This is the story of that brave, patriotic, kind-hearted woman who gave up a life full of glory and chose the path of thorns. She was rich but her heart beat for the poor. Even she did not know when, while serving the country's society, she became the mother of many Indians including Veer Savarkar. This brave woman hoisted the tricolor in Germany at a time when the British were in power.
At least the Indian young generation should know about that brave woman, whom the world and history still remembers with full respect by the name of Bhikaji Cama. Today i.e. 24th September is the birth anniversary of Madam Cama. He was born in a Parsi family in Mumbai in the year 1861. Father was a big businessman. Had a very loving upbringing. The studies were also excellent. Even though the new generation knows little about that gentle lady, the Bhikaji Cama Place, famous by her name, in New Delhi is on their lips for many reasons.
hatred of British rule
Even during his college days, he had a passion for service towards society and country. He did not like British rule. She wanted to see India free at any cost. She would also take out the opportunity and make efforts for that. Later, she also worked with Dada Bhai Naoroji as his secretary. He was 35 when the plague started affecting people in Mumbai in the year 1896. Had family responsibilities. Despite this, she started serving the plague patients and helped them as much as possible, but after a few days she herself became a victim of plague.
kept the flame of freedom burning on foreign soil
She recovered but due to side effects, on the advice of the doctor, she went to London in 1902 for treatment. The treatment continued and so did Madam's movement for India's independence. During this time, she kept roaming in many countries including France, Germany, America and kept raising the flag of India's independence.
In the year 1907 the date was 22 August. International Socialist Congress was held in Stuttgart city of Germany. There Madam Cama hoisted the tricolor designed by her along with the freedom fighters. On his appeal, people stood up and paid respect to the tricolor. This tricolor was different from today's tricolor but Vande Mataram was written in Devanagari in the middle.
kept writing in an aggressive manner
He appealed to the British for help in India's independence on German soil. After this incident, she started being recognized as the hero of the freedom movement. The word Vande Mataram was very close to his heart. He published a newspaper with the same name, which talked only about independence. His writing was very sharp. She continued writing in an attacking style. She wanted to eliminate imperialism from the entire world with the help of India's independence.
Got the name – Mother and great priestess of the Indian Revolution
When she got the opportunity to work at the international level, she improved and so did her movement. Now she had also come under the notice of the British. While the people of India addressed her as the mother of the revolution, the mother of the Indian revolution, the great priestess, the British called her a dangerous revolutionary, anti-British and what not.
Madam Cama also started book publishing from London. She would form a group of youth there and unite them in support of India. He also helped Veer Savarkar in book publishing. In between, there came a time when she was banned from coming to India, but she kept trying out of love for the country and even came back. Due to his works, he had gained considerable influence in Europe. She continued to intensify the freedom movement.
Publication of Vande Mataram from France
When the British started thinking of arresting her, she went to France as soon as she got wind of it. From here he published Vande Mataram and later Talwar. The publications which the British would have banned in India, she continued to make available in France. He also published Savarkar's book Summer of 1857 in French. This was a huge task.
When Veer Savarkar's health deteriorated, he came to France and stayed with Madam Cama. Savarkar considered her as his second mother. There was a lot of affection between both of them. As soon as Savarkar's health improved, while trying to return to London, he was illegally arrested from French soil. Actually, British officer Jackson was murdered in Nashik, India. The allegation was that Savarkar not only conspired for this murder but also provided the pistol. After his arrest it was decided to send him to India.
Called Savarkar's 'mother'
As soon as she received the information that she was being taken to India, Madam Cama reached the port directly but the ship had already taken Moriya Savarkar. Worried, Cama returned to France. The information about this illegal arrest was widely circulated. This brought disgrace to the British government. To ensure that Savarkar was not harmed, Madam Cama wrote to the British Ambassador in Paris that it was not Savarkar but her role in sending the pistol to India. Despite this, the British government sentenced Savarkar to Kala Pani.
Britain requested the French government to send Madam Cama to India but it was not heard. Then the British government confiscated his property in India. He had to constantly flee to different countries. She returned to India in old age and breathed her last on 13 August 1936 in the same Mumbai where she was born. However, later his life was spent in suffering. She remained almost in anonymity.
But, his contribution to the Indian freedom struggle is remembered with respect. The way he told the world about the atrocities of the British rulers, sought support while advocating independence, took the alleged crime of Savarkar on himself, all this establishes him as a leader.
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