Today, 23rd January 2024, marks the 127th birth anniversary of the par
excellence freedom fighter, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose who was born on 23rd
January 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa to the illustrious parents - an affluent and
successful lawyer Janakinath Bose, and Prabhavati Devi, daughter of Anandamohan
Bosu, a prominent businessman in Cuttack. During the 125th birth anniversary,
in addition to announcing the commemoration of this day, befittingly, as the
Parakram Diwas – in recognition of the quintessential Parakram attributes of
Netaji and his extraordinary daring pursuits for the freedom of our nation –
Shri Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, had unveiled a hologram statue
of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at the India Gate and had announced that a grand
statue of Netaji will be installed at the India Gate “as a symbol of India’s
indebtedness to him”.
Befittingly, as we celebrate the 127th birth anniversary of Netaji
Subhash Chandra Bose today, a jet-black granite statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra
Bose, measuring about 9 meters tall and weighing some 65 Metric Tonnes, has
been installed at the historic India gate canopy. Interestingly, the giant statue
of Netaji was sculpted by the very sculptor – Arun Yogiraj, who is now in the
national news for sculpting the Ram Lalla idol, which was consecrated with the
Pran Pratishtha Ceremony, by the honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi,
at Ayodhya, yesterday. The 41-year-old sculptor, Arun Yogi Raj, belongs to a family
of five generations of sculptors. He was – perhaps - chosen to sculpt the idol
of Ram Lalla, which unfolded its profound beauty in Ayodhya yesterday,
primarily because of the highly appreciated sculpting capability that he had demonstrated
in sculpting the 30 feet statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose installed in the
canopy behind the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate in New Delhi.
The statue of Netaji, standing
majestically tall, commemorates the pivotal role played by Netaji Subhash
Chandra Bose, one of the most iconic and influential leaders, who played a
significant role in the Indian freedom struggle. Netaji’s role and his
militaristic approach in attaining independence for India though were
diametrically opposite to the Gandhian way, it must be recognised that this was
one of the prime reasons for India gaining independence from British Rule. Netaji’s
granite statue at the India Gate will help us all - fellow Indians – to
remember his contributions to the Indian Independence struggle, which will be
etched in the annals of Indian history. It is so very providential that the
very artist – Arun Yogi Raj - who was chosen to sculpt the historic statue of
Netaji for commissioning at the India Gate was commissioned to sculpt the Ram
Lalla idol. It appears that Yogi Raj, the sculptor hailing from Karnataka, has
been gifted with this god-gifted artistic sculpting talent from the legendary sculptor,
Jakanachari, who hails from Karnataka. The legend of
Jakanachari - who is aptly given the epithet “Amara Shilpi” - as a sculptor par
excellence is larger than life, which is evidenced in several temples with fine
sculptures seen in the temples of the Kalyani Chalukyas and Hoysalas.
The grand statue of Netaji, carved by Yogi Raj stands tall in the Indian
Gate Canopy, which has been carved from a monolithic block of granite that
weighed around 280 MT. Several craftsmen and artists, under the leadership of Yogi
Raj, have worked with passion putting in “26,000-man hours of intense artistic endeavour”
in chiselling to produce the statue of Netaji, which weighs around 65 MT. True
to the age-old Indian traditions of crafting and sculpting the best of statues by
sculptors like Jakanachari, the statue of Netaji has been completely hand-sculpted
using traditional techniques and modern tools.
The scale and size of the sculpture of Netaji and the necessity of a
special granite monolithic block to sculpt it ensured that the granite block
had to be transported on a specially designed 100 feet long truck with 140
wheels, which had carried the monolithic granite stone on a journey of more
than 1600 plus km from Khammam in Telangana to New Delhi.
Today as we celebrate the 127th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash
Chandra Bose, we must bow down in reverence to this great son of India who
sacrificed what would have been a lucrative ICS career, in service of our
motherland. All through his life, Netaji dreamt nothing but freedom for the
nation, and in the process, he may have chosen a path, that may not appear to
be the right way for some, but then it must be remembered that his aim was like
that of the legendary Arjuna’s aim, which was to get independence for India
from the colonial rule of the monster rulers – the British - at any cost and that
too for the Akhand Bharat and not the India that we now recognise. It is from this position that we must recognise
his path of divergence from Gandhi. It is this path for freedom for India that manifested
in the formation of the Azad Hind Force, aligning with Japan to confront the
British. Bose's commitment to an unfocused objective of India's freedom
demonstrated his unyielding spirit and perhaps it is the fear of this spirit
which helped in India get the freedom
On this occasion it is apt to recall that historic speech of Netaji,
where he spoke those immemorable words ' Give me your blood, I will give you
freedom' and motivated thousands of his fellow countrymen - the Indian National
Army. Netaji’s appeal motivated thousands of his fellow countrymen, the Indian
National Army, to fight selflessly for Indian freedom, most unfortunately the
INA and the people who fought under its banner, get only a footnote mention
while speaking of our struggle for independence. History and as a corollary all
of us have been unfair to Subhash Chandra Bose and his men, but then
fortunately, though late, his statue standing tall on the ramparts of the
Kartavya Path has made amends and etched his contributions in the annals of
Indian history and ensured that he and his extraordinary unsung heroes - his
fellow INA members and the Azad Hind Force - continue to be remembered and
revered by this indebted nation, even as Bose's controversial death in an air
crash adds intrigue to his legacy. The circumstances surrounding his death
continue to be a subject of debate and scrutiny. As the narrative evolves,
there's a growing acknowledgment of the need to delve deeper into Bose's life,
acknowledging both his extraordinary contributions and the mysteries
surrounding his demise.
Here are some highlights of contributions by Netaji.
Netaji formed the Forward Bloc, on 3rd May 1939, in Makur,
Unnao, after parting ways with the Congress. He resigned from the presidency of the Indian National Congress on 29
April after being outmaneuvered by those who were inimical to the growing stature
of Netaji in Congress. His main focus was advocating for a more aggressive
approach toward attaining independence. This marked a pivotal moment in his
quest for a stronger, united India.
He established the Azad Hind Radio, which he used effectively to
broadcast messages of inspiration and motivation to the Indian masses,
fostering a sense of unity and determination during the freedom struggle.
He founded the Indian National Army (INA) in 1942. This was one of his
most significant contributions and his army contingent comprised of Indian
prisoners of war and civilians. INA
played a crucial role in challenging British rule, particularly in the context
of the Burma Campaign. Unfortunately, due to politics, the contributions of the
INA and how it helped expedite India's attaining freedom from the British have
been completely overlooked at worst and brushed under the carpet at worst.
Netaji proclaimed the establishment of the Azad Hind Government in
Singapore in 1943, reflecting his commitment to providing an alternative
administrative structure for a free India. He visited
the South Andaman district in 1943. On December
30th, 1943, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the Supreme
Commander of the
Under Bose's leadership, the INA participated in the Battle of Imphal in
1944, a significant military engagement against the British forces. Though the
INA ultimately withdrew, the battle demonstrated the strength and determination
of Bose's forces.
Netaji established the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, an all-women combat unit
within the INA, challenging traditional gender roles and showcasing his
progressive vision for an independent India.
He actively sought international support for India's cause, forging
alliances with countries like Germany and Japan. His diplomatic efforts aimed
to garner backing for the Indian independence movement on the global stage.
Long live Netaji
and his INA compatriots in the hearts and minds of Indians.
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