Biography of Babarao Savarkar www.savarkar.org Preface Ganesh Damodar Savarkar was a patriot of the first order. Commonly known as Babarao Savarkar, he is the epitome of heroism that is unknown and unsung! He was the eldest of the four Savarkar siblings - Ganesh or Babarao; Vinayak or Tatyarao, Narayan or Balarao were the three Savarkar brothers; they had a sister named Maina or Mai who was married into the Kale family. Babarao was a great revolutionary, philosopher, writer and organizer of Hindus. The following account is largely an abridged English version of Krantiveer Babarao Savarkar, a Marathi biography written by DN Gokhale, Shrividya Prakashan, Pune, second edition, pp.343, 1979. Some part has been taken from Krantikallol (The high tide of revolution), a Marathi biography of Veer Vinayak Damodar (Tatyarao) Savarkar’s revolutionary life by VS Joshi; Manorama Prakashan, 1985. Details of the Cellular jail have been taken from Memorable Documentary on revolutionary freedom fighter Veer Savarkar by Prem Vaidya, Veer Savarkar Prakashan, 1997 and also from the website www.andamancellularjail.org. Certain portions dealing with Babarao’s warm relations with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh founder Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar have been translated from Dr. Hedgewar’s definitive Marathi biography by Narayan Hari Palkar; Bharatiya Vichar Sadhana, Pune, fourth edition, 1998. Pune, 28 May 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface ...........................................................................................1 1 Early childhood.......................................................................7 1.1 Babarao and Tatyarao: ......................................................................... 8 2 Initial Revolutionary Activities...............................................10 2.1 Liberation of the soul or liberation of the motherland? ........................ 10 2.2 Mitramela and Abhinav Bharat: ........................................................... 11 2.3 First-ever public bonfire of foreign goods: ........................................... 12 2.4 Meeting with Lokmanya Tilak: ............................................................. 12 2.5 Vande Mataram trial:........................................................................... 12 2.6 First imprisonment:.............................................................................. 13 2.7 Last meeting with Tilak:....................................................................... 15 2.8 In Thane jail:........................................................................................ 15 2.9 Constant surveillance:......................................................................... 16 2.10 Serenity in the face of calamity! .......................................................... 17 2.11 The currency note and the medicine bottle: ........................................ 18 2.12 The police raid:.................................................................................... 19 2.13 Narayanrao’s presence of mind: ......................................................... 19 3 Trial and Transportation .......................................................21 3.1 Babarao’s statement: .......................................................................... 21 3.2 The judgement: ................................................................................... 22 3.3 The first month in prison:..................................................................... 22 3.4 Paraded in Nashik:.............................................................................. 23 3.5 Yerwada jail, Pune: ............................................................................. 23 3.6 Trial for diarrhea!................................................................................. 24 3.7 Meeting with Narayanrao: ................................................................... 25 3.8 Momentous events:............................................................................. 25 3.9 Encounter with Guyder:....................................................................... 26 3.10 Unsuccessful efforts of rescue: ........................................................... 27 3.11 The caged lion:.................................................................................... 28 3.12 Farewell, beloved motherland! ............................................................ 28 4 Sita-Savitri Yesuvahini .........................................................30 4.1 Ascetic husband:................................................................................. 31 Biography of Babarao Savarkar Page 2 of 120 4.2 Lonely and distraught!......................................................................... 32 4.3 Arrest of Narayanrao:.......................................................................... 32 4.4 Saantvan:............................................................................................ 33 4.5 Narayanrao re-arrested:...................................................................... 34 4.6 Shunned by society:............................................................................ 34 4.7 Keeping alive the flame of patriotism: ................................................. 35 4.8 Janakibai’s tragedy: ............................................................................ 36 4.9 Narayanrao settles down:.................................................................... 36 4.10 Efforts to release Babarao:.................................................................. 37 4.11 Endless pining for Babarao: ................................................................ 37 4.12 Yesuvahini’s tragic end: ...................................................................... 37 5 Babarao in the Andamans....................................................39 5.1 First encounter with Barrie: ................................................................. 39 5.2 Cellular Jail:......................................................................................... 39 5.3 Hard labour ......................................................................................... 42 5.4 Yoked to the oil-mill............................................................................. 43 5.5 Attacks of migraine:............................................................................. 44 5.6 Bloody diarrhoea! ................................................................................ 44 5.7 Motions whilst standing: ...................................................................... 44 5.8 The first strike by prisoners: ................................................................ 45 5.9 Tatyarao arrives: ................................................................................. 45 5.10 The two brothers meet: ....................................................................... 46 5.11 Correspondence between the brothers: .............................................. 46 5.12 Punished for killing a snake:................................................................ 46 5.13 Communication amongst the prisoners:.............................................. 47 5.14 Babarao’s interactions with fellow inmates:......................................... 47 5.15 Coronation of King George V: ............................................................. 48 5.16 Suicide and insanity: ........................................................................... 49 5.17 Dejection and despair: ........................................................................ 50 5.18 The second strike:............................................................................... 50 5.19 Third strike: ......................................................................................... 50 5.20 Pathetic food: ...................................................................................... 51 5.21 Struggle for books: .............................................................................. 51 5.22 Contemplation: .................................................................................... 52 5.23 Activities of informants: ....................................................................... 53 Biography of Babarao Savarkar Page 3 of 120 5.24 Accusation of murder: ......................................................................... 53 5.25 Attempt to poison Tatyarao: ................................................................ 53 5.26 Death at the doorstep:......................................................................... 54 5.27 Meetings with Narayanrao:.................................................................. 55 5.28 Narayanrao’s efforts:........................................................................... 55 5.29 Intensified efforts for release: .............................................................. 56 5.30 Release from Cellular Jail: .................................................................. 56 6 Prison Life after the Andamans ............................................58 6.1 Glimpse of the motherland: ................................................................. 58 6.2 In Bijapur jail:....................................................................................... 58 6.3 Solitary confinement:........................................................................... 59 6.4 The first lonely night: ........................................................................... 59 6.5 No human contact: .............................................................................