Orissa Review August - 2007

Acharya Harihar : A True Nationalist

Dr. Binodini Das

Harihara, one of the leading soldiers of the matured at . Being bound by freedom struggle of India, was born to Mahadeb the self-resolution, Harihar accepted the invitation Brahma and Sradhadevi on the fourteenth day of of Uma Charan Patnaik to join as teacher in Nilgiri the bright fortnight of the month of Phalguna in school. But he left Nilgiri alongwith Gopabandhu the year 1869 A.D. He hailed from the village of Das when the political agent outrightly refused to Sriramchandrapur of Sakhigopal in district. establish a high school there. Then he joined on a His educational career began with the village request in the Ravenshaw Collegiate school as a chahali and the middle vernacular school after substitute of a teacher who went on leave for some which he joined in the Puri Zilla days only to leave after three School with a scholarship from months when he found that the the government to complete the later was not returning. entrance examination. He did his He accepted the request F.A. from the Ravenshaw when he was asked to join in the college. Though, he went to Pyari Mohan Academy at Calcutta to study LL.B at the established by Pyari instruction of Gopabandhu, he Mohan Acharya. He took the could not complete it. challange to confront the naughty "Non-possession of and unmindful boys of the other's belongings" is a lesson classroom. He innovated a novel was taught to him by the technique how to set these boys grandmother who insisted in right terms. He visited their Harihara to return back the houses and watched their coconut that he lifted from the movements and established a road while coming back to the house after finishing cordial relationship with the parents offering the bath in the village pond. He tried to maintain scope to teach the boys freely. This changed the village harmony by organising and participating in relation between the two. He did never punish the fairs and festivals and serving to the people boys for their faults rather he explained them afflicted with the diseases alongwith the friends. convincingly so long they would admit their faults. The childhood friendship with Gopabandhu, In one occasion when the school was facing Nilakantha, Krupasindhu and Ananta really problem for purchasing certain sports articles due

84 Orissa Review August - 2007 to financial crisis, a suggestion was given by some "Bidhaba Ashrama" opened in the house of Dr. teachers to raise the funds through organisation Balakrushna Misra at Puri. The young girls who of a lottery among the student. The headmaster were widow just at the age of 5/6 were brought Nimai Charan Patnaik sought the decision of other to this ashram where all sorts of care like teachers. When Harihara was asked he told that education, for moral and mental development was "Lottery system was a symbol of cheating and extended by Acharya Harihara. But this ashram earning a lot without any kind of labour. Knowing could not run for a long time due to peculiar trouble it how could we teach the method of cheating to and it broke down just two years after. our students ? The headmaster got convinced and At the instruction of Gopabandhu, he the proposal was stopped. roamed around Kanika to collect information and While staying at Sahebzada Bazar with direct evidence on the tyrannical and oppressive some of his students, he made them how to be measures of Kanika zamidar. When Gopbandhu self-dependant and taught them writing, and was imprisoned, he became the editor of 'The yogasanas. Besides, he volunteered to distribute Samaj'. After the breaking down of 'Bidhaba the relief among the flood-stricken people at Ashram', he organised a 'Seva Samiti' to which Kakatpur alongwith the students. "How to liberate people like freedom fighters and social-workers India from the British-Yoke" was the sole thought became the member. Apart from serving the from his childhood which he tried to translate into diseased, other works like Khadi, prohibition of action through creating people of extra ordinary liquor and social-reform, etc. were carried out. It calibre who could face all the grim situations also helped the poor to earn something. After the heroically. He wrote a book called "Child's Easy death of Gopabandhu Das, he left Puri on the First Grammar" for the development of English request of Gopabandhu Choudhury to manage Grammar among the students. He left Pyari the Swaraj Ashram at Cuttack. Mohan Academy to join in the nearly opened The clarion call of to Satyabadi Open Air School which was to be carry out Salt-satyagraha in 1930 created a stir conducted in the green verdant trees of vakula in the nook and corner of India. Accordingly and chhuriana at Sakhigopal. Virtually, the school Gopabandhu Choudhury took the leadership of was the brain child of Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das the Satyagrahis by taking a march on foot from and Acharya Harihara. The school came into Cuttack to Inchudi at Balasore to break the salt- existence because of the persistent effort made law. Gopabandhu was arrested at Kakatia village by Nilakantha, Godabarish, Krupasindhu, after which Acharya Harihar led the procession Basudev and Ananta. As a Superintendent of the to Inchudi receiving welcome from village to village hostel, he became popular among the students. till arrival at the destination. All of them were Though students referred to other teachers as arrested there by the police who were well aware 'Pundit', but Harihara was referred by them as of them. He spent six months at Hazaribag jail in 'Acharya'. The basic objective of the Satyabadi Bihar. Then he spent a number of times in the school was to inculcate the sense of nationalism Hazaribag jail for spreading messages against the among the masses through uniting the whole British rule. people irrespective of caste, creed and religion. The decline of Satyabadi school did not cast any He was a true disciple of Gandhiji who negative impact on his mind rather he cheerfully sincerely worked for attaining freedom of India. accepted Gopabandhu's proposal to work for He spent hours together in the 'Harijan' residences

85 Orissa Review August - 2007 sharing cold-watered-rice with them, sometimes without carring for the cudgel-beat and bullet spinning thread with the girls, collecting firing of the police. They were also arrested and contributory funds from the people to people and put to jail. Acharya taught these fellows inside instructing them to dig the latrines in their the jail. Inside the jail he did hard labour as he did homestead lands. The creation of separate in the Swaraj Ashram. The trio Gopabandhu province of Oissa on 1st April 1936 made some Choudhury, Acharya Harihara and Brajamohan leaders hankering after power and leading there Singh (nicknamed Chatu) formed their own mess to play hide and seek game. Harihara kept himself inside the jail to maintain their resolution i.e. to away from such type of vested interests and take the food just for sustenance. While others devoted his time for the development of the village. resorted to delicious dishes, the trio-mess Once a tough conflict arose over the issue of popularly called as 'go Achu' remained stick to selecting the President for Provincial Congress rice, dal and a curry. Here he translated of Committee. The discussion was going inside the Bhagabat Gita. He got released from the jail in Satyanarayan temple of Nayasarak at Cuttack. the year 1944. He took initiative for mosquito- The apple of discord was where to organise the eradiction from the district of Puri. Both Pandit next conference of the congress whether at Puri Krupasindhu Hota and Acharya Harihara decided or at Cuttack. Two names for the President came that a day would be fixed for algae-cleaning from to the front, one was Pandit Nilakantha and other the ponds and tanks just like people were one was Gopabandhu Choudhury. Finally a group celebrating Raja or Kumarapurnima, Dipabali, of workers suggested Acharya Harihara's name Holi etc. Both of them requested the Zilla Board which was not objected and he was elected Chairman to extend financial support to expedite unanimously as the president. the work. But the Chairman refused to came into aid showing the plea that the Zill-Board had certain A group of youngsters proposed that a limits. But this did not deter Acharya and Hota moral pressure should be imposed on the wealthy who incited people adopting a novel technique. people for the removal poverty and hunger of the A day was fixed and the cleaning process was poor which was outrightly rejected by the carried out which was visited by Chief Minister National Congress Committee. This group formed and other ministers. He became active member parallel committee named as 'Congress Samajvadi of Bhoodan Movement and accompanied Committee." Harihara became a prey to such Vinobajee from village to village in the year 1955. type of idelogical conflict in the year 1938 when Presiding over the 12th Annual Conference of the election was held. He was called as "Acharya Sarvodaya Sammilani held at Sevagrama on 26th Harihara" by the Congress Samajvadi party and March, 1960 the day coinciding with his 83rd got defeated by oen of his former students named birth day, he told that, "Freedom has come. But as Mohan Das of Nuapara. it does not reach village. The sun rises in the east. The launching of Quit India Movement by But does not find the bright sunrays as we close Gandhiji in the year 1942 gave new incentive and our doors." The great soul did the unceasing work moral boost to the freedom fighters. Acharya for the uplift of the people of Orissa and passed Harihara and other freedom fighters were arrested away on 29th February, 1971. because of their active participation and imprisoned at jail. A number of Dr. Binodini Das is a Lecturer in P.G. Department of students leaving studies joined the movement History, , Cuttack.

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