Orissa Review

birth is known as tribals are mouth of the bear. The bear never careful about recording being afraid of the blow ran Sandi Sabar these. Nilakantha was the first away into forest and child of the couple. Bairu was disappeared. of Kujendri : the Gamang or chief of his When she was village. As such Nilakantha and nineteen, she had to look after A Little Sandi were brought up with some minor household works great care in accordance with and helped her parents. She Known Tribal the tribal system. As there were had to graze cattle and goats in no educational facilities, Sandi the nearby jungle. She also Lady Freedom was illiterate. Since her helped her parents in planting childhood she was brave, seedings, weeding etc. in Fighter fearless and simple in character. agricultural seasons and also She had a pleasant personality helped them in fetching fire and was liked by all, Raghunath Rath wood and water. She also took irrespective of age and sex. part in community feasting and The following story is dancing. Thus she was leading an evidence of her bravery. In a tribal way of life till the young Till she was nineteen, she never the last week of February 1940, Satyagrahi Biswanath's arrival dreamt that she would be a Sandi, with other women of the at Kujendri. village went to collect mahua soldier in the country's freedom I would like to mention flower from the forest at the struggle nor had she heard a few words about Biswanath foothills near their village. They about 's independence Pattnaik unless the episode of had started early in the morning, movement. She was leading a Sandi could not be understood. and as they followed their sparse life surrounded with Biswanath Pattnaik (1916) regular pattern of each one illiteracy, ill health, malnutrition born at village Kumarada near choosing a particular tree. and hunger like her fellow Digapahandi in Ganjam district. When Sandi went near her tribals. Her wake up call came At the age of seventeen he chosen tree she saw a bear when she met Biswanath joined as a social worker and eating mahua flower. The bear Pattnaik who had arrived at the was influenced by Acharya soon turned and lurched scene at Kujendri in the last part Harihar. He had rendered his towards her with the intention of January 1940. It was after services at the car festival of Sri of harming her. The quick this meeting that she Jagannath at Puri by serving the witted Sandi gathered her discovered the soul within her cholera affected people in the courage and picked up a long and set on the path of a year 1934. On the way back wooden sal pole lying nearby revolutionary. from Puri, he enlisted his name and chased the bear. Sandi was born to in the Congress as a four anna Bairu Gamang and Lujuri as When the bear member at Berhampur and their second child in the first half attacked her opening his mouth, purchased a Charkha (spinning of 1922. No exact date of her Sandi pushed the pole into the wheel) and cotton. From that

August - 2010 65 Orissa Review day onwards he would spin Biswanath and were influenced Rama Devi saw Sandi there and cotton thread and wore only by his personality. expressed her eagerness to get khadi cloth. Biswanath single her trained at the Bari Ashram. He enrolled for getting handedly without seeking any Later Acharya Harihar training to be a Satyagrahi at the body's help started cleaning the and Prana Krushna Padhiary Ashram at Bari which was village streets from the very reached Kujendri to encourgae founded by Sri Gopabandhu next morning. He talked to the Biswanath and give him Choudhury and mother Rama people and asked them to encouragement for the good Devi in the year 1938 and cultivate cotton and to spin work that he was doing. On the completed his training in 1939. thread and weave Khadi. He 2nd of October 1941 they He was then engaged in some also convinced them not to buy accompnied Biswanath along official work at the Bari Ashram. dhotis and sarees made in the with some Sauras and Doms In the beginning of 1941 he mills. Biswanath propagated and went to the Radha Krishna was directed by his guru among the tribals Mahatma temple for woership and to Gopabandhu Choudhury to go Gandhi's doctrines and his eradicate untouchability. This to , now in work for the independence of time too Sandi was given charge district, for extension of cotton India. In his free hours he to gather women from the cultivation and to promote the started teaching tribal boys and Saura and Dom communities. Khadi programme. girls. He toured extensively in She successfully managed her the tribal villages. Gradually the Biswanath stepped responsibility and helped in tribals started to believe into Gunupur on the first eradicating untouchability in the Biswanath and acted according fortnight of January 1941 and area. to his direction. The Saura stayed with Prahallad Panigrahi tribals cultivated improved To fulfil the wish of a prominent Congress worker cotton seeds and yielded a Rama Devi, Sandi was anxious and manager of the Khadi Sale good harvest that year. Sandi to go to Bari. Hence she Centre. Prahallad Panigrahi was leader among tribal women prepared herself. Bhagaban convinced Bairu Gamang to for cultivation and spinning Senapati a Congress worker of give shelter to Biswanath. thread and Biswanath being village Gulumunda donated her Accordingly on the last Sunday supported by the Sauras a mat worth of Rs.2.00. Then of January 1941 Biswanath established some country Sandi wore a Khadi saree and proceeded to San kujendri with looms for weaving Khadi. started for Bari with Biswanath Bairu Gamang. Doms were the traditional Pattnaik. They travelledf by the Biswanath reached weavers of that area. He narrow gauge railway line from San Kujendri at sunset and trained some Sauras in the Gunupur to Nuapada and then stayed on the verandah of Bairu weaving technology with the by broad gauge rail line to and took his food prepared in help of a Dom. Nilakantha and Haridaspur. They then went to the kitchen of the tribal family. Sandi also learned weaving Bari by foot. At Bari, Sandi was Nilakantha and Sandi also from him. The Sauras prepared renamed as Shanti and took up served him. The family of Bairu khadi themselves. After some vigourous training for six were soon greatly involved with time on the way to Wardha, months. She learned to spin

66 August - 2010 Orissa Review cotton thread, weaving, an enquiry into the Kujendri Bairu was standing on a cleaning of village to eradicate matter. platform holding another flag in untouchability to speak truth all On receipt of the his hand. The Collector shouted the time, believe in non-violence enquiry report from the Sub- his orders to tear the flags. All etc. She also learned Oriya and Divisional Magistrate, of a sudden Sandi and about was soon able to read and Rayagada, the Collector of twenty young women rushed write. She also learned the Koraput programmed a visit to towards the flag post and ashram way of life, prayers in Gunupur. In order to threaten surrounded it in a circle, joining morning and evening, flag songs the Sauras he chalked out a hands with each other. Another as well as leading a routine and plan for a show of strength. The circle was made by the elder simple life. Collector gathered together a ladies which covered the first circle. They were determined On returning to party consisting of himself, to protect the flag in exchange Kujendri she become a role some armed police and forest of their lives. model and torch bearer among employees, a few powerful the Saura women of her area. Sahukars, some persons of the About two hundred She vigorously acted to royal family, prominent money Sauras observed the situation propagate the constructive lenders and a few non-tribal sitting on the verandas of the work that she had learnt at Bari Oriya landlords. The party street. All of them were Ashram among the tribals and walked on foot from Bamunihat prepared as they had covered soon became the leader of to Kujendri, except for the themselves with winter clothing tribal women. Collector, who rode on a and held weapons hidden horse. inside. During his stay at Kujendri, Biswanath taught flag On the other hand The women encircled songs to the inhabitants of the Sauras too had made their the flag post and danced village and used to hoist the programme to protest the vigorously singing the song Congress flag every morning Collector's visit. It was decided "Jhanda ucha rahen hamara." and ritually get it down in the that on the appointed day The Collector silently observed evening. All the inhabitants were Biswanath would remain the situation and looking at the accustomed to his flag hoisting. absent at Kujendri. Bairu tense situation decided not to During the absence of Gamang, his son Nilakantha take any action then and there. and daughter Sandi would play He led the party to the lower Biswanath, the tribals the main role with the other primary school to take rest, as continued to hoist the flag villagers putting up their efforts. they were tired after the long without any interruption. This walk. From there the Collector news reached the ears of the On the appointed day and his party returned without Collector of Koraput Mr. in the first part of July 1942 the taking any action. Willcock. He ordered the Sub- Collector and his party arrived Divisional Magistrate, at Kujendri and noticed that a On 9th August 1942 at Rayagada, who was also an Congress flag was flying on the Bombay, Gandhiji called for the English man and the Taluk flag post in middle of the street "Quit India Movement." He Magistrate, Gunupur to cause and a person named Jhandu instructed all Congress workers

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"do or die" for the independence On the fixed date protestors were called to the of the country. Many high level many tribals gathered at police station and after Congress leaders were arrested Kujendri. About two hundred detention for some time they and put behind bars. Radha men and fifty women assembled were allowed to go. All the Krushna Baswasray from to go in a procession. The Satyagrahis were released from Koraput had attended procession marched towards the Police Station at sunset. As Gandhiji's Quit India meeting at Gunupur. The procession was it was late, they all stayed back Bombay. When he returned led by Jhandu Bairu who was at Gunupur for the night. from Bombay, he was arrested walking with a Congress flag. The next morning the at Sunki in Koraput district. Sandi too led the women, procession went to the nearby Biswanath got a letter from holding a flag in her hands. villages and propagated the Radha Krushna Biswasray on Many tribals followed, shouting words of Gandhiji and the 12th August 1942, where slogans against the British independence. Likewise they the facts were narrated. Government and Raja of moved around different villages Jeypore. Biswanath was for four to five days and then On receipt of the letter leading the mob and the whole Biswanath prepared some hand returned to Kujendri. They process was one of non- were sent to Koraput Jail as written pamphlets and sent violence. The mob made its them to each and every village they were found guilty under way from Sankujendri to British Law. in the Gunupur region. He also Gunupur and on the way fixed a date for launching of passed through Kaithapadar. After Biswanath's Satyagraha. He held discussions Badakujendri, Lachhapa, arrest, there was no one to with the people and told them Gulumunda, Paaka and instruct Sandi. On her own that they should join the Quit Panasguda. Many men and initiative, Sandi organised India Movement even at the women from these villages Saura women of twenty five cost of being put in jail or being joined the procession villages around Kujendri and shot in police firing. But he also spontaneously. Gradually the trained them in spinning thread. promised them that after strength of the procession It is known that nearly 1500 independence, the tribals would increased and the crowd was spinning wheels were at regular not be harrased by the more than three hundred work towards the end of 1942. employees of the Raja or the persons when they reached the From 1942 to 1945 Sandi British Government. They bank of the river Bansadhara. dedicated herself to village reconstruction work. would be able to live in peace The procession according to their own accord, crossed the river by boats and Sandi was against Bethi and veti will be stopped. entered Gunupur town. They getting married till 1945. When Hearing the words of travelled through each street of asked by the village elders, she Biswanath many Sauras the town shouting anti replied that her work was not willfully agreed to join in the government slogans. The local yet done, and she would movement. They decided on a police had been given consider getting married only date for launching the instructions not to obstruct the after the country get its movement. procession. Later the independence. However she

68 August - 2010 Orissa Review succumbed to the pressure and Madhusudan resigned from his struggle in Kujendri area. Due agreed for marriage. government service and to her constant effort Saura Prahallad Panigrahi contested the elections as a women used to spin and were had suggested a proposal to candidate for Orissa Legislative made aware about independence Bairu. The boy was Madhu Assembly in the first election and participation in 1942 Quit Sabar of village Khilipadar. held on 1952. He could not India Movement. She took part Madhu was then serving in succeed in election. After in the freedom struggle for a P.W.D Office, Nabarangpur. resigning from service Madhu short span from 1941 to 1946. Bairu with some of his relatives resided at Kujendri and But within that short period she went to Nabarangpur and worked as a teacher. On 27th attracted the attention of many discussed with Madhu and later November 1954 Sandi gave state leaders like Gopabandhu Madhu also came to Kujendri birth her second son Nandan. Choudhury, Rama Devi, Naba talked with Sandi. They were After delivery she suffered from Babu, Acharya Harihar and both willing and the marriage profuse bleeding which could many others due to her sheer was solemnised in the last part not stopped and she breathed dedication. She will be ever of 1946. After marriage Sandi her last on the 28th November remembered among the few went to stay at Nabarangpur 1954. Thus ended the life of a tribal lady soldiers of freedom with her husband. Her first son great soul. struggle for her selfless work. Balakrishna was born at Sandi was a freedom Nabarangpur. Then fighter who never imprisoned. Madhusudan was transferred But when Biswanath and others Raghunath Rath lives at to Koraput. They stayed at remained in Jail, she shouldered Panasapadi, Baliguda - 762103, Koraput till 1951. all the responsibility of freedom Kandhamal.

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