he turned it down, simply saying, “Rest and all that are not
for me. God has created some others for that purpose !” He proceeded to
Nagpur the same night and was present on the next day for the farewell
function.
The Sangh Shakhas multiplied rapidly in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and
some other provinces. It thus became inevitable to change the admixture
of Marathi-Sanskrit and Marathi-Hindi being used for field commands and
for Prarthana. In order to discuss this and other allied
matters thoroughly, a meeting of prominent workers was held at Sindi in
February 1939. In addition to Doctorji, Guruji, Appaji Joshi, Balasaheb
Deoras, Tatyarao Telang, Vitthalrao Patki, Babaji Salodkar, Nanasaheb
Talatule and Krishnarao Mohrir participated in the meeting. The
deliberations went on continuously for ten days, lasting for eight
hours every day. Thoroughgoing discussions took place with regard to
the constitution, commands, prayer, technique of the Sangh, the pledge,
etc. The conventions of Sangh were revised in detail so as to conform to
its fast developing all–Bharat character. It was decided that the Sangh
prayer and the commands should be in Sanskrit, the fount of inspiration
for all languages in the country. Doctorji outlined the ideological
content of the prayer and Nanasaheb Talatule wrote it down in prose.
This was later put into verse. Operational and procedural changes were
also effected. When the details were finalized, the new prayer and
conventions were put into practice starting from the Officers Training
Camp in 1940 at Nagpur.
After the meeting Guruji and Vitthalrao Patki were sent to Calcutta for
establishing the Shakhd there. They inaugurated the Shakhd on the
auspicious Hindu New Year Day, on 22nd March.
Reports of expansion of Sh5khas were pouring in from everywhere. Bhaurao
Deoras who had gone to Uttar Pradesh for studies had built up a
formidable network of Sh5khas in that area. ” The conditions in United
Provinces are now very congenial for the growth of Sangh,” he wrote in a
letter of 29th April. Bapurao Bhishikar who had gone to Karachi to take
up a job in an educational institution gave a strong push to Sangh
activities in that area. Punjab was throbbing with enthusiasm.
Appreciative letters from local workers and sympathizers poured in from
Rawalpindi, Sialkot and other far-flung places. Those letters invariably
showered praise on the workers who had gone there from Nagpur, and
urged Doctorji to enable the workers to continue in those areas. Pratap
Seth, impressed by the dedication of the Swayamsevaks, continued to send
his contribution to Doctorji from time to time. By then some workers
had been deputed to Bihar also.
Swayamsevaks from some northern provinces had come to participate in the
Officers Training Camp at Nagpur that year in 1939. Doctorji personally
supervised the arrangements for their board and lodging. To suit the
differing food habits of participants, Doctorji had arranged for two or
three different courses.
By this time Sangh activities had been begun in the Princely States as
well, under different nomenclatures, such as `Rajaram Swayamsevak Sangh’
in Kolhapur, `Ramoji Swayamsevak Sangh’ in Gwalior, and so on.
On the Guru-Poornimd day in 1939 (13th August) Doctorji
announced the appointment of Sri Guruji as the Sarlosyav5ha and
Babasaheb Ghatate as the Nagpur SanghachElak.
Doctorji had decided that that year’s Guru-Poornim7 celebrations should find publicity in the leading newspapers of different provinces. Accordingly, the event was reported in Tribune, Lahore, Hindu Outlook, Delhi, Leader, Prayag, Amrit Bazaar Patrika and Lokmanya of Calcutta, Sunday Times, Madras, Kesari, Trikala, and Nagarika of
Maharashtra. Doctorji’s attitude to publicity was clear from the very
beginning. From the point of view of shaping the public mind, publicity
will, no doubt, be of some value. But it is neither useful nor
necessary for moulding character and building up a strong organization
of dedicated men. Daily regular meetings, group activities, lathi and
other physical exercises, marching, music, singing of prayer,
intellectual sessions — it is only such aids as these that can lay the
foundation for a man-making organization such as the Sangh. It was also
very likely that once Sangh entered the world of publicity, distorted
reports about the Sangh would also appear in the press and endless
controversies would ensue. Doctorji, therefore, felt it proper for the
Sangh to send out authentic reports whenever it was felt necessary.
A glimpse of the strides taken by the Sangh by 1939 can be had from a
letter Doctorji wrote to Dadarao Paramarth : “Encouraging reports have
started coming from Punjab, United Provinces, Bihar, Bengal and Karachi.
More than 150 Swayamsevaks have come from about 50 Shaklos in Lahore.
It has been decided to give a special thrust to the Sangh activities in
Punjab this year. As the session of the Aryan League was held at Nagpur
this year, we had an opportunity of meeting many all-India leaders from
Punjab and United Provinces. All of them have offered support to spread
the Sangh activities in their respective regions. They seem deeply
impressed by the successful working of the Sangh. As you are aware, four
of our prac1r7raks have gone to Bihar. In a short while, Sri
Mad’navrao Golwalkar will also join them. I am fully confident that you
will manage the work entrusted to you in the Madras province quite
competently.”
Throughout that year Doctorji invariably asked Guruji to speak on all
public occasions. Guruji also spoke when B. C. Chatterjee presided over
the Dasara function at Nagpur.
The activities of the Sangh were growing fast. And so was the number of
sympathizers. The Maharaja of Kolhapur, pleased with the work of the
Rajaram Swayamsevak Sangh, gave a donation of rupees five hundred to it.
Along with the rapid expansion of work, special attention was paid by
Doctorji to develop the qualities of the Swayamsevaks. During his visit
to Pune in June 1939, he posed a question to the workers : “How much
time will you take to mobilize all the Swayamsevaks if a surprise call
is given ?” Someone answered ‘four hours’, some others ‘six hours’, and
so on. Thereupon Doctorji remarked : “Supposing a house has caught fire ;
what will be the use of Swayamsevaks arriving on the scene after such a
long time ?” The subject was closed at that point. The next morning at 6
o’clock Doctorji called the City SanghachEilak Vinayakrao Apte and
instructed him to call all the Swayamsevaks of Pune at Shivaji Mandir
grounds within two hours. And exactly two hours later, nine hundred
Swayamsevaks presented themselves at the spot.
Doctorji then made a brief speech in which he explained the idea behind the surprise rally :
“I remember an incident of my jail-life. It was the meals time. Just
then, all of a sudden, the danger call was heard. At once the guards,
the police and every other jail official took up their rifles and lathis
and rushed to the grounds. Some had come away in the midst of their
meals, some had rushed out from their bath with wet clothes on, and some
with just a half-pant on. Whatever work they had on hand was stopped
instantaneously and all had presented themselves at the appointed place
with arms. The significance of this incident became ingrained in my
mind. The English are able to rule over this vast country of ours from a
distance of over 5,000 miles, mainly because they have people at their
command who are ever ready to respond whenever a call is given. If even
mercenaries — the paid servants — could behave like this, then it is
all the more imperative that missionaries in the cause of nation should
be even more ready to respond and give up every other kind of personal
preoccupations when the call comes. Without such preparedness, our
country’s present downfall can never come to an end.”
Alongside the rapid growth of Sangh, opposition too grew. The Collector
of Nagpur issued an order prohibiting Government servants from
participating in the Sangh activities and also from presiding over
Sangh functions. Congressmen and Socialists continued to mount
opposition to Sangh. But, unmindful of all this, Doctorji pursued his
efforts to strengthen and expand the Sangh with single-minded devotion.
His words are worth recalling : “… on the one hand flowers of praise
are being showered on the Sangh, and on the other brickbats of
opposition are being hurled at us. But this is nothing to be surprised
about. All well-intentioned efforts will have to face this ordeal at one
time or other. However, one happy feature is that the public have
realized that despite these antagonistic forces, the Sangh has continued
to grow from strength to strength ; and that this has been made
possible because of the unswerving devotion of the Swayamsevaks.”
The joy of progress of his life-mission made Doctorji forget all about
his illness. Many friends felt deeply concerned about his health and
wrote to him advising rest. To one such, Dada Naik of Bombay, Doctorji
replied : “True, I should have given my body some rest by now. But one
engaged in the Sangh work can hardly afford to do that. However, I
assure you that there is no cause for anxiety about my health.”
A disciplined, country-wide social organization of the Hindus rising
above all differences of caste and creed, language and sect, province
and party, was unheard of before. It therefore appeared as nothing short
of a miracle that Doctorji could organize so many thousands of such
Swayamsevaks in every province within such a short duration. It had
verily become the only ray of hope for the future security and glory of
Hindu society. But compared to what was yet to be achieved, what had
been accomplished was indeed very meagre. This was what worried Doctorji
constantly ; and he sweated and toiled to speed up the pace of the
Sangh, with a total lack of concern for his own health.
The burning intensity of his feelings during those days often came to
the surface. When the news reached Nagpur that the period of internment
of Veer Savarkar had been extended by the government, Doctorji called a
gathering of Swayamsevaks and addressed them. When he had spoken for
just five minutes, he stopped ; his voice became choked with
indescribable grief at the endless suffering and humiliation being
undergone by that peerless patriot at the hands of the foreign rulers.
Doctorji’s those few words etched themselves deeply in the minds of the
enraptured Swayamsevaks and steeled their resolve for self-surrender to
the cause of Independence.
The kind of idealistic fervour created in the hearts of Swayamsevaks by
Doctorji can be gauged by a small incident. A young Swayamsevak of
Raipur, Narayan Kirwa, was down with high fever. After some days, he
sensed that his end was near. He remembered Doctorji and wrote out a
small note : “Please inform Doctorji that instead of sacrificing my life
to Sangh and to the Hindu Cause I had to fall a prey to fever.” What an
intense and divine dissatisfaction at being unable to die for the
chosen mission of Sangh ! It was after his death that Doctorji received
his note.
14: IN THE THROES OF NATIONAL CRISIS
DOCTORJI saw clearly that because of the aggressive designs of the
Muslims on the one hand and the appeasing policy of the Congress on the
other, the country was fast heading towards a disaster. He was probably
the first to warn the nation about the possibility of Pakistan, as early
as in 1932. Speaking at the public valedictory function of the Wardha
district Sangh Camp at Alipore, he warned : “The Gandharadesha of yore
has now become Afghanistan. Likewise, I am afraid, the Hindusthan of
today may well become Islamistan of tomorrow if things continue in the
same strain as at present. People may soon start thinking of securing
political independence even at the cost of our Dharma and Culture.
Please ponder awhile : Of what use will such independence be ? We are
not in a position to say that such a possibility does not exist. In
fact, at the recent Round Table Conference a proposal had been brought
to convert most of Northern Bharat into Pakistan. This clearly indicates
the way the wind is blowing.”
In July 1935 C. Rahmatally, President of Pakistan National Movement, had
issued a statement in Cambridge supporting the demand for Pakistan.
Plans had been drawn up to exterminate the Hindus. Doctorji was in
possession of secret documents relating to these conspiracies. He
referred to them in the course of his meetings and repeatedly warned the
society of the dangers ahead. He addressed several public meetings in
1935 protesting against the ‘Communal Award’ and forewarning about the
dire consequences that the Award would entail.
As reply to these challenges, Doctorji’s one all-consuming passion was
to accelerate the momentum of Sangh growth. His heart had been set
aflame by the countless affronts being hurled against the Hindu people. A
peep into the state of his mind can be had in a letter he wrote on 15th
August 1934 :
…… The Sangh work is not something that can wait. We must complete the
task of organizing the entire Maharashtra as soon as possible ; and with
Maharashtra as the model, the entire Bharat must be organized within a
period of ten or fifteen years.”
The international situation took a new and sudden turn in 1939. The
Second World War was sparked off on 1st September. England was in the
thick of the turmoil. That presented a golden opportunity to Bharat to
press for freedom. Veer Savarkar, who had been exiled to the Andamans
during the First War, was now free and president of Hindu Mahasabha. He
felt that the war situation must be exploited by the Hindus to receive
military training. He had even planned to start a Hindu Army. Subhas
Chandra Bose had severed his ties with the Congress and was preparing to
launch an offensive against the British from outside. It was hardly
surprising that Savarkar and Subhas both felt that Dr. Hedgewar’s
achievement and his organizing ability would provide a firm national
base for their plans. Balaji Huddar and Dr. V. R. Sanjgiri came to
Doctorji carrying a brief from Subhas Bose. Doctorji was at that time
undergoing treatment at Deolali having suffered a severe attack of
double pneumonia. The message from Subhas Babu was conveyed to him. It
related to formulating a plan for a countrywide revolt against the
British with help from such countries as were opposed to Britain.
After attentively listening to the narration by the two emissarries,
Doctorji said : “It is a fact that the situation is ripening for a
national uprising. But the crucial question is : How far has your
preparation progressed ? To start with, at least fifty per cent of
preparation should be complete. How many people are there at present
under the command of Subhas Babu ? Without a corresponding preparation
on our part, mere dependence upon foreign help would be of no avail.”
It was then decided that Subhas Babu himself would shortly came to
Nagpur to meet Doctorji. However Subhas Babu could not come. Dr.
Sanjgiri wrote to Doctorji on 12th of July 1939 :
” …… You can well imagine the sincerity of our mission in coming to meet
you.-We thank you for your kind invitation to meet you at Nagpur. Due
to unforeseen circumstances, the Nagpur programme is cancelled for the
present. Will you, therefore, come over to Bombay on the 20th instant ?
We very much hope you will meet us there. I am sure you will not
disappoint us. The person concerned will leave on the 20th night. Come
for one day’s stay. I am sure we can evolve a plan for common good.”
It is obvious that the person referred to by Dr. Sanjgiri in his letter
was none else than Netaji. But, Dr. Hedgewar was not in a position to go
to Bombay as he was just convalescing after his serious illness. And
the meeting between the two great leaders could not materialize.
Accompanied by the late R. S. Ruikar, Subhas Babu came to see Dr.
Hedgewar on 20th June 1940. But Dr. Hedgewar was on his death-bed at
that time and hence no discussion could take place. Doctorji died the
very next morning, i. e., on 21st June 1940.
Trailokyanath Chakravarti, the fiery leader of the Anusheelan Samiti,
was also planning to give a call for a nationwide revolution.
Trailokyanath once came to Nagpur and explained his plan of armed revolt
to Doctorji. Many independent efforts were afoot to shake off foreign
slavery by striking a final blow to the British hegemony.
Time was, no doubt, getting ripe ; but Doctorji clearly felt that the
organized strength of the people as also the general awakening so
essential for the success were not yet ready. And his own body was also
sinking day by day. The sight of the yawning gulf between the cup and
the lip saddened him beyond words. Doctorji stayed at Rajgir during
February, March and mid-April of 1940 for treatment. On one of those
days, during his mid-day siesta, he was heard muttering : “0, look
there ! The year 1940 is already passing ! And yet we have achieved
nothing ; we continue to be a subject nation. But someday we shall
attain freedom…” How deeply imbued Doctorji must have been with thoughts
of Independence !
“Expand, grow fast, faster and faster still !” – was the tireless
message of Doctorji during those days. When the Swayamsevaks persisted
in their entreaties for securing a big building for the Sangh office at
Nagpur, Doctorji would only give a short reply : “First expand the work,
make it all-powerful. Otherwise, you will build a big bungalow and the
Englishman will establish his own office with all pomp and show in
that big building !”
In protest against the British resolve to involve Bharat in the war,
Congress ministries in the seven provinces had resigned from office.
Government kept a vigilant watch over all public institutions. The
Punjab government banned military training and exercises. This, the
government thought, would curb the Sangh work. In his letter of 5th
March, Doctorji sent the following guidelines to the pracharaks in
Punjab : “You need not stop the games. Continue the prayers. This will
be enough for the present. I do not see the need to change the name,
since our name has not so far been dragged in any context.”
Doctorji was fully convinced that wherever there were branches of the
Sangh, the Swayamsevaks would be able to take care of any aggression
from the Muslims.
The Muslim League held its session in Lahore in 1940. At that session
the Muslims openly declared that they would carve out their own
independent state. People belonging to the Khaksar movement took out an
armed procession defying government’s prohibitory order and clashed with
the police. Some 20-30 of Khaksar militia were killed. Section 144 was
clamped throughout Punjab.
Even in such troubled times, Doctorji continued to receive reports of
the unceasing growth of the Sangh. This was highly satisfying to him and
gladdened his heart immeasurably. In the course of a letter to Guruji
he referred to it : “In the rapidly changing circumstances, our
activities are also growing in full steam. It is clear from this that
our organizational growth does not depend on any particular programme.
Such indeed is the great potential of our ideal and our method of work.
Our mission is bound to succeed despite any odds.” It was this
indomitable faith that enthused the Swayamsevaks into ever greater
efforts.
But Doctorji was not satisfied even with this record progress of the
Sangh. During that period Doctorji would often ask the workers : “How
many Swayamsevaks would be needed for achieving the freedom of the
country ?” Such queries would indicate the direction of his thinking. He
worked out the requirements, and explained his calculations in a letter
he wrote to Nagpur : “I should like to place before you a plan that
could make the Sangh most effective. In the course of the next three
years, at least three per cent of the population of cities and one per
cent in villages should become Swayamsevaks equipped with full uniform.”
Efforts were begun in right earnest in all the branches to fulfil this
target. Many new workers joined the ranks. That year saw the starting of
Shahas throughout the length and breadth of the country. And the entire
country was represented at the Officers Training Camp at Nagpur that
year. Over 1,400 Swayamsevaks took part in the programme, and out of
them 600 were from the Frontier Provinces, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
Bengal, Madras, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
But Fate had willed otherwise. Doctorji became seriously ill just at
that time and had to be strictly confined to bed. But his whole mind was
in the training camp, and filled with thoughts of the Sangh.
About the same time, intimation was received that Dr. Shyamaprasad
Mukherjee would be coming to Nagpur on 20th May to meet Doctorji. After
reaching Nagpur, he first visited the camp and then reached Doctorji’s
house at 9 p. m.
“Namaste, Doctor Saheb !” – greeted Doctorji standing at the frontage of his house.
“But why did you get up from the bed, Doctor ? I heard you were
extremely sick and bedridden and I just came to look you up” – said Dr.
Mukherjee in sheer surprise.
“The arrival of such an eminent doctor as yourself has driven away my disease !” replied Doctorji cheerfully.
Doctorji’s informal and endearing reply spread cheer all round. Actually
Doctorji was running a temperature of 103 degrees at the time. But he
looked calm and tranquil throughout the meeting. Sri Guruji and others
were also present.
Dr. Mukherjee had just come from Bengal. He had brought terrible news
about the plight of the Hindus there. Their property was being looted,
and Hindu women molested by Muslim ruffians. The condition of Hindu
widows was most pathetic. Dr. Mukherjee’s words bespoke unbearable anger
and sorrow, and was appalling to the listeners. Organizing a martial
Hindu protection force in Bengal had become an urgent necessity ; Hindus
could not survive otherwise – said Shyambabu. His voice was choking
with emotion.
For a while, Doctorji was lost in deep thought. Then he said :
” We cannot forget that there is a Muslim government in Bengal. I do not
see how that government will tolerate a Hindu militia. And the British
too are supporting them. For both of them alike the rise of Hindu power
is a nightmare. How then will they tolerate an organization of the
Hindus such as you are planning ?”
This set Dr. Mukherjee thinking. “What then is the way open for the Hindus to survive ?”
Doctorji stated his deeply thought-out thesis in a calm and dignified
manner : ” Whether it is Punjab or Bengal or any other province – the
chief cause for the pitiable plight of the Hindus is want of
organization among themselves. As long as this is not set right, no
solution is possible. Hindus will continue to undergo such travails at
one place or the other. The situation cannot be transformed by
half-baked or retaliatory measures. The Hindus must be made to feel
intensely that they are one single cohesive society. The concept of one
nationhood must be deeply engraved in their hearts. They must love one
another and share the common goal of raising up our country. This is the
only way, the only positive and enduring way of national resurrection.
And this is what the Sangh is doing.”
In the course of the conversation Dr. Mukherjee suggested that the
Sangh must take part in politics. Doctorji replied at once that the
Sangh was not interested in the day-to-day politics. “With the support
and blessings of enlightened people like you, there is no doubt that the
beneficial Sangh activities in Bengal will grow fast. The protection
and help needed by the Hindus will thus become automatically available.”
Shyambabu was deeply impressed by the self-confident and basic viewpoint
of Doctorji ; and it was apparent that both had developed close rapport
in their feelings and views.
After the completion of the Nagpur training camp a letter was received
from Dr. Shyamaprasad Mukherjee. It carried news of his decision to
start a similar training programme near Calcutta for six weeks starting
on 18th June. Over a hundred trainees were expected to participate in
the programme. Dr. Mukherjee had requested Doctorji to depute a few
experienced instructors who could impart physical, military and
intellectual training to the cadets. Doctorji made the necessary
arrangements. Speaking in Bengali to the Swayamsevak-trainees from
Bengal, Doctorji said : “But what is of greater importance is that local
Bengali workers should themselves come forward to take up this
responsibility.”
15: A Bolt From The Blue
ALL KNEW that Doctorji had not been keeping well for some time. Many
also knew that he was bedridden. But till the night of Thursday, 20th of
June 1940, it did not occur to anyone — not even to those who were
constantly by his bedside — that this sickness would prove fatal.
In order to give a clear picture of Doctorji’s last illness it is
necessary to trace the course of happenings preceding it. After the
first attack of pneumonia in 1924 his health was satisfactory for about
eight years — till 1932. Even during his imprisonment in 1930 he
remained quite healthy. The period spent in the prison, Doctorji used to
say, proved beneficial to both his body and mind. But in course of time
he had to travel continuously for the Sangh work, and the nights were
often sleepless. This routine gradually began to tell upon Doctorji’s
stamina, robust though it was by nature. The old backache on the left
side reappeared and began to worsen. Massage and fomentation used to
give some relief. It was only when pain became unbearable that those
around him came to know about it.
Seeing Doctorji’s condition in 1932, doctors strongly advised him
complete rest for some time. Accordingly, he spent two months in the
house of Dr. Hardas in Dhantoli, Nagpur. In 1934 he had a relapse, and
stayed for four months in the house of Krishnarao Vaidya in Dharampet,
Nagpur. On both occasions, however, the rest was only nominal.
Swayamsevaks, workers, and friends streamed to him practically all day.
Even if Doctorji had gone to the ends of the earth, Swayamsevaks would
have made a bee-line to him! And as for Doctorji, would he have been
himself if Swayamsevaks did not surround him all the time ? This being
so, his body got little rest, and his mind had even less of it. His mind
was filled with thoughts of Sangh and plans for expanding it. Intense
concern for the nation had entered into the very marrow of Doctorji’s
being. The much needed rest proved elusive. Year after year the doctors
repeated their advice that he should take rest. The Sangh was
registering rapid growth, and responsibilities at the all-Bharat level
were fast mounting. As days passed, tours, meetings and other
programmes occupied Doctorji’s entire time and no prospect of rest was
in sight. At long last, owing to friendly pressure exerted by Baba-saheb
Ghatate, Doctorji left for Deolali in Maharashtra, for rest on 20th
June 1939 after the Officers Training Camp. But even there, rest eluded
Doctorji as he contracted pneumonia. However, several doctors and other
friends nursed him back to health, and Doctorji was saved for the time
being.
During the next one year Doctorji’s health remained fluctuating. He was
sweating profusely, and had to change his banian half a dozen times
every day. His illness greatly embarrassed him, and he would not like
anybody to fuss over it. Even at the height of fever he used to fetch
for himself the things he needed.
Due to strong persuasion of Gopalrao Ogale, Editor of Maharashtra, and
other prominent people, Doctorji left for Rajgir in Bihar in January
1940, accompanied by Appaji Joshi and others. The warm-water springs at
that place are well known for their curative properties. Doctorji stayed
there for about two months. The medicinal baths resulted in
considerable improvement of his health. But because of the onset of
summer in April he had to return. His rest was thus interrupted. Anyway
his correspondence had continued even from there. And when he was at
Rajgir, how could he overlook starting a Sangh Shah-a there ?
One day, after his bath in the springs, he had returned to his residence
and having a shut-eye. Just then a batch of students reached there for a
subscription to their school function. Telang, who was attending on
Doctorji, came out and asked them to come at some other time saying that
the owner of the house was asleep. However, when Doctorji got up after a
few minutes, he enquired whether anybody had come to meet him. He was
told about the students’ visit. Doctorji became upset and said, “We are
in a new place. Whatever may be the reason for the students’ coming
here, it was not proper for us to send them away without making their
acquaintance. Go at once and bring them back.” The students came back.
Doctorji enquired from the students about their activities in a most
affectionate tone. He also gave them a contribution of one rupee for
their school function. And it was on the basis of this acquaintance that
the Sangh Shakhd was later started in Rajgir.
By the time Doctorji left Rajgir, he had also completed his tour of the
Bihar province and had established Shakhas all over there. Such was the
‘rest’ enjoyed by Doctorji. Rest divorced from Sangh work was something
he could not conceive of. It was only at the Sanghasthan – the
meeting-place of Shakha – that probably his mind was at peace.
After he returned from Rajgir, he stayed for fifteen days in the Training Camp at Pune.
Doctorji arrived in Nagpur on 16th May and stayed in the Sangh camp. The
same night he developed fever, which went on progressively worsening.
The training camp was to continue for another twenty-four days. But as
Doctorji was bedridden he could neither participate in the programmes
nor talk to Swayamsevaks which he so intensely desired. This depressed
him severely. At the same time, both the fever and backache steadily
worsened. Sometimes the backache would become so acute as to make him
virtually unconscious.
During the whole of the training camp the Swayamsevaks could see
Doctorji only thrice. The first occasion was when, after his return from
Pune on 16th May, he had sat through the bouddhik session.
Subsequently, Swayamsevaks were eagerly looking forward to seeing
Doctorji again. Doctorji too was anxious to spend some time with the
Swayamsevaks. During the bouddhik session on the evening of
Sunday, 2nd June, Doctorji managed to be once again present. At his
request, Sri Guruji addressed the Swayamsevaks. The theme of that
inspiring talk, which lasted for over two hours, was Shivaji’s
celebrated epistle to Raja Jayasingh. Doctorji was so deeply impressed
with that talk that he used to often refer to it in his informal chats
with Swayamsevaks in highly appreciative terms.
Doctorji’s third and last meeting with Swayamsevaks was
at their gathering on the morning of 4th. He had been 9 eager to
participate in the public valedictory function the previous day. But due
to the health hazard he was, much against his desire, forced to stay at
home. That made him feel extremely disappointed and dejected. It was
with a view to giving him some solace that he was at last brought to the
camp at its tailend. He was then hardly in a position to address that
huge gathering of thousands of Swayamsevaks. Loudspeaker had been
arranged. After speeches by Swayamsevaks from various provinces,
Doctorji made a very short speech. That proved to be his last message
and testament for posterity.
“I do not feel that I am today in a fit condition to say even a few
words to you. As all of you know, I have been confined to bed for the
last twenty-four days. From the point of view of the Sangh the last one
year has been a glorious period. Today I am seeing before me the Hindu
Rashtra in miniature. Because of my illness it has not been possible for
me to get acquainted with each one of you individually, even though I
have been in Nagpur for so many days. I spent a fortnight at the
Officers Training Camp in Pune. I was able to get acquainted with every
Swayamsevak there. I was hoping to be able to do so here also, but I
found myself unable to be of even the slightest service to you. I have
come today to have your darshan.
“Though you and I are not acquainted with each other, what is it that
draws my heart towards you and your hearts towards me ? That is surely
the result of the philosophy imbued in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Even if there is no previous contact, Swayamsevaks warmly take to one
another even at the first meeting. And even before they talk to each
other, they become mutual friends ! The smile on the face itself is
enough for them to identify one another.
“When I was in Pune some days ago, Sri Kashinathrao Limaye of Sangli and
myself were passing over the Lakdipool bridge. Just at that time two
boys aged 8 or 10 were coming from the opposite direction. As they
approached us they gently smiled at us and proceeded further. I told
Kashinathrao, ‘These boys are Swayamsevaks.’ He was astonished. Without
prior acquaintance, how could I identify them as Swayamsevaks with such
certainty ? He looked puzzled and asked me, ‘How do you say that these
boys are Swayamsevaks ? There was nothing in their dress or deportment
indicating that they are Swayamsevaks ?”You can take my word for that.
Well, do you want me to prove the truth of my statement ?’ Saying this I
called back the two boys. I asked them, `Do you know who we are ?’ They
answered at once, ‘Yes, we know. Two years ago you visited our Bal-Shakhi at
Shivaji Mandir. You are our Sarsanghach5lak Dr. Hedgewarji. And the
genetleman accompanying you is Sri Kashinathpant Limaye of Sangli.’ Such
is the result of the incessant penance of the Sangh. Sri Sanjiv Kamath
of Madras who spoke here a few days ago exclaimed,’Well, I came here as a
stranger, but am returning as one of your brethren.’ In a matter of
four days he became like a brother to all us and has returned with
profound fraternal feelings. The credit for all this does not belong
to any one individual, but to the Sangh. How did the Swayamsevaks from
Punjab, Bengal, Madras, Bombay, Sind, etc., with differing behavioural
backgrounds, come to love one another ? It was possible because they all
belong to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. All the Swayamsevaks of the
Sangh love one another as they love their own brethren. Even children of
the same mother sometimes quarrel among themselves in regard to
property. But such quarrels can never take place among Swayamsevaks.
“I have been confined to the four walls of my house for the last
twenty-four days. But, while my physical body was there, my mind was
continuously moving here amidst you all. I felt an irrepressible urge to
participate in yesterday evening’s programme for at least a few
moments, at least for prayer. But because of doctors’ strict
instructions I had to deny myself that pleasure.
“You are all leaving for your respective places today. I bid you all a
loving farewell. Though the parting is painful, there is no cause for
sadness. You are all returning to fulfil the very purpose for which you
came here. I want you to take the vow that you will not forget the Sangh
till your last breath. Let nothing distract you. May there never come
an unfortunate moment in your lifetime when you will be obliged to say
‘I was a Swayamsevak of the Sangh some five years ago.’ Let us
all remain Swayamsevaks till the very last breath of our life. Let us
keep ever aglow our resolve to work for the Sangh ideal through body,
mind and soul. Every day, before going to bed, let us ask ourselves,
‘How much Sangh work did I do today ?’ Mere execution of the routine
programmes of Sangh or daily physical presence at Sanghasthan is not
enough for achieving our goal. Remember, we have to organize the entire
Hindu society from Kanyakumari to the Himalayas. In fact our main area
of operation is the vast Hindu world outside the Sangh. The Sangh
should not be the preserve of only the Swayamsevaks, but must cover the
entire Hindu people outside the Sangh fold. Our object should be to show
to the people the true path of national salvation. That true path is
none other than ORGANIZATION. The Hindu race can save itself only
through such organization.
“Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is not interested in any other work. To ask
what the Sangh is going to do in future is meaningless. The Sangh will
strive on to accelerate the pace of organization. As we continue our
efforts, a golden moment will arrive when the entire Bharat will stand
as one, undivided and indivisible entity. No power on earth will then
cast its malicious eyes on Hindusthan. We have not set out to assault
anybody. But we must always be vigilant and resist any outsiders’
efforts to assault us.
“I am not telling you anything new. Every Swayamsevak must regard the
Sangh work as his sole mission in life. I am confident that you will all
depart from here with the firm conviction ingrained in the depths of
your hearts that the Sangh work alone has the utmost priority in your
lives. I bid you all farewell with this assurance.”
As each day passed, Doctorji’s condition worsened. Fever did not
subside. As advised by the doctors, he was taken to the Mayo Hospital on
15th June for a special check-up. The specialists there examined him
thoroughly. X-ray was taken of his back. But the cause of the backache
could not be diagnosed. After a series of tests at the Mayo Hospital he
was shifted to the residence of Babasaheb Ghatate.
The same day, Doctorji posed an unexpected question to Yadavrao Joshi attending on him : “If the seniormost adhikari in
Sangh were to pass away, would you arrange a military funeral for him
?” Yadavrao naturally tried to evade the question. But after a while,
Doctorji himself replied : “The Sangh is just a vast family and not a
militia. As such, the normal funeral rites which will be observed when
the head of a family expires, have to be followed here also.” Such was
Doctorji’s forethought about how the organization should conduct itself
even after his death.
The whole of Wednesday, 19th June, was spent in grave anxiety. On
Thursday morning, when the doctors felt Doctorji’s pulse, they noticed
that the condition had further deteriorated. Blood pressure had shot up.
Dr. Sharma started preparations for a lumbar puncture. The prospect of
lumbar puncture gave Doctorji the hint as to the gravity of his
condition. He became keenly aware that he had but a few moments left.
He therefore asked for a little time. He called Sri Guruji near him and
told him, in the presence of all, “Well, hereafter you have to shoulder
the responsibility of the Sangh.” Naturally the meaning underlying
those words sent waves of shock and sorrow to Sri Guruji and all others
present there.
The doctors had by then debated among themselves and decided that there
was no need to perform the lumbar puncture just then; they could do it
in the night or the next day.
In the afternoon Doctorji was no better. He appeared to be under some
deep mental agony. His face was grim. He was extremely restless —
suddenly sitting up in bed, walking from one end of the room to the
other, again lying down and again getting up.
Everybody became torn with anxiety. Evening approached. Doctors came
again. Seeing that time was running out, they performed the lumbar
puncture. Usually, when lumbar puncture is done, a certain quantity of
fluid comes out. But in the case of Doctorji fluid gushed out like a
fountain.
Doctorji was in indescribable pain. The physical and more so his mental
agony exceeded limits of tolerance. Doctorji covered his face with both
palms, so that his suffering might not cause anguish to others. How
could others imagine the tornado of emotions that might have hit his
heart at that moment ? After midnignt, Doctorji’s face became grim, as
if lost in some reverie. And he lost his consciousness around 2.30 p.m.
By the early hours of the morning of 21st June, his face lost its
grimness and became calm and serene, and a slight smile appeared on his
lips.
Friday dawned. It was to become the fateful day – the day of Doctorji’s
ultimate departure. Fever had shot up to 106 degrees. The doctors gave
up hope and declared that the end was near.
Waves of distress spread everywhere. Telephonic messages went out, and
all the workers and senior office-bearers and sympathizers of Nagpur
were informed. By the time they arrived, cruel death had already cast
its dark shadow over Doctorji. It was only with supreme effort that
people who had gathered there could suppress their emotions. All were
helplessly pacing hither and thither. Tears broke out spontaneously.
The difficulty that Doctorji seemed to be experiencing in breathing
presented a most pathetic picture. People in the neighbouring rooms and
the verandah sat with downcast faces. None uttered a word. The wheezing
sound emanating from Doctorji’s throat was clearly audible even outside
and moved everyone to depths of sorrow. Merciless death seemed to be
revelling.
The struggle went on for about an hour. At 9.27, breathing ceased
finally; and the glow of life was extinguished. Dr. Hedgewar was no
more; the first Sarsanghachdlak was dead.
Nagpur tearfully witnessed that day a most heart-rending scene which it
could hardly have imagined a day earlier. Even as everyone was watching,
the cruel hand of death had snatched away from amidst them the
father-figure of the Sangh. Doctorji had dreamt of seeing the glory of a
resurrected Hindu Nation with his own eyes, and had struggled all his
life for the realization of that goal ; and the same physical body now
lay lifeless, in eternal sleep ; his eyes closed permanently, his dream
remaining unfulfilled.
The message was immediately transmitted telegraphically to all concerned. Maharashtra of Nagpur and K’ la of
Pune come out with special editions to cover the news. News spread far
and fast. Swayamsevaks and sympathizers rushed to Ghatate’s residence in
a wild frenzy as it were.
Endless streams of people kept coming for the last darshan of Doctorji. Adults, adolescents and children came, offered their last pranam to
Doctorji and departed with uncontrollable grief. Even the youngest of
Swayamsevaks came running from four or five miles in scorching sun,
their faces withered and wan. It was pathetic in the extreme to see
these small children sitting helplessly in a corner.
It had been decided that the funeral procession should start by 5 p. m.
Around 4 p. m. all of a sudden clouds began to appear. It began to
drizzle lightly at first, but in a short while there was a heavy
downpour. It looked as if even Nature was offering her tearful homage to
the great departed. However the people stood in rain waiting to
accompany the cortege. The final journey started as scheduled. Just
before the cortege left the Ghatate bungalow, garlands and wreaths were
placed on behalf of numerous organizations.
It was the biggest procession that Nagpur had ever witnessed.
Bicycle-riders led the procession. Behind them followed in four rows
several thousand Swayamsevaks in plain clothes, and thousands of
residents of Nagpur. At the centre was Doctorji’s mortal body and the
Bhagawa Dhwaj. Behind these were prominent citizens, followed by another
long contingent of Swayamsevaks and bicycle-riders. Workers belonging
to Congress, Hindu Mahasabha, Forward Bloc, Socialist Party, Mazdoor
Sangh, Harijan organizations, Women’s organizations and numerous other
bodies joined in the procession to pay their last respects. Almost
every prominent person of Nagpur could be seen there.
The procession passed through the various prominent roads. People
thronging on either side and on housetops paid reverential homage as the
cortege passed them. Flowers and garlands were showered continuously.
Decorated portraits of Doctorji had been installed at several points.
After a slow-paced four-hour journey the serpentine procession wound up
at the Reshimbagh Sanghasthan.
Special permission of the government had been obtained for cremation of
the body at that place. That was the hallowed spot where his life-work
was being carried on continuously, the spot where to this day the
central Officers Training Camp is being conducted year after year. The
place which had just been sanctified by forty days of single-minded
austerities of the Swayamsevaks had now been prepared to receive
Doctorji’s mortal remains. Doctorji’s elder brother placed the body on
the pyre. All stood up, recited the Sangh prayer, saluted the sacred
Flag, and offered their last prandm to the mortal frame of the first Sarsanghachalak.
Amidst chanting of Vedic mantras, the pyre was lit in accordance with
shastric injunctions. Fire soon consumed the physical body of Doctorji.
All eyes were rivetted on the flames and, after a considerable time, the
Swayamsevaks began to depart repeatedly offering prandm to
their departed leader. Even as Doctorji’s physical body was being
reduced to ashes, his personality was enthroned radiantly in the hearts
of countless Swayamsevaks. And so is it even now – a fount of deathless
inspiration for the ever increasing number of Swayamsevaks in their
determined march towards the fulfilment of his yet unfulfilled dream of
a glorious Hindu Rashtra.
16: SIMPLE YET EXTRAORDINARY
DR. HEDGEWAR spent every ounce of his energy for the realization of
his one all-consuming dream of seeing the Hindu Nation become invincibly
powerful and shine in its full and effulgent glory ; and this, he was
convinced, could be achieved only by nurturing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh to its full stature. In his total self-offering to this mission
of his life, even the most malicious eye could not detect the slightest
speck of selfishness. He was like the self-effacing and self-sacrificing
sannyasin who dedicates himself totally at the altar of human
service. True, Doctorji did not wear ochre clothes. Nor did he shy away
from the mundane world. But his mental horizon transcended narrow
personal and domestic confines and encompassed the entire Hindu people.
He remained a lifelong celibate with a view to serving the country’s
cause to the utmost of his capacity. But he never made a show of it. He
mixed freely and equally with all others in society and strove to change
people’s attitudes by his personal example and friendly persuasion.
An ordinary dhoti, shirt, conventional coat, a high black cap on the
head, a casual pair of footwears — this was his simple attire. When
going out he carried a walking stick with a knob bearing the inscription
Swayarneva mrigendratd, propounding his dictum in life that one becomes great by the sweat of one’s brow.
He occupied the front upstairs room in his house. Visitors sat on a
clean carpet. After the visitors departed he would immediately dust it
clean and respread it. Portraits of Lokmanya Tilak, Swami Shraddhananda
and Bhauji Kawre adorned the walls. A bust of Chhatrapati Shivaji was
kept encased in a small glass case.
The upstairs portion was built in 1926 and was not very secure. Doctorji
weighed well over 175 lbs. ; and whenever he climbed up or down, the
stairs creaked and the walls shook !
The house, though small, was tidy. Everything had an allotted place, and
Doctorji was habitually methodical. No work was too insignificant for
him. After the congregation of Swayamsevaks every Sunday, he would
thoroughly clean the upstairs portion as well as the hall and passages
downstairs. Unless he was sick, he would also chop firewood along with
his elder brother Seetaram Pant.
Doctorji’s house was a confluence of the ‘traditional’ and the ‘modern’.
Seetaram Pant was highly religious and conservative. But Doctorji’s
upstairs rooms were ever open to people of all castes and sects.
However, the strongest of bonds subsisted between the two. They
addressed each other in the singular ; and on many a day both managed
with the same set of eye-glasses ! Doctorji’s sister-in-law, Ramabai,
was the very embodiment of forbearance and adjusted herself remarkably
to the brothers’ different life-styles. Her spirit of service was
exemplary. Doctorji too was ever ready to attend to the household chores
such as taking care of his brother’s children, cooking or preparing
tea in the absence of his sister-in-law, nursing his brother in
sickness, etc.
Doctorji’s uncle Abaji was an elderly man. After moving to Doctorji’s
place in Nagpur, he began observing Doctorji’s activities. Gradually,
his interest was aroused and by 1932-33 he whole-heartedly collaborated
with Doctorji in Sangh work. While Doctorji revered him as his uncle,
Abaji too, just like other Swayamsevaks, gradually began to respect
Doctorji as the Sarasanghachalak.
Many in the Congress camp were Doctorji’s close friends. Even Barrister
Abhyankar, a Congress stalwart and staunch opponent of Dr. Moonje, had
great respect and admiration for Doctorji. A friend of Doctorji once
urgently needed rupees five hundred. He approached Doctorji around 11
p.m. It was by no means easy to raise that amount at that odd hour.
Doctorji went straight to Abhyankar’s house, and expressed his need.
Abhyankar at once handed over the amount to Doctorji. Doctorji said,
“Well, Barrister Saheb, may I have a piece of paper and a pen ? I shall
leave a promissory note with you.” Abhyankar replied, “Doctor Saheb, I
have not yet gone out of my mind, to take a promissory note from a man
like Dr. Hedgewar !”
It was Doctorji’s integrity and purity of life that had inspired such implicit confidence. None had a harsh word for him.
In a certain election Dr. Moonje had contested against •Abhyankar.
Abhyankar was a consummate orator, and was a pastmaster in pecking at
his opponents’ failings and shortcomings. Abhyankar was under the
impression that Doctorji had supported Dr. Moonje’s candidature, and
thought of lashing out at Doctorji. But when he started addressing the
meeting, he was forced to confess, “I am afraid I am unable to utter a
single word of criticism against Dr. Hedgewar, with whose support my
opponent has made bold to contest against me.” And this, amidst the heat
of an election campaign ! Like Yudhishthira of the Mahabharata,
Doctorji was that rare gem among men who could command the respect and
trust even of his opponents. To his friends, of course, he was the very
heart-beat of their lives. When Doctorji’s friend Nanasaheb Talatule of
Sindi was on his deathbed, he requested that the picture of Doctorji be
placed in front of him. He breathed his last paying his last homage to
Doctorji.
It was this unimpeachable, transparent character and utterly dedicated
life of Doctorji which had won over the future Sarsanghachalak, Sri
Guruji, also to the Sangh. This is how Sri Guruji himself, while
speaking before the provincial workers’ meeting at Pune in December
1942, described in graphic detail his transformation : “I was known for
my reckless and unbending ways of behaviour. I never stuck to any
rules. In my school and college days my teachers had always the same
grouse against me. I had gone through thousands of books. I was proud of
my vast learning in varied branches of knowledge. When I first heard
Doctorji I never found in it any flash of intellect or profound
learning. Still, gradually, the rock of my haughty nature was pierced.
Doctorji’s words began to sink into my heart. I myself was surprised at
this transformation, this total submission on my part. The strangest
part of it all was that I was not in the least sorry that I had
surrendered my ego, my pride and everything at the feet of Doctorji. How
could this metamorphosis take place? Because, Doctorji’s mind, his
intellect, his entire being had become saturated with the thoughts of
the nation and Sangh. Even the silent company of that rare soul carried
an eloquent message to my heart.”
An unfading smile was part of Doctorji, as inseparable as fragrance from
the flower. And his sense of humour was infectious. Whenever there was a
congregation of friends, there was gay abandon, and Doctorji would lead
the pranksters who threw pillows at one another and pulled one
another’s legs. Doctorji loved nothing better than the company of young
Swayamsevaks joining him in such revelries.
Doctorji was a pastmaster in nicknaming people fitting their special characteristics. “Sriryavamshi”,”Ajmeeree Lota”,”Agadabamb”, “Vaishakha Nandana” – such
were his coinages. “The donkey keeps glancing backwards in winter
months. The sight of grass in its profusion gives it the impression that
it has not eaten anything at all. And because of this belief, it grows
lean. And at the heat of summer, in the month of Vaishakha, the donkey
sees not a blade of grass anywhere ; it is now convinced that it has
eaten it all and emptied the prairie. And so it grows fat. It is for
this reason that the donkey is called `Vaishakha Nandana’ (That which grows fat during summer).” Doctorji thus explained the reason for nicknaming a stout Swayamsevak !
Whenever Doctorji went out for Sangh work, Krishnarao Mohrir used to
accompany him unfailingly. He was a ‘shadow’ of Doctorji in more than
one sense. Doctorji was dark of complexion, and so too was Krishnarao.
When the pair stepped out, they were jocularly referred to as a joint
personification of the Sangh, and Doctorji too enjoyed it. And because
of this, whenever they went to the house of Appaji Tijare, Krishnarao’s
maternal uncle and a Congressman, Doctorji used to call him `Sanghache mama’ (Uncle of Sangh).
Doctorji had an associate from the days of underground revolutionary
activity by name Thakur Haraharsingh Rajput. Because of his athletic
build and gluttonous eating habits, Doctorji used to call him “Agadabamb”. He
too was very proud of that appellation. Once when he mentioned that
name before the District Collector, the latter was taken aback and asked
him what “Agadabamb” meant. “That is the title conferred on me by Dr. Hedgewar,” he proudly replied !
Pandoba Bapat, who ran a hotel, was reputed as a miser of no mean order.
But, in the case of Doctorji, he became the very opposite. Whenever
Doctorji passed that way, he would unfailingly stop him, take him into
his stall and feed him with sweets to his heart’s content.
Rambhau Ruikar, the labour leader of Nagpur, was a close friend of
Doctorji. He was well off financially. Doctorji, in contrast, was barely
able to make both ends meet. On one occasion Ruikar came to Doctorji to
ask him to purchase a ticket for Bhai Saklatwala’s speech. Doctorji
replied, “You are a rich labourer, whereas I am but a poor capitalist.
How can I afford money to attend a speech ?”
Once Doctorji landed a boyhood friend of his in embarrassment. That
friend was used to reciting the adventurous exploits of Dr. Moonje with
great gusto and verve. But he himself was awfully timid. He was once
absorbed in narrating some thrilling episode about Dr. Moonje. As a
well-known saying goes, “Yuddhasya valid ramyd” (Tales of the
battlefield are always delectable). Doctorji was also among the
audience. Just then a police officer briskly walked in and enquired in a
harsh voice, “Who is Prahlad Pant Phadnavis here ? ” The prowess that
Phadnavis was displaying suddenly vanished into thin air ; valour made
room for pathos ! He turned pale, his tongue was dried up and his limbs
began to shiver.
Doctorji had briefed the other friends that a police officer of his
acquaintance would be coming there. Prahladrao’s pitiable condition
gave rise to peels of laughter all around !
Doctorji had a fund of stories and parables to drive his message home.
He had brought from an exhibition a couple of fans made of palm-leaves
and bamboo. They were kept in his living room. One of them carried a
picture of Chhatrapati Shivaji, and on the other was a picture of the
famous actor Balgandharva in a female role. All were wondering why
Doctorji had bought the latter. Someone asked Doctorji about it.
Doctorji explained, “I intentionally brought these two just to show the
contrast between the condition of Maharashtra some 300 years ago, and
our present times !”
It is human nature to judge the condition of the world with one’s self
as the measuring-rod. To warn the Sangh workers against such a tendency,
Doctorji used to narrate a story.
A certain barber used to serve a king. One day, seeing the barber in
high spirits, the king enquired, ” Well, how are the people of our
kingdom faring ?”
“Very well indeed, Your Highness. They all eat well and live well.
Everyone has bought at least four or five tolas of gold,” replied the
barber. The king expressed satisfaction, though he knew that the
condition of the people was really not that satisfactory and there was
indeed hardship. The king later called his prime minister and told him :
“It looks like our barber has purchased a quantity of gold recently.
See that it is somehow stolen.” The order was carried out.
The barber, when he next came to attend to the king, looked crestfallen
and steeped in misery. The king, mildly amused, enquired casually, “How
is life in the capital?” The barber let out a sigh and replied, “Oh,
what could I say, Your Highness ! The situation is utterly disheartening
: theft has become so rampant.”
Doctorji’s baithaks (informal chats) were full of gaiety and at
the same time an unfailing source of instruction. Twenty to twenty-five
youngsters always surrounded him. The doors of his house were open to
people at all hours of the day and night. All kinds of topics, from
politics to religion, figured freely in the conversation. Doctorji
brought his vast experience to bear on each issue, and his exposition
left a vivid impression on the minds of his listeners. Even those who
came with the intention of leaving early forgot themselves and stayed on
to listen to Doctorji.
During such informal baithaks Doctorji would guide the
Swayamsevaks in all matters, big and small. Once he described how a
letter has to be drafted with regard to organizational matters : “The
tone and contents of the letter should be such that even if by chance it
were to be pasted in a public square, we should have no reason to
entertain fear or shame.”
Swadeshi was another topic which he often emphasized. And he himself had
practised it as a principle of life. So long as Swadeshi metal-polish
was not available, he polished his buckle with brick powder.
A question which he would often pose to the Swayamsevaks
half-humorously and half-seriously was : “Has the ghost of Sangh
possessed you ?” The Swayamsevaks lost no time in grasping the intent
behind the question. Just as a possessed person forgets his own personal
desires and acts only as an instrument to fulfil the wishes of the
possessing spirit, so should the Swayamsevaks become instruments for
carrying out with single-minded devotion the objects of Sangh.
If a Sangh worker felt depressed and run down, a few moments with
Doctorji would put new life into him. The nature of the human ego, the
right conduct of a true follower, spirit of true friendship, power of
strong resolve – many were the subjects of Doctorji’s exposition,
tinctured with accounts of travel, problems facing the society, plight
of the oppressed, etc. These informal baithaks became a most effective tool in the hands of Doctorji in moulding the minds of workers in a constructive fashion.
Whether at Nagpur or outside, Doctorji was never tired of going to
elderly people and speaking to them about the Sangh. Doctorji used to
call it Weva-darshan’ or ‘appointment with god’. God, not
having to move out, confers blessings on devotees from his own place.
Likewise, said Doctorji, these elderly persons blessed the Sangh work
from their own places !
By 1937-38 Doctorji’s health had greatly deteriorated. Walking had
become impossible. Friends occasionally used to send a car or some other
vehicle for him, but being shy of nature he hardly ever used them. With
a view to putting him at ease, friends pooled funds and bought a car
for him. It was a peculiar vehicle, of a very old model. When it was in
motion there was no need for a horn. The rattle of the car would
announce its arrival from afar. Doctorji never moved out alone. The car
was thus always full; and others joined on the way. One often had to sit
on the other’s lap, like children at the time of adoption. They all
called it ‘state car’!
Doctorji’s rail travel was always by third class, and often he had to
stand throughout the journey. But Doctorji never complained about it,
nor did he ever think of travelling in some other class. On 25th March
1938 Doctorji had to leave for Nasik to inaugurate the Bhonsle Military
School. The train was crowded, and there was not even standing room.
Sangh workers who had come to see him off pleaded that he might travel
by second or first class. But Doctorji rejected the suggestion, and
travelled by the next train.
Doctorji scrupulously avoided vain argument. His mind was always
preoccupied with but one thought — that of winning over people’s heart.
He was adept at avoiding unpleasant or rancorous exchanges. He had once
gone to Nagar in Maharashtra for a Sangh programme. Nagar was a
stronghold of Socialists. They had decided to heckle Doctorji with
embarrassing questions. As soon as Doctorji concluded his speech, they
were up on their feet : “We have a few questions : We want your
replies.” Doctorji calmly replied, “This type of casual and public type
of question and answer is not in vogue in the Sangh. Nor is this a
public meeting. If you have any questions you may come to my residence. I
shall be glad to furnish my answers there.” Seeing the disciplined
atmosphere at the meeting, the Socialists withdrew.
Late that evening they came to Doctorji’s residence armed with several
books. Before they started questioning, Doctorji posed them a straight
question : “Do you believe in the concept of a ‘Nation’ ?” It was a
simple question, but the Socialists found themselves flustered and
replied, “No, we don’t”. “Our Sangh,” said Doctorji, “is one hundred per
cent nationalist, and therefore it differs basically from your way of
thinking. There is thus no meeting-ground for discussion between us. You
may work according to your ideology, and we shall continue to work in
accordance with our own way of thinking. However, nothing need come in
the way of our being courteous towards each other.” Doctorji’s words
were logical and truthful. And the Socialists too realized it. The
arguments they had proposed to advance had lost their foothold, and they
returned without uttering a word.
Sri Guruji wrote his observations about this unique trait of Doctorji.
“The art of knowing the other man’s mind and conveying to him in a
convincing manner the Sangh’s viewpoint in a brief sentence or two and
of overcoming the opposition of various types of people and winning
them over into the organizational line, has been mastered by Doctorji.
This requires a mental poise to an extraordinary extent – a quality so
essential for carrying out the task of social consolidation.”
Doctorji once went to the house of Ruikar the Socialist labour leader
for the morning tea. “0 the scion of the solar race, wake up !” shouted
Doctorji.
“Come in, please,” welcomed Ruikar. Over a cup of tea Doctorji asked Ruikar casually,
“Ruikarji, I have a question to ask of you. Would you mind giving a frank reply ?”
“No, not at all,” said Ruikar.
“What would you say if Shivaji took birth again tomorrow and established his kingdom here ?”
“What kind of a question is this, Doctor ? I would be the happiest man. I would distribute sweets to all !”
Doctorji then said, “If this is so, why should you go on calling us
names ? At heart, both of us desire the same thing. It only means that
we have the guts to speak out what we feel as truth, whereas you do not
have it, that is all !”
Though imbued with self-effacing humility and deeply-felt affection for
one and all, Doctorji could be quite caustic at times. A gentleman once
made a suggestion to him – “Why don’t you register the Sangh, so that
the people will be inclined to offer financial assistance to it ?”
Doctorji’s reply was short and incisive : ” It only means that you seem
to place greater trust in the foriegn British than in ourselves ! If the
people are not as yet placing confidence in us, then we shall win their
confidence, through our selfless actions. Then, what of mere money, the
society will place its entire resources at our disposal.”
Doctorji firmly believed that strict discipline and the mental stamina
resulting from it are essential for the Swayamsevaks. He bestowed much
attention on this aspect. This was the rationale behind his insistence
on daily attendance of Swayamsevaks at the Shakha. Doctorji made it a
rule that if a Swayamsevak was out of town, he should even then not miss
the Sunday morning parade at any cost.
Doctorji had once gone with a few Swayamsevaks to attend a special
programme at a village thirty-two miles from Nagpur. It was a Saturday.
By the time they finished their food it was already late in the night.
It had started to rain, and no buses were plying at that late hour.
However, Doctorji decided to return to Nagpur on foot. A thorn embedded
itself in Doctorji’s foot, but he went on as if nothing had happened.
But fortune seemed to favour him. When they had covered a few miles, a
bus turned up by chance. Though it was already overfull, Doctorji and
the Swayamsevaks somehow got in and reached Nagpur by 2 a.m. Everybody
was surprised to see Doctorji at the Sunday morning parade on time and
in full uniform. The incident carried its own lesson for them.
During the course of an inspection — after the switch-off for night rest
— of the various tents in a camp in Nagpur, he asked the chief of a
tent about the number of Swayamsevaks in his charge. When the adhikari replied
‘twenty-seven or twenty-eight’, Doctorji became furious and remarked :
“What is this muddled reply you are giving ? Tell me accurately whether
it is twenty-seven or twenty-eight.” On another occasion at Pune, after
an inspection of the Swayamsevaks’ uniform he remarked : “I am happy
that so many Swayamsevaks have equipped themselves with uniform.
However, I don’t find the military type of precision in it. It all
appears Brahmanical’!”
Another trait of Doctorji was to provide opportunities for the flowering
of the Swayamsevaks’ personality on constructive lines. The Congress
session in December 1936 was held in Faizpur. When Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
was unfurling the flag, the thread got entangled and the flag got stuck.
Many tried to climb the 80-foot pole, but failed. Everyone looked on
helplessly. But a Swayamsevak of the Sirpur branch by name Kishensingh
Pardesi volunteered; he climbed the pole with ease, immediately
disentangled the thread and saved the situation. All heaved a sigh of
relief, and expressed hearty appreciation for Kishensingh. After he got
down, the leaders carried him aloft on their shoulders in jubilation,
and people around threw currency at him amidst cheering. It was decided
that he should be honoured at the public session ; but as soon as it
came to be known that he was a Swayamsevak of Sangh, the proposal was
dropped. When Doctorji heard about the episode, he felt proud about
Kishensingh and deplored the petty-mindedness of the Congress leaders.
And when he went to Dhule he seated Kishensingh by his side and
felicitated him saying, “When there is a call of the Nation, one must
obey it irrespective of one’s party or group.”
Doctorji’s personality was made up of many unique qualities like a
thousand-petalled lotus. He had built a countrywide organization by his
constructive genius and rare ability. Doctorji’s work was truly
epoch-making, inasmuch as Bharat had not witnessed such a truly
all-Bharat build-up of Hindu unity during the past one thousand years.
But despite this achievement, Doctorji was totally self-effacing, and
possessed not a trace of ego. In 1934 Shankaracharya Vidyashankara
Bharati (formerly Dr. Kurtakoti) conferred the title Rashtrasenapati on
Doctorji. This was publicized in the papers also. Many friends and
admirers thereafter began appending the title to Doctorji’s name in
their communications. Doctorji put a stop to it saying, “The title
awarded by Sri Shankaracharya is of no use to our work. On the contrary,
it gives a wrong and distorted image of Sangh being an army. We should
therefore desist from using it.”
At another time Damodar Bhat of Miraj wanted to write a biography of
Doctorji. As soon as Doctorji got scent of it, he said : “I have not
done anything worth writing about, nor am T so eminent as to merit a
biography ” and immediately cried halt to it.
Doctorji returned to Nagpur in 1940 after completion of the Training
Camp at Pune. He was accompanied by Babuaji (Sri Krishnavallabhaprasad
Narayansingh), the Sanghachalak of the Gaya branch. Sri Guruji, who was
then the Sarvadhikari of the Nagpur camp, had come to the railway
station with a huge garland to receive Doctorji. As soon as Doctorji
alighted, however, he stopped Sri Guruji with a stern look. He then
smilingly said, “Why should I be garlanded ? I am only returning to my
own house. On the other hand we must honour our distinguished guest from
outside.” Sri Guruji then garlanded Babuaji. Recalling this incident,
Sri Guruji emotionally reminisced, “It was only after life had left his
mortal frame that I could garland his body.”
Doctorji seemed to exemplify in his daily life the saying of
Basaveshwara: “None is smaller than me; and none is greater than a
Shivasharana (devotee of Shiva).” In his conception he was just a
servant of the Nation — a Swayamsevak. It was a living faith with him.
Describing an ideal public worker, Doctorji once said :
“He is not like an ochre-robed monk. He does not proclaim, ‘I make no
distinction between gold and mud.’ He knows the difference quite well,
but he is not enamoured of the glitter of gold. He willingly says, ‘The
gold is for the society. I shall be content with mud.’ He painstakingly
churns milk and extracts butter. He knows the difference between butter
and butter-milk (diluted curds) ; and yet he prefers the latter for
himself and willingly offers the butter to society. It is only such a
worker who can render true service and also inspire the spirit of
sacrifice in the people.”
Doctorji had indeed grown into a colossal stature. But his associates
did not seem to notice it at all. Such was his warmth, simplicity and
easy affability. People of all age-groups mixed freely with him. Once
during the course of a baithak an elderly acquaintance of his
suddenly realized the loftiness of Doctorji’s personality. He could not
resist exclaiming, “0 Keshav ! To what heights you have grown ! I was
hardly aware of your achievement !” Observing the childish pranks of
Krishna, his mother Yashoda could scarcely perceive the glory of his
divine powers. Yashoda once learnt that Krishna had swallowed mud during
play. But when she forced his mouth open, she saw illimitable universes
dancing in his small mouth. In the next moment, however, she saw
Krishna engaged in play, and she forgot all about his divine status.
Such indeed are the great ones. Doctorji had built a tremendous
nation-wide organization which was nothing short of a miracle. But to
the outward eye he was but a simple and ordinary worker, ever smiling,
good-humoured and gentle.
No words can capture fully the greatness of Doctorji’s personality. It
was ‘high as the Himalayas and deep as the ocean.’ When paying homage to
his memory, millions of young men of Bharat even today sing out of the
fullness of their heart :
“Endowed with but a spark of your effulgence, surely shall we dispel the darkness all around and light up the world.”
Whenever Doctorji was in Nagpur there used to be visitors from outside,
and Doctorji treated them most cordially. He made enquiries as to where
they were staying, their food, etc. If it turned out that they had not
yet found lodgement, he would ask them to stay with him. Water for tea
was kept boiling all day. On the one side there was the most hospitable
Doctorji, and on the other was his sister-in-law ever worried about the
wherewithal to keep the stove burning and cater to the guests !
Many were the occasions when there was nothing extra for the guest. But
not once did Doctorji tell a guest, “Please be seated ; I shall have my
food and join you.” It was always his practice to joyfully share with
the guests whatever was available however frugal it may be, no matter
even if it was only a couple of plain rotis. If even that was
in short supply he would tell the guests, “I have just had my meal ;
please come and have your food.” He would merely sit with the guests,
regaling them with his banter. His dire poverty never showed in his
face. Once some guests turned up late in the night. Even firewood was
not available in the house. Doctorji took out some sitting-planks, split
them and managed the emergency. Such was the domestic condition of the
great soul who laid the foundations of an epoch-making organization !
Doctorji was not habituated to tea in his younger days. An incident at
Chanda started him on tea. He happened to visit the house of a poor
weaver, and was treated to some beaten rice. People in the
household:were in a fix when they noticed that Doctorji was not used to
tea ; and they were not in a position to offer milk. Doctorji, being
sensitive, could not fail to notice their plight. The matter kept
lingering in his mind long after he returned home ; his mind was
harking back to the weaver’s hutment. After the evening’s work, he
suddenly donned his coat and cap and said to his associates, “Come, we
shall go to that Swayamsevak’s house again and have tea there.”
After this incident Doctorji began the practice of offering tea to
visitors at his house also. Sometimes, however, there were embarrassing
moments on this account. Once Doctorji’s friend Vishwanathrao Kelkar
came to see him. Doctorji entreated him to stay on for tea, and passed
on the message to the kitchen. Conversation was resumed. Fifteen minutes
elapsed, and still there was no sign of tea. Doctorji then went inside
the kitchen himself. None of the requisites was available, except water
! His sister-in-law sat crestfallen in a corner. Hurriedly, Doctorji
himself went to the grocer and brought some tea-powder, milk and sugar.
Tea was somehow got ready.
Vishwanathrao was quick to notice the severe economic hardship in
Doctorji’s household. He had till then no inkling of it. Soon after, he
called Guruji and asked him, “Why haven’t you given any thought to the
problems of Doctorji’s household ?” Guruji calmly replied : “How can Ekddashi fill the belly of Shivardtri?” (Ekddashi and Shivardtri are both days of fasting according to tradition.)
“I cannot bear to see this suffering. Hereafter you must regularly
accept a contribution from me for him,” said Vishwanathrao, and after a
while added, “At least to meet his expenditure on guests, I shall
contribute rupees twenty-five every month. Please pass it on to the lady
of the house. But take care that this does not reach Doctorji’s ears.”
Guruji simply replied, “Kindly excuse me, I must ask you to do that job
yourself.” Doctorji’s austere nature and stern nonacceptance were too
familar to one and all.
Doctorji was pious by temperament, and cherished deep faith in God. He
invariably began his letters, and even entries in the diary, with the
sacred syllable OM or SRI. Whenever he started out from his
house he would invariably salute God. The Sangh work was for him a
Divine Mission and this faith manifested itself in every word that he
spoke or wrote. He sincerely believed that he was just an instrument to
carry out His injunctions through the medium of the Sangh. Protection of
the righteous and punishing the evil-minded is a divinely ordained
task, and the Sangh, in Doctorji’s view, was born to do just this. In
the letters that he wrote, the inscription at the top carried a saying
of Tukaram :
Daya tiche nay
bhootänche pcilan
anika nirdalana kantakdche
(“Compassion means protection of the living and extermination of the wicked.”)
Doctorji was a ‘human magnet.’ No one could escape from its charm. It
was his sincere affection and warmth that lay at the root of this spell.
In the course of his travels he once went to Satara. His visit had been
announced in advance. An old-time revolutionary, Damodar Balwant Bhide,
heard about it and waited for Doctorji at the Sanghasthan. As Doctorji
arrived he recognized Bhide immediately. After Dhwaja-prandm Doctorji
went and prostrated before Bhide. The fact that they had not met for a
long time had not made the slightest difference in Doctorji’s attitude ;
he was instantly as warm and courteous as he was in the past.
Abaji was once out on tour for Sangh work. It was necessary to send a
young Swayamsevak to accompany him. Doctorji went to the house of one
Krishnarao Badekar and asked him, “Abaji is leaving on tour. Can you
accompany him for these two months ?” He readily agreed. Krishnarao was a
primary-school teacher. But unmindful of his job he went with Abaji.
Doctorji’s slightest wish was so sacrosanct for him. Later Krishnarao
gave up the job and worked for many years as a full-time pracharak. However,
Doctorji sensed that Krishnarao was feeling depressed for having not
completed his education. Doctorji encouraged him to continue his studies
and gave him all the needed help. Badekar is now a practising advocate
in Nagpur. Doctorji’s warmth and concern for his associates was as
instinctive as of a mother for her children.
A Swayamsevak from Wardha once came to Nagpur. He had brought a message
that a taxi be sent to Wardha at 6 a.m. next morning. Doctorji had a
bout of fever at the time ; and yet he himself set out to arrange for a
taxi. He asked a Swayamsevak to bring a tonga for him. Fearing that
exposure might further affect Doctorji’s health, a Swayamsevak
volunteered to fix up a taxi. He made enquiries, but no taximan was
willing to ply the vehicle so early in the morning. The Swayamsevak felt
delicate about informing Doctorji of the failure of the mission ; after
asking the Wardha Swayamsevak to inform the concerned people of the
non-availability of the taxi, he returned to the Karyalaya to sleep.
Doctorji, however, came to know of it. At that late hour he draped a
shawl around himself and started on the taxi-hunt. Around 1 a.m. he was
able to secure one. He also went to the Karyalaya and informed the
Swayamsevak of it, in order to put him at ease. He then came back home
and wrote a note to Wardha. It was only after despatching the taxi
around 5 a.m. that he went to bed.
Doctorji’s warmth for others manifested itself in countless ways. The
renowned Marathi litterateur and editor Madkholkar was in a fix being
unable to secure his elder’s blessing for his marriage because of caste
considerations. It was Doctorji who came to his help and saw through the
successful conclusion of his union with the bride of his choice. He
looked upon his friends’ joys and sorrows as his very own, with the
result that whoever came to be acquainted with him soon began to trust
him implicitly.
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http://samvada.org/2012/news/remembering-rss-founder-dr-kb-hedgewar-on-his-123th-birthday-on-yugadi/
