Remembering the Heroes of the Freedom Struggle…
‘The sun never set on the British Empire’. Justifying this adage was the reigning British rule in our country for over 200 years. Many patriots: both radicals and liberals led a stiff struggle against the Raj all over the country.
The epicenter of the freedom movement
Mahatma Gandhi polarized the entire nation with his non-violent struggle. But are you aware that the epicenter of the Mahatma’s freedom ambush was our very own Ahmedabad? The ‘Shankhnaad’ for the mutiny of 1857 was sounded here. This conch shell blowing in our city set the ball rolling for the uprising of 1857, also termed as the first war of Indian independence.
Since times immemorial, when we stress our grey cells, it becomes imminent that our nation has been personified as ‘Bharat Mata’ – giving it the form of feminine infinity and prowess. But also, unknown to many is the fact that the first image of Bharat Mata was curated by an Amdavadi artist. The line up of events was such as if the bylanes of the old city were witnesses to the independence movement. As if, they were spectators of oppression and resurgence, of authoritarianism and people power… al etched in history.
Quit India
Cut to circa 1942….the period when the Quit India movement gained momentum and more and more people started getting attached to it. With this initiation, Gandhiji had declared Amdavad as ‘Maru Sheher’ translated as ‘My City’. This was a title that eluded even the most flourishing cities of the country then !!! In addition, there is one more point that marks Ahmedabad as a prominent place of the freedom movement. Well, in conclusion, the first martyr of the Quit India Movement was from ‘Aapnu Amdavad.’
Khadia’s rise to fame
During those days, the prominence of our very own Khadia cannot be counted as insignificant. The Quit India movement had shaken up people’s emotions so much so that Khadia, a locality of Ahmedabad stirred a hornet’s nest in terms of freedom fight. The energy and readiness of people here made this otherwise sleepy locality of the city shoot to fame far and wide, with its repercussions reaching even the British Parliament. So much so that even the Parliament in the Queen’s country reverberated with the questions of: “What is Khadia ?”
These and many more such tales of valor and grit are hidden here in the realms of our beloved city. Come, let us dive into the history and rake out these precious remnants of our past. Connect with us to refurbish memories and revel in the vast treasure trove of historical facts and events, of bloodshed and vengeance, of upliftment and valor.
Join us in our Kranti Walk to know more about the Kranti yatra and Krantiveers of our country.