Rash Behari Bose shines in my estimation as the preeminent revolutionary of the freedom struggle. His revolutionary activity stretching across four decades with innumerable encounters with near capture and escape donning almost impossible disguises baffles the mind and one is almost persuaded to disbelieving the saga of his life so daring were his exploits which remain a rarity in the annals of world history and in human experience in consequence.
Rash Behari's revolutionary stature is almost unparalleled in the history of our freedom movement in terms of sheer integrity to the nationalist cause, the undying will to achieve freedom at any cost, yet, never stooping low and casting morals to the winds to attain his ends. He outsmarted the British intelligence at every bend and turn in his long career and destroyed their cherished Raj from within and without the country.
India has abandoned him like she has done to so many other revolutionaries. But Japan has accepted him as one of her very own, conferred on him in life her highest national honour and given him in death the royal carriage to carry his mortal coil to its rightful destination.
And why must it be so? I say, it is human apathy here that has contributed to the eclipsing of the life and works of these heroes even more than it has been governmental policy to keep a lid on their contributions.
Time for a change, though, and it is with this intent that these essays, short and interpretative and full of historical references, have thus been initiated for the rediscovery of Rash Behari Bose. Now it is up to the power of my pen to be able to capture the attention of my readers and redirect their study to this epic period of revolutionary activity in India when our hero had played the principal part in almost overthrowing the British Raj.
But more of that in the coming episodes. Till then, Vande Mataram!
Written by Sugata Bose
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