Page 91 - AGRANI SAMKALP SILVER JUBILEE SOUVENIR

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KAALA PANI : THE EXPERIENCES OF SWATANTRYAVEER VD SAVARKAR

Dr. Anuradha Asthana Singh
Assistant Professor, Department of Law, MAIMS

“I have not taken this vow blindly; or in the course enquiring at bathing place or in a row
of nature, just to win popularity and fame. This ordeal is for a meal about the health of each
extremely painful; burns the soul like fire. I, know it, other, they were punished to stand for
and I have taken it as Sati takes her vows that she will a week handcuffed. Moreover they
immolate herself on the funeral pyre of her husband” were made to work in the grinding mill.
These words of Savarkar who spent more than fourteen They were yoked like animals to the
years of life in jail for the cause of the motherland depict the handle that turned the wheel. Twenty
courage and dedication of a person to win freedom for the turns of the wheel were enough to drain
country. He was implicated by the then Government of India away the strength of the strongest. No
in the Jackson murder case of 1909 under section 302 and dacoit or a hardened criminal was put to this work of grinding
109 of Indian Penal Code and was sentenced for first oil but the poor political prisoner was fit to do this work at
transportation of life on 24th December 1910 and for second any age. Mostly the political prisoners were educated and of
transportation of life on 30th January 1911. He was deported delicate construction. Coconut pieces were put in the empty
to the cellular jail of Andaman Island which was termed as and hollow plate to be crushed by the wheel passing over
“Kaala Pani” because of the colour of the sea. He was them and its turning became heavier as the space was fuller.
consequently transferred to the inland jails of Calcutta, Continuously yoked from 6AM to 10 AM made their breath
Ratnagiri and Yeravada and finally set free on two conditions. heavy. There was no water for washing hands. Water for
drinking could only be attained after propitiating the Jamadar.
A valiant freedom fighter, Savarkar was an enthusiastic The political prisoner had the hell of their life when sick
social reformer, educator and a prolific writer. Emotionally because they were generally not shifted to the hospital even
stirred by miseries caused by famine and plague, Savarkar in case of extreme illness. Everyone was supposed to
felt depressed and vowed to complete the mission of the complete the quota everyday by evening , otherwise the
martyrs to make India an independent country. At the age of prisoners had to receive thrashing from the Jamadar. And
sixteen he formed the “Mitra Mela”, a group whose aim the daily quota was thirty ponds of coconut oil. Those who
was to attain complete independence for India. The name could not complete their quota were put in the yoke at night
was changed to “Abhinav Bharat” later on. The Cellular
Jail itself had to be closed for the life termers because of the Yoked to the carriage:
incessant organized agitational movements launched by In Andaman it was the fashion for the government
Savarkar. officers to drive in carriages to which instead of harnessing

The present article aims to highlight his experiences and horses or bullocks, yoked convicts of the silver jail. The
his struggle while in the Andaman jail. For most of us prisoners ran them over steep climbs nearly breathless with
independence has become a habit. We don't value it. But it is that exertion and received epithets from their inmates like
high time we must know about the sacrifices and sufferings “go on scoundrels, run on quickly”.
of our freedom fighters and specially of those who had to Savarkar has mentioned about an incident when his elder
undergo rigorous imprisonment at the Kaala Pani. This article brother serving sentence in the same prison was suffering
is based on the book “My Transporation For Life” by VD from diarrhea and his entire cell was dirtied as the cells were
Savarkar. locked from morning to evening. Although he cleaned the
The Kolu : The Oil Mill litter yet could not avoid the insults and indignations of the
The political prisoners were split up and put in different jail officials along with the support staff.
chawls, handcuffed at slightest suspicion and subjected to Credit must be given to Savarkar for organizing a passive
all kinds of punishments. If the prisoners were found resistance against the unendurable rigors and humiliation of

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