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30. Women in the Bengal...Pmd

30. Women in the Bengal...Pmd

Women in the Revolutionary Movement (1902-1935) by Sandip Bandyopadhyay

Dubbed as ‘terrorism’ by some was preceded by the formation of Samiti.1 This is probably the reason why historians, the Bengal revolutionary gymnasiums and other centres of intelligence reports on secret societies movement made its appearance in the physical training (lathi and dagger during this period make little mention early days of the present century. In play) at several places. These centres of her role. One list2 of clubs and samitis this article I have tried to analyse the later developed into secret connected with the Swadeshi nature of women’s involvement in this revolutionary groups. movement (1905-11) includes Sarala movement as well as their own Sarala’s centre must have attracted Devi’s “Fencing Club”, obviously a perceptions of the role women played. wide attention because Jatin Banerjee, reference to her Ballyganj gymnasium. In its nascent form, the revolutionary Aurobindo’s emissary from Baroda, met Sarala’s association with the movement movement received active support from her on his arrival in Calcutta. Aurobindo, actually ended with her marriage in 1905 a woman - Sarala Ghosal (Devi). It also then settled in Baroda, had sent to Rambhaj Dutta, a Punjabi Arya owed its inspiration to Banerjee with the object of forming a Samajist. After marriage Sarala left who, however, did not join the secret group in Bengal. Bengal; however, she continued with movement. In 1902 also introduced her social activities and set up Bharat Sarala Devi Birastami, a ritualistic initiation Stri Maha Mandal around 1910-11 to Often introduced as Rabindranath’s ceremony with religious overtones, and spread education among women. niece, Sarala deserves attention in her started Pratapaditya Utsav in 1903 on One reason for Sarala’s interest in own right. Her mother, Swarnakumari the lines of Shivaji Utsav introduced revolutionary politics is revealed in a Devi, was the first woman delegate to a by B. G. Tilak in Maharastra. She also quote from her memoir Jivaner Congress session (1899). Swarnakumari played an instrumental role in the Jharapata. What pained her most was also edited the Bengali monthly, formation of Suhrid Samiti in 1900. This the “cowardice- the blot on Bengal’s Bharati; Sarala also was its editor for a was a new revolutionary organisation forehead”. Hers was an attempt to “wipe while. based at (now in it off” (p. 136). Sarala during this time In 1902, the year which saw the birth ). wrote a hard-hitting article Bilati Ghusi of , Bengal’s earliest Sarala, however, differed with Jatin Banam Deshi Kil (Foreign Blows vs revolutionary group, Sarala set up a Banerjee and other organisers over the Native Fists, Bharati/ Asar 13lOb, June- gymnasium at 26 Ballyganj Circular question of as a fundraising July 1903). In the article she gave an Road in South Calcutta. The movement means and kept away from Anushilan account of various cases of Indians’

30 MANUSHI humiliation at the hands of Britishers the party on the charge of having a third co-wife all along.8 and urged the youth to come to blows relation with a woman.5 According to Another housewife who also with the sahibs to “counter the insult Trailokyanath Chakravarty, a leader of suffered imprisonment during 1917 was with their own hands.” the Anushilan Samiti, there were Sindhubala Devi. She was arrested She dwells on her differences with some attempts to recruit young girls at following a police raid on her house in over some issues the initial stage but later the plan was search of her husband. but says little about the hurdles she had dropped.6 In some cases women discarded by to overcome in the process of Nanibala - Dukaribala society as ‘fallen’ also helped the establishing herself as an independent Nanibala Devi, widowed in her early activists in one way or another. In 1907, thinking woman. She rather surprises life, dared to communicate information when the police mercilessly attacked a us by asserting that a childless woman to a political prisoner by meeting him in group of Swadeshi volunteers in a north should accept her husband’s second jail posing as his wife in 1915. She later Calcutta street, prostitutes retaliated by marriage since that is the “culture of sheltered some young activists throwing stones at the police from Hindu women.”3 connected with the celebrated German rooftops.9 Kshudiram Basu, one of the Sarala in her memoir alleges that her Plot mooted by Jyotindranath first Bengal martyrs, being deserted by activities were jeered at in some Bengali Mukherjee (Bagha Jyotin), the his family received shelter in one such papers (pp.127-29). But there was the legendary martyr in the battle woman’s house.10 Numerous other other side also. In 1903, when Sarala (September 1915). Nanibala was finally incidents of this sort remain took to the streets to collect funds in arrested and in jail she had to suffer undocumented. aid of the widow of a punkha coolie inhuman physical torture (powdered Girls joining ‘Corps’ brutally kicked to death by an Women’s participation increased in Englishman, Bengali (28 Nov. 1903), the second phase of the movement in edited by renowned Congress leader the late 1920s. Young girls, mostly from S.N. Banerjee, felicitously commented: better-off families, now took part in “The Indian ideal of womanhood is at ‘actions’ and began to stir the nation once an elevating and inspiring one, and with their exploits. They had before fortunately it is not extinct yet.” them the examples of large scale Reverence and Distance participation of women in the Non The first phase of the Bengal Cooperation (1921) and Civil revolutionary movement (1902-15) was Disobedience (1 930) movements. They generally marked by an absence of personally saw or heard of women women’s participation even though the joining in , burning foreign ideological foundation of the movement Nanibala Devi clothes, boldly defying law in the was embodied in the image of a mother Calcutta streets, fighting with the goddess, as found in the celebrated chilly was pushed into her private mounted police and facing physical Bande Mataram composed in 1881 by organ). She, however, did not give in assaults.11 novelist Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. and put up with imprisonment for about Young girls, mostly good students, Later, Aurobindo also contributed to four years. Nanibala was probably the refused to remain content with their this concept. His Bhawani Mandir first woman state prisoner held under studies and began to establish contact pamphlet (1905) enjoined: “We cannot Regulation III of 1818.7 Dukaribala Devi, with secret groups. Kalyani Das, elder get strength unless we adore the mother a housewife from Rirbhum, courted sister of , started a women of strength.” And Bhawani for him was imprisonment (1917-18) on being held students’ organisation- Chatri Sangha “the embodiment of Infinite Energy.”4 on charges of keeping arms in her at . Lila Ray also set up Reverence for women permeated custody. Dukaribala’s political Dipali Sangha, a similar organisation the entire ideology of the movement. experience, writes her son, helped her at Dhaka. The Calcutta girls made their But alongside it, male celibacy get rid of all caste prejudices. A debut in politics by joining Volunteer (brahmacharyaism) was also housewife, she would allow Corps under the stewardship of Subhas prescribed as the ideal of a ‘untouchables’ to enter her kitchen and Chandra Bose during the Calcutta revolutionary’s life. The leaders would face a lot of public criticism for this. She, Congress of 1928. Dressed in uniforms discourage young cadres from mixing however, showed no sign of protest after the military fashion, girls ushered with women. Aurobindo expelled Jatin against her husband’s second and third in a new chapter of women’s Banerjee, his follower and one of the marriages (after the second wife’s participation in the freedom struggle. chief organisers of the movement, from death). She was on good terms with her Chatri Sangha developed a close

No.65 (July-August 1991) 31 link with Dinesh Majumdar, a very able wrote in her diary that Masterda put often disturb her in jail.18 Kamala organiser of revolutionary activities in the “mantle of leadership” on her to “let Dasgupta and Kalyani Das concentrate Calcutta in the early 1930s. Majumdar, the English learn and the world take on their political life; Kalpana Datta who later died a martyr, would train notice that women of our country are wrote short life-sketches of the young girls in physical exercise and no longer lagging behind.” She Chattogram revolutionaries. Neither lathi play.12 Girls were now challenging conducted the raid successfully and wrote anything concerning women. the conventional values. Kamala then committed suicide. The leaflet The memoirs give a detailed Dasgupta narrates in her memoir how found on her body ended with these account of prison life. They describe she accompanied Dinesh Majumdar to sentences : “I earnestly hope that our how the women prisoners fought to be a secret spot in the Botanical Gardens sisters would no longer nurse the view able to wear saris instead of short to discuss important matters.13 In the that they are weak. Armed women of frocks; how they stood against the bad Chattogram group of Chittagong will demolish thousand hurdles, treatment of the matrons; how they Armoury Raid fame, leader disregard thousand dangers and join would spend some of their time enacting better known as Mastarda would the rebellion and the armed struggle for Tagore plays and chanting songs and always encourage young girls to join freedom and will prepare themselves for poems. However, they do not deal with the movement and had as his it. With this hope in my heart I am questions about women in society. lieutenants Kalpana Datta and Pritilata proceeding today for self-immolation.”16 Before setting out to explore the reason Waddeder. Girls would spend nights in for this absence of involvement, we the hideouts and share all the strains of need to mention two exceptions, a revolutionary’s life. Parul Mukherjee, Shantisudha Ghosh and Bimpalpratibha a Kumilla girl, was in charge of a house Devi. at Titagarh (North 24-Parganas) in Shantisudha which some revolutionary fugitives who A brilliant student of mathematics, had escaped from jail were sheltered. and later a college teacher, Shantisudha Girls in Action was arrested inside the college on Until the beginning of the 1930s November 11, 1933 in connection with women did not take part in any a dacoity case. Otherwise a less known revolutionary actions. In May 1931, figure, her boldly independent thinking, however, Shanti Ghosh and Suniti reflected in Nari, her collection of Choudhury, two Kumilla girls, flatly essays show her to be an important asked whether historical source. he would like to see women in action. Shantisudha says in no uncertain Bose, who had come to Kumilla to Pritilata Waddeder terms that “women have nothing to attend a student’s conference, agreed Thanks to a number of memoirs boast of in the glorious tradition of after a brief hesitation. Inspired by this, written by the women revolutionaries, . They have nothing Prafulla Brahma, leader of the Kumilla we have more information about the role to do with the elevated thoughts girls, prevailed upon their dadas to give of women in the second phase of the contained in the .”19 The rebel them arms and finally Shanti and Suniti movement than in the earlier period. But in her speaks out often. For example, made history by killing Magistrate the memoirs do not always satisfy our she writes: “Women will give fitting Stevens on Dec. 14, 1931.14 specific queries about what these reply to these shastras and samhitas if The incident was strongly revolutionaries thought about women’s they burn these texts just as the Harijans condemned by a section of Congress rights. of Nasik have set fire to Manusamhita.” leaders and intellectuals. Pravasi, a Bina Das, for example, reveals her (p. 17). She espouses the right to Bengali monthly (Paus 1338b Jan. 1932) independent thinking when she divorce and economic independence of wrote: “The country is in a miserable criticises the communists for their over- women and wonders “if a married state; even girls are engaging in killing.” dependence on the U.S.S.R. and charges woman is to put sindur, wear noa and Bina Das’ abortive attempt on Governor the Congress with betraying an shanka, put ghomta round her face to Jackson followed (Feb. 6, 1932). Bina ambivalent attitude towards the heroic prove that she is the wife of someone, herself later said, “My object was to die mass upsurge of 1942.17 But she says why shouldn’t a husband also use and if to die, die nobly fighting against very little about how she perceived her something as the symbol of his this despotic system of government.”13 role as a woman. Shanti Ghosh (Das) husbandhood?”(PP85,37-38). “Wife is Pritilata, whom Surya Sen directed devotes a whole chapter to her treated as husband’s property. Hence to lead an attack on a European club, dilemmas concerning God which would the need for shanka-sindur the trade

32 MANUSHI mark.”(p 40). husband and daughter to live with a oversimplifies the story by projecting What led Shantisudha to take such young man.21 She also proved different the husband as a very reasonable man a radical view of women’s freedom? when she took an interest in socialism who accepts the Surupa-Ramen Does she owe it to her political and joined the workers’ movement in relationship without any suspicion. experience? Shantisudha, now 83, only the late 1930s on her release. Position Within the Party smiles. She had nothing more to say Her novel Natun Diner Alo (Light Women revolutionaries joined the than what she had already written, she of the New Days)22 which she wrote movement mostly as cadres. They were told this writer when they met on April during 1933 while in detention camp motivated more by a revolutionary 30,1989. at Medinipur provides insight into her impulse than by any cogent political Bimalpratibha evolution. Dedicated to the ‘oppressed thinking. While this was also true of Bimalpratibha Devi, wife of Dr. proletariat’, the novel delineates the the male rank and file, women were Charuchandra Banerjee, a physician, transformation of Surupa, housewife of definitely subordinate within the belonged to a very conservative and a rich family, into an individual who revolutionary organisations. According aristocratic Brahmin family in Calcutta. begins to realise the significance of to Ujjala Majumdar (Rakshit Ray), they She had to get over a lot of hurdles to workers’ movements. With her husband were only assigned to perform the come out in the streets to serve the specific duties allotted to them and had country’s cause and actually left her little scope for participating in planning husband and her in-laws’ family in the major actions or strategies. Tales of process. female heroism do exist though. Ujjala, Bimalpratibha joined the Non at great risk, carried arms to Cooperation movement before marriage in connection with an attempt on the under her father’s influence and later life of Governor Anderson in 1934; but acted as volunteer during the Calcutta she had little knowledge about the Congress (1928). She also became close actual plot. Parul Mukherjee, who was to Subhas Chandra Bose during this brought from an eastern Bengal district time. to take charge of a hideout at Titagarh, Defying her in-laws’ objections she near Calcutta also knew little of what actively joined politics and became the was planned or attempted. leading organiser of Nari Satyagraha Other than Pritilata, none of the Samiti in Calcutta during 1930. On June Shantisudha Ghosh women revolutionaries led any 22, 1930 the Samiti took out a historic organised action. Their activities procession in the Calcutta streets in abroad pursuing higher studies, Surupa consisted mainly in storing arms, defiance of Section 144 and took the comes into contact with Ramen, a carrying secret information and police by surprise. Bimalpratibha was working class organiser. Under his arranging shelter for fugitive comrades. arrested and put behind bars for about influence she finds “a new meaning of Shanti and Suniti and Bina Das did, six months. life”. She gradually gets attracted to however, carry out individual and small On October 2, 1931, she was and begins to criticise the group ‘actions’. As their memoirs arrested again in connection with a Congress leadership for “upholding reveal, what propelled them was the ‘dacoity’ at a farm at Canal West Road non-violence but helping perpetuate youthful urge to make history at the risk in East Calcutta. She accompanied five class division based on violence.” of their lives. Bina Das, who had revolutionary activists in her family car (p.93). She dubs the housewives of rich knowledge of how to handle a gun, and sped off with them after the dacoity. families as “dolls to decorate the attempted to kill the Governor at a But on the way they all got arrested household” (p. 103) and emphasises Calcutta University convocation simply and were later tried by a special tribunal. that “a woman should first try to become because Shanti and Suniti’s examples The deputy commissioner of police, a human being - then wife or mother.” made her restive and the state Special Branch, dubbed Bimalpratibha (pp.32-33). Commenting on her brother- ruthlessness “upset my whole being.” as the “brain of the party.”20 She was in-law’s relation with a Marathi woman, After her arrest, she stated in court, “I however acquitted of the charge but Surapa even supports living together would go mad if I could not find relief in rearrested and held as a ‘detenue’ for without marriage. death. I only sought the way to death six years. As a novel Natun Diner Alo has by offering myself at the feet of my According to one of her colleagues, many shortcomings. For example, the country.” Kamala Dasgupta in her she confronted a lot of public criticism- author gives no explanation for memoir Rakter Akshare (pp. 53-58), if not calumny - when she left her Surupa’s conflict with her husband and reminisces that Bina one day told her

No.65 (July-August 1991) 33 that she needed a revolver because “I in an interview, Ujjala perhaps had in Most of the women revolutionaries wish to attempt on the Governor.” When mind her own experience of having been who had made their debut in politics in Kamala warned her of the provided shelter by Shovarani Datta the late 1920s or early 1930s continued consequences, Bina smilingly retorted: who belonged to another group. Both with their socio-political activities in “I don’t mind being hanged. And if I were later arrested together. some form or the other until am sentenced to life imprisonment, I Accounts of prison life in their Independence. Suhashini Ganguly was shall spend the days teaching girls like memoirs give proof of cordial attached to the women’s front of the Shanti and Sunili.” Bina’s was a rather relationship among women prisoners CPI. Kalpana Datta engaged in relief impulsive decision and as she later from different groups. Within the four work after the 1943 famine. Bimalpratibha admitted, “an outrage to my nature.” walls of the prison they seemed to have Devi got in touch with working class Shanti and Suniti’s objective was to formed a sanctuary of their own. movements, and in the late 40s, played show the country that women could Post-Independence Period a major role in the release of political also use arms. Still in their early teens, Some of the women revolutionaries prisoners. Shanti Das, before joining the they were too young to view politics in such as Bina Das, Lila Ray and Ujjala Congress, took an interest in trade its broader perspective. They silently union activities. Bina Das became the put up with physical torture at the time secretary of the South Calcutta of arrest because, writes Shanti Ghosh Congress Committee. Of the other (Das), they knew that their “mission is prominent figures, Parul Mukherjee, over” as the magistrate had been killed. Shantisudha Ghosh and Ujjala Rakshit (Arun Banhi, pp. 16-17). Ray, however, retired from public life. Their outlook had its roots in the Both the movement for the release ideology of the movement, which of political prisoners and the 1943 famine asserted that the country’s torpidity brought together Congress and could only be eliminated by individual communist workers on the same acts of bravery. The best proof of platform. Former women revolutionaries bravery, it was believed, lay in killing now belonging to different parties government officials. This ideology joined hands with each other for the would also set the greatest store by self- common cause. Some of them immolation, in the belief that “by laying belonging to the Congress had already down our lives we shall enliven the Rakshit Ray, in their later years, chose set up Congress Mahila Sangha and nation.” For example Jatin Das their spouses from among their brought out a women’s journal committed self-immolation on the 64th comrades: Kalpana Datta married P.C. Mandira, under the editorship of day of his hunger strike in prison. Joshi, once the secretary of the Kamala Mukherjee, and then under Women revolutionaries, as their undivided . memoirs bear out, had little role to play Others such as Suhasini Ganguly, Parul Kamala Dasgupta. The communist in decision-making. There was little Mukherjee and Kamala Dasgupta, group would later start a journal Ghare intimacy among the revolutionaries. The remained unmarried. Their post- Baire. three major groups- Anushilan, revolutionary careers also found But a large section of the women and B.V.- were at loggerheads expression in different directions. revolutionaries became a shadow of with each other. The leaders were not Suhasini, Kalpana and Kamala their former politically active selves in always free from sectarianism. Women Mukherjee joined the Communist Party; the post-Independence period. The revolutionaries would also become Pratibha Roychoudhury became a communists like Suhasini, Kalpana divided along group lines and this member of the Republican Socialist Dutta and Kamala Mukherjee remained factionalism sometimes affected their Party. Shanti Das joined the Congress active. Shanti Das not only remained mutual relationship. Ujjala Rakshit Ray, after a brief association with the CPI. active in politics, she became a member Shanti Das and Pratibha Roychoudhury Bina Das and Kamala Dasgupta of the Legislative Council in the 1950s. lament this unhappy trend of the developed a close link with the Bina Das also maintained an active life movement. “We would often feel Congress. Both of them accompanied for some time. Bina had been involved ashamed at this,” writes Shanti. Ujjala, Gandhiji on his historic visit to Noakhali, in the historic youth upsurge in Calcutta however, asserts that while the leaders an eastern Bengal district, after the 1946 (November 1945) for the release of the failed, ordinary members, especially the riots. Some of the women INA prisoners. While the senior women, often cut across group revolutionaries took part in the 1942 Quit Congress leaders vacillated, Bina Das differences. While admitting this to me India movement. along with Jyotirmoyee Ganguly

34 MANUSHI remained with the agitating youths for Patriotism had definitely the better the entire campaign. In her memoir of gender questions. According to Srinkhal Jhankar (pp. 146-48) Bina has Kamala Mukherjee (Chatterjee), they described the movement as were aware of social evils like dowry “unprecedented.” The entire Calcutta but did not think seriously about these first “seemed to have gone mad,” she issues, because “we were then after writes. Bina in her later life engaged only one goal- the country’s freedom.”24 mainly in social work whereas Kamala Wedded to the cause of freedom for Dasgupta concentrated on literary their country they fought foreign rule activities. Her Swadhinata Sangrame and purdah in their private lives. Banglar Nari stands out as a valuable However, they could not conceive of account of Bengali women’s role in the women’s rights as a component of their Indian freedom struggle. political movement. That the women revolutionaries Kalpana Datta To be fair to them, such an could not sustain their political life for awareness was rare at that time in any long does not mean that their interest to the conservative trend by equating political movement. in politics was shortlived. Talking to chastity with freedom. In any case, some of the surviving revolutionaries given the structure of a typical political References one gets the impression that they party (all the more so with an 1. , Jivaner simply could not adjust to the politics underground terrorist party), an Jharapata, pp 178-79. of the post -1947 period. Those who individual member had very little 2. Home (Pol Confidential F. No. 25/1906 Appendex, H.) joined the CPI did get a new lease of life freedom to express his/her view. Both 3. Jivaner Jharpata, p. 189. under the impact of its ideology, yet Bina Das and Kamala Dasgupta tacitly 4. J.C. Ker, Political Trouble in India, pp.30- others within and outside the Congress criticise this ‘party culture.’ According 36. bloc began to feel a sort of ideological to Kamala, they were not free to mix with 5. Hemchandra Kanungo, Banglaya Biplab Prachesta, p. 24. void. It was too hard for them to accept each other beyond party needs. Bina 6. Trailokyanath Chakravarty, Jele Trish the manipulative politics pursued by writes: “Everything remained Batsar, p 52. the Congress. Neither could they feel enshrouded in a pall of mystery. There 7. Kamala Dasgupta, Swadhinta Sangrame at home in the complexities of was no freedom to question.”23 Banglar Nari, pp.36-40. 8. Sourendra Kumar Chakravarty, Banglare parliamentary politics. As Ujjala Rakshit Interestingly however, some of the Meya Dukaribala, pp. 60-61,73-74. Ray remorsefully recalls, they found issues found their way to a section of 9. Bupendranath Datta, Bharater Dwitiya themselves “unfit” in the new political the journal published by revolutionaries Sadhinatar Sangram, p. 186. setup. A feeling that “our sacrifice has themselves. Shakha, brought out by a 10. Kanungo, op cit, p.74. 11. Kamala Dasgupta, op cit, pp.79-81. not been properly valued” also pained group which opposed the Non 12. Kalyani Das, Jivan Adhyan, pp 179. them. Shantisudha Ghosh and Pratibha Cooperation movement, would 13. Kamala Dasgupta, Rakter Akshare, pp.12- Roychoudhury also shared this regularly publish a column titled 13. sentiment. Meyeder Katha (Women about 14. My interview with Shanti Das (Ghosh) on March 19,1989 only eight days before her The Other Fetters themselves). In the 20 Chaitra, 1328b death. Reflections on women’s status in issue Asrumati Devi questioned 15.Quoted in Arun Guha’s The Story of the 19th and early 20th century Bengali whether women in the present political Revolution, p. 175 circumstances should remain confined 16.Chittagong Uprising Golden Jubilee literature were mainly by male authors. Souvenir, (1980-81), pp.69, 71. They were marked by a Victorian to their homes. Again in the 8 Shravana 17.Bina Das, Srinkhal Hankar, pp.74,130- morality. This literature was more 1329 issue Amiya Devi cautioned 31. interested in focussing on a woman’s women: “Don’t resist men who help you. 18. Shanti Das (Ghosh), Arun Banhi, pp. 58- But don’t depend too much on them. 60. chastity than on her freedom as an 19. Shantisudha Ghosh, Nari, p.17. individual human being. This literature At the root of their help lies their vested 20. Home (Pol) Confidential 673/1931. must have had some impact on women interests.” 21.Bimalpratibha Devi, Nalun Dinner Alo, revolutionary workers. The However revolutionary literature, in (Reprint, 1958). general, did not attach importance to 22.My interview with Pratibha revolutionary novel Pather Debi and Roychoudhury, 7 July, 1989. works of Sarat Chattopadhyay, Bengal’s women’s issues. Awareness of the 23. Kamala Dasgupta, Raktar Akshare, p. 13. most popular novelist and a favourite phenomenon that women are doubly Bina Das, op cit, p. 29. of the revolutionaries, also contributed oppressed in society was absent. 24.Interview with Kamala Mukherjee. r

No.65 (July-August 1991) 35

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