Freedom fighter's mail

S Balakrishnan *

We are forever indebted to our freedom fighters for freeing us from the colonial bonds of the British. As a free Nation India is today stepping into its 75th independence anniversary year with great joy and hope for brighter future. Those born after independence, like me, take this for granted.

But I realized the untold torture and unbearable sufferings the freedom fighters faced when I visited the notorious Cellular Jail of Andamans. And it was so hard to complete the book 'Penal Settlement in Andamans' by RC Majumdar that detailed the horrible life of freedom fighters since India's First War of Independence (Sepoy Mutiny) in 1857 at the penal settlement there. Hence Andamans is referred as 'Mukti Tirtha' (Holy Place of Salvation) in the annals of our freedom struggle.

So I consider myself blessed to be present at the declaration ceremony of Cellular Jail as National Memorial. This historic event took place in Port Blair on 11th February 1979. Befittingly it was declared open by the then Prime Minister, Shri Morarji Desai, a strict Gandhian and a freedom fighter himself.

The occasion gave me the unforgettable opportunity to meet some freedom fighters, who all had been invited from all over the Nation for the occasion, including those incarcerated elsewhere besides the Cellular Jail as well. Speechless, I watched them with respect and awe. Overwhelmed by their presence, I lingered there clicking hesitantly till sunset when the jail was illuminated.

Luckily, I had bought a small camera just a month back as a new year gift to myself. I was again at the National Memorial the next morning to watch with wonder a TV Crew (Doordarshan was the one & only channel then) filming the freedom fighters.

Many freedom fighters had come with their spouse and I was attracted towards an elderly couple. I later learnt that he was Shri Shatipur Sen of the famous Chittagong Armoury Raid case, and his wife; but he was not imprisoned at Cellular Jail. Chatting with them (at left in the photo) was Shri BM Bose, also a freedom fighter.

Yet another was Dr Bhupal Bose involved in the 'Sir Charles David, Police Commissioner, Calcutta, attempt case'; he was incarcerated in Cellular Jail. A veteran revolutionary, he was a close associate of Netaji.

I clicked Baba Prithvi Singh Azad as he was signing the visitors' book. He was one of the founders of the revolutionary Ghadar Party and was sentenced for 'Lahore Conspiracy Case' and interned in Cellular Jail (1915 & 1921).

As I was deeply immersed in capturing the event and personalities, an elderly person tapped my shoulder and requested for prints of two specific shots that I had clicked.

He introduced himself as freedom fighter BK Banerjee [Bejoy Krishna Banetjee/Chakrabarti] incarcerated in Cellular Jail. Taking this as an opportunity to serve a freedom fighter, I promptly sent him copies of those snaps, just those two snaps. How stingy of me! He duly acknowledged my letter. This letter from a freedom fighter tops my prestigious collection of correspondence.

He wrote to me from his Chittaranjan Park residence in New Delhi on 8th March 1979 so promptly and very immediately after he got my letter just that morning and posted it as well on that very same day; I received his reply on 13th March after five days of travel from Delhi to Calcutta and then to Port Blair by flight -

"Dear Young friend,
Many thanks for two copies of photos which I have received from your end this morning; it will ever remember to us. I do hope our cordial and sweet relationship which was established on the great historic occasion of Andaman Cellular Jail (National) Memorial Ceremony on 11th Feb. 1979, it will remain ever.

This will find you & your family in good health & spirit.

With best wishes

Yours,
B.K. Banerjee".

If I remember correctly, perhaps it was he who identified the freedom fighters I was clicking. But out of stupidity or what, I did not photograph him. How unjust of me! Should not I be deported to Kala Paani (the Andamans) and imprisoned in Cellular Jail?