Freedom Fighters and Their Life in Prison – a Study of Bhanjanagar Jail
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ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review Freedom Fighters and their life in Prison – A Study of Bhanjanagar Jail Dr. Sirisa Kumar Shadangi Ghumsar is on the North Western part of the administrative unit under the Madras Presidency. Ganjam district. It has well watered fertile valleys, It was named as Russellkonda jail; originally, it rich wild life and valuable forest resources. It’s was named as Hill Jail and functioning as the headquarters is at Bhanjanagar which was known district jail during the year 1894 to 955. But it as Russelkunda (Russel’s Hill) after Russel, the was reduced to a Sub jail in the year 1908. District then Special Commissioner in Ganjam1. Ghumsar jails were reduced in number owing to the has a long history since 9th Century AD. It formed reduction to the status of Sub Jails of the district a part of the dominion of the famous Bhanja ruling jail at Russelkonda under G.O. No: 927 – J dated dynasty of the Khinjali Mandala2. The Bhanja 4th July 19086. But during the later period it ruled over Ghumsar till 1835 AD. When it was received the status of Special Sub Jail.7 occupied by the British forces3. The patriotism of the people of Ghumsar during the British rule, the Though, primarily it accommodates to the resistance of its rebel, tribal leaders like Dora political and civil undertrials and convicted Bisoyi and Chakra Bisoyi from 1836 to 1854 AD prisoners, but this was mainly for prisoners to the British power, proved the great sacrifice suffering from leprosy. Leper prisoners from all and heroic nature of the people of Ghumsar. over the state are transferred to this prison for their medical treatment. There were separate Ganjam district came under the British wards in the jail for such prisoners8. occupation in the year 1766 AD. It was placed under the charge of a Resident4. Then it was There are eight wards and two cells for abolished in 1794 and the office of the collector male prisoners and two wards and one cell for was established. The collector acted as the highest the female prisoners in the Jail. judicial office of the district in respect of both civil There was no provision for imparting any and criminal cases. vocational training to the prisoners in the Jail. The The Ghumsar Jail system was like its prisoners were working in the firms and gardens English prototype, insanitary, demoralising and inside the Jail. A trained teacher was posted in non-deterrent. This jail has been functioning since the jail school for the education of the inmates. the time when the district of Ganjam was an There was a hospital attached to the jail. One 96 August - 2016 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 Assistant Surgeon and one Pharmacist constituted Prisoners were sentenced to public labour. At the medical staff of the hospital in which ailing night they were fastened by a chain passing prisoners were examined medically for treatment. through the rings of their fetters. The history of prison and its use as a place The woman prisoners also suffered a lot. of detention for the condemned persons is not There was no separate ward for female undertrial of recent origin. Kautilya, Ashok, the Jetakas, prisoners15. They were kept in the most degraded Harsha Charita, Hiuen Tsang make a mention of companions and often under hurried prison life in ancient India.9 Imprisonment as a conditions16. Men do move about within the form of punishment was introduced in India by goal in going to and fro in connection with their the British Government in 199310. But work, they had their movement which was helpful imprisonment as a form of punishment in modern in refreshing their minds to some extent. Women sense came to be applied on uniform basis though given lighter work were closely confined throughout India in 186011. in a small place and led a horrible monotonous existence. In Odisha, during the early days of British rule no regular prisons were there. So also in the The expenditure of the British case of Ghumsar. The entire legal history of British Government on the maintenance of prison was period is the penumbra of Jail mal administration quite negligible. A large number of prisoners were and prison injustice. A legal survey of undertrial suffering every year from tuberculosis, cholera, prisoners at the time of British rule in India had dysentery and various epidemics. Even lavatories shown illegal detention, ignoring the principles of and bathrooms were not available for them. The natural justice12. diet supplied to them were of poor standard17. There were numerous freedom fighters Sometimes the freedom fighters had to of Ghumusar who had undergone prolonged undergo severe punishment like flogging and durations of incarceration. They accepted the whipping18. For example, Dibakar Pattnayak, a inevitability of Jail interludes in the conduct of their leading freedom fighter of Ganjam protested Satyagrahi struggle13. As a prisoner they had against the atrocities and punishment against varied experiences of prison life. The object of prisoners, he was cruelly flogged by the British the prison labour was to harass the convict. The authorities19. The jailer is a stern old soldier, with prisoner was to be frightened and broken into precise military ideas of duty and work.20 blind submission. The idea was that they should 21 carry away from prison a fear and a horror to it. In 1920 prison was just like a hall . The So that he might avoid crime and return to prison prisoners were bearing the dress of sack which 22 in future.14 was made of jute . The system “Ghana” was there by which the prisoners were forced to stand The internal administration and in the place of bullocks to turn it round to squeeze management of the jail was in the hands of the out oil. This was a piece of human labour, endemic District Magistrate. In the matters of prison labour in all jails. The humiliating and provocation custom profit was made subordinate to punishment. of “Sarkar Salam” was there. It required a August - 2016 97 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review separate kind of salute to every jail official visitors, latrine and one urinal. The small prison room had violation of this was followed by punishment23. no proper ventilation i.e., no door and windows. Better food, better medical attendance, better In the night the cells were full with bed smells. In dress and utensils were a dream to the prisoners. this way the prisoners were spending twelve hours from 6 PM to 6AM. The prisoners were getting two under wearers, one Banian and a small cloth. They were In the morning when they were going for not getting any oil for use. Sugar or molasses was latrine, a rope was bound around the waste and available to them only during disease stricken the prison staff drew the rope if some delay was period, mirror was not provided to them. Even made in the latrine38. Every prisoner was given a years together they were not getting any chance cap where the number of prisoner was written on to see their face on the mirror24. bold letters. Each prisoner was getting two pots, made The British inflicted a very rigorous and of iron. They would have their food, drink water inhuman punishment known as “Danda Bedi” and they also used it for latrine25. Sometimes the Bearing this Danda Bedi they had to make jute pots were stained which was bad for health. So from the leaves from the Murga tree. The juice of in order to remain in prison, the Satyagrahis Murga leaves was very injurious to health. It underwent special rigorous training like taking half creates wound if it falls on the body39. boiled rice, not to take ghee or oil in their food, sleep on the ground etc.26 At that time electric Many freedom fighters spent their life in light was not there. One lantern was hanging at Ghumsar jail. They have written their horrible life the top of the room. In prison there was no in Jails. The story of freedom movement in arrangement for recreation. They were Ghumsar is a great saga of patriotism, sacrifice completely remaining aloof from the society27. and dedication. Their heroic deeds, daring acts had puzzled and bewildered the British Raj. During In 1930, the prisoners were getting food freedom movement Ghumsar remained in a state three times per day. Its expenditure was limited of continuous rebellion and raised a standard of within five Annas per a prisoner. Besides the jail revolution to liberate their motherland. Many superintendent would get his percentage from the became martyrs and numberless men and women contractor. So the diet system was quite poor. went through endless suffering for the cause of Instead of dal the prisoners were getting bark the country. portion of dal. Besides small pebbles were there in the rice. So several times the prisoners were DIBAKAR PATTNAYAK going on strikes for not taking food. But the British th Government did not pay any heed to them28. Dibakar Pattnayak was born on 6 October 1899 at Chikiti in Ganjam district31. His The prisoners were not provided any father was Madan Mohan Dewan Boxi Pattnayak mosquito net and they were sleeping on the and mother was Sradhamati. He had completed ground. Sometimes they were provided a his middle school education in Berhampur and blanket. Forty to fifty prisoners were using one Icchapur. For High School education he had 98 August - 2016 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 entered into Victoria High English School, District. There he worked for the congress along Cuttack and Iswara Chandra Vidyapith of with Radha Krushna Biswasroy, Sadasiba Calcutta.