Freedom. When we hear the word ‘freedom’, we think of Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Sarojini Naidu and the many heroes who fought for India’s independence. We even know the various movements and events that consequently led to our freedom. But how many of us know the places that were cradles of uprisings, rebellion and peaceful protests? Of cities where revolutionary ideas were born and implemented? Of towns that are as important to the history of Indian independence as much as the people itself?
Let’s look at a few such places — some popular, some not as much — that deserve credit for their role in the Indian freedom movement.
Champaran
A district in Bihar, this is the place where the first Satyagraha movement took place even before the term ‘Satyagraha’ came into popular use to refer to a national movement. Gandhiji was on a visit to the district to assess and prepare a report on the condition of farmers forced to grow Indigofera. They were being exploited by the British. But Gandhiji was threatened and asked to leave. He was officially barred from continuing his work at Champaran. But Gandhiji refused to acknowledge this, even after being arrested and produced in court. Thousands of people swarmed the court and police station to protest his arrest and the court was forced to let Gandhiji go and even allowed him to resume his work. It was a demonstration of the success of a civil disobedience movement which later served to influence the Satyagraha movement.
Sabarmati
A suburb of Ahmedabad city of Gujarat, it gained national and even international prominence for the ashram, one of the four residences of Gandhiji where he lived for around 12 years with his wife Kasturba Gandhi. Formerly called the Satyagraha Ashram, it was founded by Gandhiji on his return from South Africa, on May 25, 1915, at Kochrab. Later, it was shifted to its present place on the banks of the Sabarmati in July 1917.
The Government of India declared it a national monument for its significant role in the Indian freedom movement. It was from here that Gandhi led his famous Dandi March, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, on 12 March 1930 to protest the British Salt Law, which spread into several civil disobedience movements across the country in a major defiance of the British rule.
Bombay
This city is the birthplace of the Indian National Congress, which was the political face of the freedom struggle since its formation on December 28, 1885 at the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College. British civil servant Allan Octavian Hume is credited as the founder, while Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee was its first president.
It was during one of the All-India Congress Committee sessions in Bombay on August 8, 1942, that Gandhiji launched the ‘Quit India’ movement with his speech: “It is to join a struggle for such democracy that I invite you today. Once you realise this you will forget the differences between the Hindus and Muslims, and think of yourselves as Indians only, engaged in the common struggle for independence.” The next day all the top leaders including Gandhiji and Jawaharlal Nehru were arrested which spurred nationwide protests.
Madras
Earlier a part of the Madras Presidency, Madras was known for its great sense of nationalism during the British rule. It was home to several freedom fighters like Subramanya Bharathi, V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, K. Kamaraj, Sir S. Subramania Iyer, and several others. The first session of the Indian National Congress, which was held in Bombay in 1885 saw 72 participants, of which 22 were from Madras Presidency. The third session was held in Madras in 1887 and was attended by 362 delegates from the region.
According to the article “Madras and the Freedom Movement” published in The Hindu , Gandhiji stayed in C. Rajagopalachari’s house in Madras in March 23, 1919. It was here he got the idea of a nationwide hartal where “the people of India observe a fast, engage in prayer and hold public meetings in a peaceful manner on April 6. Thus was born the Non-Cooperation Movement.”
Meerut
A small city in Uttar Pradesh, it has seen settlements as old as the Indus Valley Civilisation. And it is also the place where India’s “first” war of independence took place. The East India Company had established the Meerut Cantonment in 1803, but rising discontent among the sepoys or soldiers led to what is now referred to as the First War of Independence in 1857. The uprising quickly escalated and spread to other areas and posed a major threat to the East India Company.
The temple of Augarnath, also known as the Kali Paltan Mandir of Meerut, was a place frequented by the kali paltan (black army — a term used by the British to refer to Indian soldiers), as it was close to the barracks. It is said that many freedom fighters have also stayed at the temple while organising secret meetings with officers of the army.
