On 27th September, 1907 one of the most inspiring revolutionaries in Indian history was born. His only lived on this earth for 23 years, but the actions taken by him immortalized him in the memories of Indians. This is the Legend of Bhagat Singh.
There are many stories and movies made around the life of Bhagat Singh and his band of revolutionaries. Their journey, struggles, and motivations are covered in great detail. As for now, I have decided to focus on short form content and will be instead writing in brief about his life and some coincidences regarding this dat.
If you are one of those expecting a long tribute to the great man, then I apologize and would request you to stop reading here.
Bhagat Singh attended Dayanand Anglo Vedic High School, which was set up by Arya Samaj. He then joined National College in Lahore where he participated in protests against British rule of India. He wrote for Punjabi and Urdu language newspapers espousing the need for revolution.
While born in a Sikh family, young Bhagat eventually became an atheist. As was the case with most revolutionaries of that era (including the great Vinayak Savarkar), he and his friends including Chandrashekhar Azad and Rajguru, embraces the Marxist school of thought.
Together, the small band of revolutionaries sought to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai by killing police officer John Sanders (mistakenly) before fleeing arrest. In 1929, after months of hiding, Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt lobbed bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly, Delhi to protest against the Defence of India Act. To gain attention to their cause, the duo promptly surrendered and were sent to Lahore central jail.
Singh gained further public sympathy when he went on a fast to death to protest for better prison conditions for Indian prisoners. Eventually, the British conducted a sham trial and convicted Bhagat Singh of the murder of John Saunders and Channan Singh, and hanged in March 1931, aged 23.
Post his death, Bhagat Singh became a folk hero across the country, inspiring scores of revolutionaries to take up arms. He is one of those rare individuals who has won admirers from both ends of the political spectrum, with both Hindu nationalists and communists inspired by him.
And that’s all folks!
But wait! What is this about a coincidence?
September 27 also happens to be the day William the Conqueror set sail for England from Normandy, an event which changed the course of history forever. His conquest of England saw a radical shift in the power structures of medieval Europe and led the British isles on the path to becoming a great nation.
If William had failed in the ambitious venture, perhaps England wouldn’t have enforced rule over India 700 years later. Perhaps, young Bhagat Singh would have never taken the actions that he did.
Would history have been better or worse? If you believe the multiverse theory, then there are an infinite possible futures. In one universe, the Marathas and the Sikhs would have solidified their hold over the country and India would have been an industrialized superpower. In another, India would have been stuck in a pattern of caste wars and regional clashes without the presence of a common enemy.
This is something to ponder about. Until tomorrow, when I write a new post.
