Not all those who wander are lost:
In our march of racy routine, amidst the plights of
hurried trips up and down the trodden path, trampled are those innumerable
magical butterflies. The blessings meant for us, lie silenced in the lips of
unnoticed angels awaiting our mindful glance.
Such was a treasure that was right in front of the
plain sight yet not visible; a treasure from a bygone era - places that were
graced by one of the GREATEST LEADERs witnessed by the world; places which were
'Karmabhoomi' for numerous commoners who found immense inner strength under the
great leadership of Netaji.
Those men were from across India - from many regions,
languages, religions, social strata - stranded on alien soil, uprooted from the
home ground and lost direction and hopes of going back home with the clutches
of World War II tightening up; unaware of who is the real master of their
fates, abandoned by the kingsmen of yesterday and unwelcomed by the new rulers
of today, unsure of the life beyond that moment. Life seemed to be nothing but
a mirage.
Then came the man - Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
When I started blogging on my grandfather Sri
Aiyadurai Pillai's centennial year, I got to stride along the trickling stream
of memories shared by him on World war and INA days in Malaya, and then a new
secret popped out of a letter from my collection of his letters. Having myself
read umpteen number of times, what struck me suddenly was the address that
mentioned - "Syonan, Chancery Lane"
Then, I added this place to my laundry list of
places-to-be-visited in and around Penang & KualaLumpur (KL) in Malaysia;
since we knew he was working in a business firm in Malaya during the dark period
of 2nd world war days; with no communication whatsoever with home since the war
broke. Inspired by Netaji's goal and vision, he joined the IIL(Indian Independence
League) and worked in Pahang branch of Malaya. But he got his training in
Singapore HQ and worked for some time in Singapore Headquarters too. My
Malaysia trip tracing his footsteps is still to be made.
My favourite saying from Paulo Coelho's Alchemist goes
this way: "When you
want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to
achieve it."
And that’s what happened.
Not long ago, may be a few months back, on my regular
weekend trip via Bukit Timah Road, a signboard with "Chancery Lane"
caught my attention and something flashed. So far my focus was on Malaysia
(Penang & KL), and it never struck that Singapore (Syonan) was then part of
Malaya. Then this quest began with this new light on tracing the INA
footsteps in Singapore. With the help of a book written by S.A.Ayer** a close
confidant and comrade of Netaji "Story of the INA" and few other
publications released by Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and Netaji
Research Centre, I got to know of few key incidents that happened in this very same
Singapore!
Lots have been destroyed - documents, records,
evidences of wartime artefacts - afraid of the opponents - by both British and
Japanese in those days of invasion and captivity. So a separate project was
conducted in 1980s to interview lots of people who were part of various events,
organizations (INA, IIL, Jhansi Rani Regiment, Balak Sena, etc), who attended
various public meetings, and who have personally seen Netaji. All those
recording are archived and made available online by National Archives of
Singapore - A tremendous, commendable initiative and an impressive collection
indeed.
All these added sufficient markers for our " A
day striding along INA Footprints"
First place of visit: 'Memories at Old Ford
Factory".
It was 15th Feb 1942 - British surrendered Singapore
to Japanese in this very same building. A good collection of documents,
newspapers, audio/video recording, wartime artefacts and the very room where
the surrender happened - everything was on display.
Second Destination: "Chancery
Lane", the INA Headquarters was in 3, Chancery Lane (19 Chancery Lane was
also part of the INA as seen from my grandpa's letter)
When we reached there and alighted from the bus, the
wind turned chill and it started raining - a typical Singapore monsoon rain
which starts and ends abruptly. Felt a slight shiver - Oh is it just the cold
wind? Once the rain paced down to a sprinkle, we continued walking the alley.
This pathway had witnessed the march of majestic, magnificent, monumental men
with burning ambition and fire within. INA men had had their morning walks and
jogging in the nearby Dunearn Road via this lane and Netaji had crossed this
same lane day in and day out, my grandfather had lived and breathed this lane,
worked in a building that stood here where he worked as a Propagandist and
Finance Controller directly under Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose - probably with
S.A.Ayer.
Does this air remember and behold the breath of such
Men of Great Sacrifice? Have we touched any of those innumerable footsteps
taken for the Independence of the nation? Mindless of days and nights, with a
sole purpose in mind, those people had performed penance in this Chancery Lane.
I can feel my Thaathaa (Grandfather) reminiscing with pride on his days with
Netaji - eyes glistening and voice chocked. Was it today that he told all those
inspiring, stimulating events? Or was it 30 years back? Or am I somewhere teleported
70 years back? Moments of emotional high!!
Third
Place of Visit: Padang Grounds
5th Jul 1943 - INA warriors have assembled, parade has
started. Netaji is accepting the salute from the dais of the then Municipal
Building and an impressive parade is happening in the Padang ground. Two days
later, he made the soul-stirring speech and war cry of "Delhi Chalo"
to the assembled army from the same place. Just like today, it started raining
abruptly on that day, when Netaji started that monumental historic speech.
Someone opens the umbrella and tries to shield Netaji from the torrents. He
denies and brushes it away asking - "Can you offer the umbrella to all my
INA Comrades now? Whatever is their fate will be mine too". He continued
his 3 hour long speech. None moved a bit.
Drenched in the fiery speech, immersed with the high
emotions stirred up by his speech, flooded by the emotions that ran as tears,
the monsoon torrents had no effect on them for those 3 hours. To understand
their emotional state, we should have an understanding of the state of those
men - who had been treated not even as a human being, left vulnerable and not
being worthy of anyone’s concern, and suddenly someone uplifting their soul and
believing on them, that they can contribute to their Nation!!
Here we stand - same ground; same dais where HE stood
to accept the INA salute. The Municipal building where he stood - that
impressive building which served as Supreme Court for Singapore and now a
National Art Gallery. What a magnificent building for a Municipal office? That
parade ground houses a cricket club in another colonial building today.
Fourth
Place of Visit: 61, Meyer Road
1943 - 1945: A grand colonial bungalow stands facing
the sea. This was where he stayed during his Singapore tenure. A womb where
many grand plans were conceived, a sacred altar where many nights midnight oil
was burnt to detail on elaborate intricate plans of war strategy and governance
plans were chartered.
S.A.Ayer’s depiction fills the mind: It is in this
house - Netaji drafted the 1500 word proclamation in a single stretch sitting
up all night for his provisional government. Those were days of extreme
tensions and he relied completely on his spiritual strength. Netaji used to sit
on meditation in his pooja room or goes to the Ramakrishna Mission temple (it
was in Norris Road then) for a late night meditation. When he finishes the
meditation, he used to have regained his composure filled with positive vibrancy
and his very touch would transmit that to his companions. Not many knew that
Netaji was a highly introvert individual with a strong spiritual demeanour and
he always carried a Bhagavad Gita which he read every day before sleep.
And today, there stands a luxurious condominium. “Does
anyone of you residing here know or feel those vibrations eternally filled in
this place?” – a question echoed in my mind
Final
place of Visit: The Cathay Cinemas
21st Oct 1943 - the occasion was solemn; the hall was
packed to capacity; every inch of standing space was occupied; tense
expectation prevailed. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is to make the historic
proclamation of the establishment of the provisional government of Free India.
It was pin drop silence and Netaji
started: "In the name of God, in the name of bygone generations who
have welded the Indian people into one nation and in the name of the dead
heroes who have bequeathed to us a tradition of heroism and self-sacrifice - we
call upon the Indian people to rally round our banner and strike for India's
Freedom. We call upon them to launch the final struggle against the British and
all their allies in India and to prosecute that struggle with valour and
perseverance and with full faith in Final Victory - until the enemy is expelled
from Indian soil and the Indian people are once again a Free Nation"
After a lengthy proclamation Nethaji proceeded to take
the oath of allegiance to India. The Cathay hall saw the most epic and poignant
scene it has ever witnessed.
Amidst cheers, Netaji read out the oath, "In the
name of God, I take this sacred Oath that to Liberate India and 38 crores of my
countrymen, I, Subhas Chandra Bose, will continue the sacred war of freedom
till the last breath of my life ....." He then paused, he could not
proceed, his voice was choked with emotion; tears started rolling down his
cheeks; he pulled out his kerchief and wiped his eyes. He broke down and with
difficulty resumed in a steady voice "I shall always remain a servant of
India and look after the welfare of 38 crores of Indian brothers and sisters.
This shall be for me my highest duty. Even after winning freedom I will always
be prepared to shed the last drop of my blood for the preservation of India's
freedom".
When Netaji finished the oath, the pent up feelings of
his audience burst open- echo went sky-high in the auditorium - Jai Hind!! That
reverberates in everyone’s heart - Jai Hind!! The blood pulsated with the only
Mantra - Jai Hind!!!
-JAIHIND-
** Minister for Publicity and Propaganda in Subhas Chandra Bose'sAzad
Hind Government between 1943 and 1945 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._A._Ayer
Photo
Collection: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10207570163509384.1073741848.1149053476&type=1&l=f0cc46c970
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