Sitaram Seksaria, born in 1892 in Navalgarh, Rajasthan, spent most of his life in Calcutta (Kolkata). Associated with trade and business, Seksaria was an inspiration, founder, and director of many literary, cultural, and women’s education institutions. Heeded Mahatma Gandhi’s call and actively participated in the freedom movement. Was close to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Also went to jail during the Satyagraha movement. Served as a minister in the Azad Hind Fauj for some years. The Government of India honored him with the Padma Shri award in 1962.

Sitaram Seksaria did not get the opportunity for formal school education. Learned to read and write through self-study. Smritikan, Man Ki Baat, Beeta Yug, Nayi Yaad, and Ek Karyakarta Ki Diary in two volumes are his notable works.

Paath Pravesh

Mahatma Gandhi launched the Satyagraha movement to free the country from the British. This movement ignited the flame of freedom among the people. Millions of people from all over the country came forward who were ready to sacrifice everything in this great struggle. On 26th January 1930, Independence Day was celebrated for the first time in enslaved India. This sequence continued further. Two and a half years after independence, in 1950, this same day also became the day our own Republic came into effect.

The author of the present lesson, Sitaram Seksaria, was one of those countless people who longed for freedom. He used to record whatever he saw, heard, and felt daily in his personal diary. This practice continued for many years. This lesson contains the account of 26th January 1931 from his diary.

How the people of Calcutta (Kolkata), including Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and the author himself, celebrated the country’s second Independence Day with great fervor, and how the British administrators, considering this their crime, inflicted various atrocities on them, especially on the women activists, is all described in this lesson. This lesson not only reminds us of the sacrifices of our revolutionaries but also reveals that if an organized society is determined, there is nothing it cannot do.

Diary Ka Ek Panna

26 January 1931

26 January: Today is an immortal day. It was on this day that Independence Day was celebrated all over India. And this year too, its repetition took place, for which considerable preparations had been made in advance. Last year, our share was very ordinary. This year, we gave as much as we could. Only two thousand rupees were spent on publicity. We considered the entire responsibility of the work to be upon ourselves, and in the same way, we went to the homes of the activists and explained.

The national flag was hoisted on almost all the houses in Bada Bazaar, and many houses were decorated in such a way that it seemed as if freedom had been achieved. Flags were put up in every part of Calcutta. On whichever route people went, enthusiasm and novelty were felt. People said such decoration had never happened before. The police were also patrolling the city with full force, demonstrating their presence. Gurkhas and sergeants in motor lorries were stationed at every turn. Many lorries were being driven around the city. Arrangements for horsemen were made. There was no traffic police anywhere; all police were engaged in this work. The police had cordoned off large parks and grounds since morning.

The place below the Monument where the meeting was to be held in the evening was cordoned off by the police in large numbers from as early as 6 AM, yet flags were hoisted at several places even in the morning. When Avinash Babu, the secretary of the Bengal Provincial Students’ Union, planted the flag in Shraddhanand Park, the police arrested him and beat or removed others. Harishchandra Singh, the War Minister of the Bada Bazaar Congress Committee, went to hoist the flag at Tara Sundari Park but could not enter. There was considerable beating there, and two-four men’s heads were split. A procession was taken out by the Gujarati Sevika Sangh, which had many girls; they were arrested.

At 11 AM, the girls of Marwari Balika Vidyalaya celebrated the flag festival in their school. Jankidevi, Madalsa (Madalsa Bajaj-Narayan), etc., had also gone. The girls were explained the meaning of the festival. Once, sitting in a motor car and looking around everywhere, it felt very good. Photos were being taken everywhere. We had also made ample arrangements for photos. Between two-three o’clock, several people were arrested, among whom the main ones were Purnodas and Purushottam Roy.

The responsibility for Subhash Babu’s procession was on Purnodas, but he had already made the arrangements. The women’s society was busy with its preparations. Women from various places were trying to take out their processions and reach the right spot. The arrangement near the Monument, which was there in the morning, was not the same by around one o’clock. This gave people hope that perhaps the police would not show their true colors, but when were they going to stop? From three o’clock itself, a crowd of thousands began to gather in the ground, and people started roaming the ground in groups. The thing about today was unique.

Since the work of breaking the law began until today, such a large meeting had not been held in such a ground, and this meeting, one should say, was an open fight. The Police Commissioner’s notice had already been issued that no meeting could be held according to such-and-such sections. All those who were to work had been given notices and information through inspectors that if they participated in the meeting, they would be considered guilty. On the other hand, a notice had been issued from the Council that the flag would be hoisted exactly at 4:24 PM below the Monument and the pledge of independence would be read. The general public should be present. Such a meeting had never been held by giving an open challenge before.

Exactly at 4:10 PM, Subhash Babu arrived with the procession. He was stopped at Chowringhee itself, but due to the large crowd, the police could not stop the procession. As soon as they reached the turn of the ground, the police started lathi-charging; many people were injured, lathis fell on Subhash Babu too. Subhash Babu was shouting Vande Mataram very loudly. Jyotirmay Ganguly said to Subhash Babu, “Please come here.” But Subhash Babu said, “We have to move forward.”

I am writing all this based on what I heard, but the distance between Subhash Babu and me was not much. I saw with my own eyes Subhash Babu shouting Vande Mataram very loudly. The police were lathi-charging ferociously. Seeing Khitish Chatterjee’s split head and his flowing blood made one’s eyes shut. While this was happening here, women there were climbing the steps of the Monument, hoisting the flag, and reading the declaration. Women had arrived in very large numbers. Almost everyone had a flag. The volunteers who had gone did not retreat from their positions even when lathis fell.

Subhash Babu was arrested, put in a car, and sent to the Lal Bazar lockup. Shortly after, women formed a procession and started from there. A very large crowd gathered along with them. In between, the police had cooled down a bit, they started wielding sticks again. This time, due to the larger crowd, many people were injured. Upon reaching the turn at Dharmtalla, the procession broke, and about 50-60 women sat down right there at the turn. The police arrested them and sent them to Lal Bazar. One group of women moved forward, led by Vimal Pratibha. They were stopped at the turn of Bahu Bazaar, and they sat down right there at the turn. A very large crowd gathered around, on which the police intermittently used lathis.

Thus, after about three-quarters of an hour, the police lorry came and they were taken to Lal Bazar. Several other men were also arrested. Vrijlal Goyanka, who had been working with me for several days and was with me in Dum Dum Jail, was arrested. First, he ran towards the Monument holding the flag and shouting Vande Mataram so forcefully that he fell on his own, and an English horseman hit him with a lathi, then after arresting him and taking him some distance, he was released. After this, he joined the women’s procession, and there too he was released, then he formed a procession of two hundred men and went to Lal Bazar and was arrested there. Madalsa was also arrested. It was learned from her that she was also beaten at the police station. In total, 105 women were arrested. Later, at 9 PM, all were released. Until today, so many women had never been arrested together in Calcutta. When I came to Khadi Bhandar around eight o’clock, a phone call came from the Congress office that many injured people had come here and the condition of several was serious; a vehicle was needed for them. I went there with Jankidevi; many people were injured. Dr. Dasgupta was looking after them and getting their photos taken. By that time, 67 people had arrived there. Later, the number reached 103.

I went to the hospital; seeing the people, it was learned that 160 people reached the hospitals, and those who went home are separate. Thus, at least two hundred were injured. The number of arrested men could not be ascertained, but the number of women in the Lal Bazar lockup was 105. Whatever happened today was unprecedented. The stigma on Bengal’s or Calcutta’s name that work is not happening here was largely washed away today, and people started thinking that a lot of work can be done here too.

Prashna-Abhyas

Maulik

Nimnalikhit prashnon ke uttar ek-do panktiyon mein dijiye-

1. Calcutta wasiyon ke liye 26 January 1931 ka din kyon mahatvapurna tha?

2. Subhash Babu ke juloos ka bhaar kis par tha?

3. Vidhyarthi Sangh ke mantri Avinash Babu ke jhanda gaadne par kya pratikriya hui?

4. Log apne-apne makaanon va saarvajanik sthalon par rashtriya jhanda faharakar kis baat ka sanket dena chahte the?

5. Police ne bade-bade parkon tatha maidanon ko kyon gher liya tha?

Likhit

(ka) Nimnalikhit prashnon ke uttar ( 25-30 shabdon mein ) likhiye-

1. 26 January 1931 ke din ko amar banane ke liye kya-kya taiyariyan ki gayin?

2. ‘Aaj jo baat thi voh nirali thi’-kis baat se pata chal raha tha ki aaj ka din apne aap mein nirala hai? Spasht kijiye.

3. Police Commissioner ke notice aur Council ke notice mein kya antar tha?

4. Dharmtalla ke mod par aakar juloos kyon toot gaya?

5. Dr. Dasgupta juloos mein ghayal logon ki dekh-rekh to kar hi rahe the, unke photo bhi utarva rahe the. Un logon ke photo khinchne ki kya vajah ho sakti thi? Spasht kijiye.

(kha) Nimnalikhit prashnon ke uttar ( 50-60 shabdon mein ) likhiye-

1. Subhash Babu ke juloos mein stri samaj ki kya bhumika thi?

2. Juloos ke Lal Bazar aane par logon ki kya dasha hui?

3. ‘Jab se kanoon bhang ka kaam shuru hua hai tab se aaj tak itni badi sabha aise maidan mein nahin ki gayi thi aur yeh sabha to kehna chahiye ki open ladai thi.’ Yahan par kaun se aur kiske dwara lagu kiye gaye kanoon ko bhang karne ki baat kahi gayi hai? Kya kanoon bhang karna uchit tha? Paath ke sandarbh mein apne vichar prakat kijiye.

4. Bahut se log ghayal hue, bahuton ko lockup mein rakha gaya, bahut-si striyan jail gayin, phir bhi is din ko apoorv bataya gaya hai. Aapke vichar mein yeh sab apoorv kyon hai? Apne shabdon mein likhiye.$ \qquad $

(ga) Nimnalikhit ka aashay spasht kijiye-

1. Aaj to jo kuch hua voh apoorv hua hai. Bengal ke naam ya Calcutta ke naam par kalank tha ki yahan kaam nahin ho raha hai voh aaj bahut ansh mein dhul gaya.

2. Khula challenge dekar aisi sabha pehle nahin ki gayi thi.

Bhasha Adhyayan

1. Rachna ki drishti se vaakya teen prakar ke hote hain-

Saral Vaakya- Saral vaakya mein karta, karm, poorak, kriya aur kriya visheshan ghatakon ya inmein se kuch ghatakon ka yog hota hai. Swatantr roop se prayukt hone wala upvakya hi saral vaakya hai.

Udaharan- Log toliyan banakar maidan mein ghoomne lage.

Sanyukt Vaakya- Jis vaakya mein do ya do se adhik swatantr ya mukhya upvakya samanadhikaran yojak se jude hon, vah sanyukt vaakya kehlata hai. Yojak shabd-aur, parantu, isliye aadi.

Udaharan-Monument ke neeche jhanda fahraya jayega aur swatantrata ki pratigya padhi jayegi.

Mishr Vaakya- Vah vaakya jismein ek pradhan upvakya ho aur ek ya adhik aashrit upvakya hon, mishr vaakya kehlata hai.

Udaharan-Jab Avinash Babu ne jhanda gaada tab police ne unko pakad liya.

Nimnalikhit vaakyon ko saral vaakyon mein badaliye-

I. (ka) Do sau aadmiyon ka juloos Lal Bazar gaya aur vahan par giraftar ho gaya.

(kha) Maidan mein hazaron aadmiyon ki bhid hone lagi aur log toliyan bana-banakar maidan mein ghoomne lage.

(ga) Subhash Babu ko pakad liya gaya aur gaadi mein bithakar Lal Bazar lockup mein bhej diya gaya.

II. ‘Bade Bhai Sahab’ paath mein se bhi do-do saral, sanyukt aur mishr vaakya chhantkar likhiye.

2. Nimnalikhit vaakya sanrachnaon ko dhyaan se padhiye aur samjhiye ki jaana, rahna aur chukna kriyaon ka prayog kis prakar kiya gaya hai.

(ka) 1. Kai makaan sajaaye gaye the.

2. Calcutta ke pratyek bhag mein jhande lagaaye gaye the.

(kha) 1. Bade Bazaar ke praayah: makaanon par rashtriya jhanda fahra raha tha.

2. Kitni hi laariyan shehar mein ghumaai ja rahi thin.

3. Police bhi apni poori taakat se shehar mein gasht dekar pradarshan kar rahi thi.

(ga) 1. Subhash Babu ke juloos ka bhaar Purnodas par tha, vah prabandh kar chuka tha.

2. Police Commissioner ka notice nikal chuka tha.

3. Neeche diye gaye shabdon ki sanrachna par dhyaan dijiye-

Vidhya + arthi $\quad-\quad$ Vidhyarthi

‘Vidhya’ shabd ka antim swar ‘aa’ aur doosre shabd ‘arthi’ ki pratham swar dhwani ‘a’ jab milte hain to ve milkar deergh swar ‘aa’ mein badal jaate hain. Yeh swar sandhi hai jo sandhi ka hi ek prakar hai.

Sandhi shabd ka arth hai-jodna. Jab do shabd paas-paas aate hain to pehle shabd ki antim dhwani baad mein aane wale shabd ki pehli dhwani se milkar use prabhavit karti hai. Dhwani parivartan ki is prakriya ko sandhi kehte hain. Sandhi teen prakar ki hoti hai-swar sandhi, vyanjan sandhi, visarg sandhi. Jab sandhi yukt padon ko alag-alag kiya jaata hai to use sandhi vichchhed kehte hain;

Jaise- Vidyalay - Vidhya + aalay

Neeche diye gaye shabdon ki sandhi kijiye-

1. Shraddha + Anand $=$ __________________

2. Prati + Ek $=$ __________________

3. Purush + Uttam $=$ __________________

4. Jhanda + Utsav $=$ __________________

5. Punah + Aavritti $=$ __________________

6. Jyotih + May $=$ __________________

Yogyata Vistara

1. Bhautik roop se dabe hue hone par bhi Angrezon ke samay mein hi hamara man aazad ho chuka tha. Atah December 1929 mein Lahore mein Congress ka ek bada adhiveshan hua, iske sabhapati Jawaharlal Nehru ji the. Is adhiveshan mein yeh prastav paas kiya gaya ki ab hum ‘Poorna Swarajya’ se kuch bhi kam sweekar nahin karenge. 26 January 1930 ko deshwasiyon ne ‘Poorna Swatantrata’ ke liye har prakar ke balidaan ki pratigya ki. Uske baad aazadi praapt hone tak prativarsh 26 January ko Swadhinata Divas ke roop mein manaya jaata raha. Aazadi milne ke baad 26 January Ganatantra Divas ke roop mein manaya jaane laga.

2. Diary-Yeh gadya ki ek vidha hai. Ismein dainik jeevan mein hone wali ghatnaon, anubhavon ko varnit kiya jaata hai. Aap bhi apni dainik jeevan se sambandhit ghatnaon ko diary mein likhne ka abhyas karen.

3. Jamnalal Bajaj Mahatma Gandhi ke panchve putra ke roop mein jaane jaate hain, kyon? Adhyapak se jankari praapt karen.

4. Dhai lakh ka Janki Devi Puraskar Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation dwara poore Bharat mein sarahniya kaam karne wali mahilaon ko diya jaata hai. Yahan aisi kuch mahilaon ke naam diye ja rahe hain-

Shrimati Anutai Limaye 1993 Maharashtra; Saraswati Gora 1996 Andhra Pradesh;

Meena Agrawal 1998 Assam; Sister Matheli 1999 Kerala; Kuntala Kumari Acharya 2001 Odisha. Inmein se kisi ek ke baare mein vistrit jankari praapt kijiye.

Pariyojna Karya

1. Swatantrata Andolan mein nimnalikhit mahilaon ne jo yogdaan diya, uske baare mein sankshipt jankari praapt karke likhiye-

(ka) Sarojini Naidu

(kha) Aruna Asaf Ali

(ga) Kasturba Gandhi

2. Is paath ke madhyam se swatantrata sangraam mein Calcutta (Kolkata) ke yogdaan ka chitra spasht hota hai. Aazadi ke andolan mein aapke kshetr ka bhi kisi na kisi prakar ka yogdaan raha hoga. Pustakalay, apne parichiton ya phir kisi doosre srot se is sambandh mein jankari haasil kar likhiye.

3. ‘Kewal prachar mein do hazaar rupaya kharch kiya gaya tha.’ Tatkalin samay ko maddenazar rakhate hue anuman lagaiye ki prachar-prasar ke liye kin madhyamon ka upyog kiya gaya hoga?

4. Aapko apne vidyalay mein lagne wale Pulse Polio Center ki suchana poore mohalle ko deni hai. Aap is baat ka prachar bina paise ke kaise kar payenge? Udaharan ke saath likhiye.

Shabdarth aur Tippaniyan