As we embark upon the 65th year of Indian independence, Dr. Lopamudra Maitra pays a tribute to the many memories that were a witness to the year’s historical incidents- the day of independence, the partition, the riots as well as the carefree memories
A prompt and positive response to a query for a specific theme of movies at a local DVD store in Kolkata left me surprised. Though the question was simple- an enquiry about collection of Indian films with a theme of the year of Indian independence- 1947, I was not expecting the answer to be simplistic. What followed as the result, astounded me even further as the middle-aged shopkeeper promptly handed me a copy of the popular Hollywood English blockbuster- Independence Day (1996) that was directed by Roland Emmerich and starred Bill Pullman, Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum. Finally, I gave up the hunt as further endeavour to explain to the shopkeeper about my specific search failed to yield any results, and only left me bombarded with various names of contemporary Hindi movies especially pertaining to different political unrests and wars.
The Notion of Independence
The very year “1947” yields a simple response on the popular online resource Wikipedia as being a ‘common year, starting on a Wednesday of the Gregorian Calendar’ and still simpler responses from much part of the young generation of India. For many others, born around the time of Indian independence, the word denotes various meanings- one fit to fill up volumes of autobiographies across the nation, with a large section still in dismay about memories of partition- both in north and north-west India as well as east India. Bengal, having faced a serious threat due to riots and partition, also recounts a story of her own- with various people hailing from both parts of Bengal- the present state of West Bengal and the present country of Bangladesh, which was part of India before 1947 and formed a part of contemporary Bengal. As we embark upon the 65th year of Indian independence, this is a small tribute to the many people and their experiences and recollections of the time of independence- to the pleasant carefree days of childhood, submerged within a sudden seriousness arising out of political circumstances.
Carpe Diem
As Nehru’s voice boomed all over India through All India Radio, announcing the beginning of a new journey and the “…wake to life and freedom”, for the many children of the nation, they meant various feelings. Dr. Tushar Kanti Maitra, pathologist, Coates medallist for life-long contribution to the field by the University of Calcutta (1993) and former head of the department of pathology, Kothari Medical Centre, Kolkata recollects, “I remember the Union Jack in our school compound being replaced by the Indian Tricolour, as we stood in front of it in queues. What followed soon was a small treat for all youngsters as we were served a small meal with ‘luchi’ (puri) and ‘bondey’ (a type of Bengali sweet dish). We knew that India has won independence, but what was happening in front of us meant a lot more to a child of ten years at that time.” Maitra, born in 1938, used to reside in the district of Dhanbad (in present state of Jharkhand in India) at the time of his secondary education. As the proceedings of flag hoisting conveyed new feelings, they also made many witness the beginning of a new journey.
Mixed Emotions
Timir Mukherjee, born in 1934 and a former medical representative shares, “We stood in queue with solemn faces as the new flag of a different country was being hoisted in our school compound in present Bangladesh. My father being a ‘top government official’ working for the local postal department was invited to hoist the flag. The somber nature was not so much for any political happenings, for we were too young to understand that, but the very fact that we were about to leave our place in Bangladesh and all our friends soon.” Though Mukherjee fondly recalls his many visits prior to 1947 to Kolkata, the year itself leaves him with an excitement as well. He added, “I have been to Kolkata several times earlier to visit my relatives, but finally going over meant I could continue my higher studies in Kolkata. This made the child in me very excited at the thought.” As Mukherjee moved out of Bangladesh in the same month, his father had to await government orders for his release from the postal department to move to Kolkata, which took place in November. “Finally our father could join us in November and we could stay in a one-room house near the present Lord Sinha Road in Kolkata, till we moved into our present house in Dumdum, many years later. The former house still stands today, though there are other offices and shops around it now,” recounts Mukherjee.
Pains of Separation
Childhood memories differ at different ages with changing times and environment. Thus, the perception for young children nearing the beginning of adolescence varies in perspectives from others, who are even younger. Thus, for Subhash Chakraborty, former teacher of Presidency College (now Presidency University), recollecting a different detail etched into his young memory is explained differently as he speaks of the partition. “Being born in 1945, I can say that we were almost midnight’s children. I can remember Nehru’s speech, and more vividly, the blood-bath that followed, along with the rising number of refugees on the footpaths in Kolkata. Though I was very small at that time, but these remain permanently etched in my mind. My family was from this part of Bengal, but we had many friends who had to undergo the traumas of partition. Though for the present generation, the concept of 15th August is almost synonymous with the enjoyment of any other Public Holiday of the nation, but for us, it means a different thing altogether. It is a memory, where happiness is submerged with overwhelming tragedy.” Recounting a similar feeling and herself having migrated over from Nabiganj in the present country of Bangladesh to India after partition along with her family, Gouri Ganguli, former head-teacher, Murlidhar Girls’ School, also relates a similar feeling aged about 10 at the time, “I remember us shifting from Nabiganj, along with my brothers and sisters and my mother to our uncle’s house in Kolkata. I had come to Kolkata many times prior to that, but this time, it was a different visit.”
Visions of Unrest
As the nation began a new journey, children, who were witness to various political unrests also embarked upon a new journey with disturbing images rummaging through their minds for many years to come. “I remember being rescued by British Tommy soldiers from our house in Mirzapur Street in Kolkata where we were locked within our house for three days without food as the infamous Calcutta riots broke out in 1946. We were helped in the process by our Muslim neighbours, who had locked us in, to signify an empty house to save us from getting killed in the riots. Finally, when were released and taken to a make-shift arrangement with the help of army, we could witness the entire stretch of road strewn with dead-bodies. This was a very disturbing sight,” mentions Prof. Amalendu Mukherjee, historian and former Professor, University of Calcutta born in 1935. Once again, the year had a different connotation as Mukherjee explains, “As India got independence in 1947, I went walking, hand-in-hand with a very dear friend of mine till Park Circus within the city of Kolkata and witnessed many people doing ‘kolakuliI’ (hugging) and greeting each other. This was an amusing sight, after a year of riots and bloodbath.” For the same friend of Mukherjee’s- Pronab Kumar Mukherjee, the memories hold similar disturbing images as he elucidates, “I remember young boys losing their lives in broad daylight even at the pious occasion of Saraswati Puja. Thus, the walk on Independence day with Amalendu evoked a very different feeling, especially in a child’s mind”
The Fun Side
As some memories of childhood remains singed with unforgettable images from socio-political disturbances, yet it never fails to recollect the carefree days of yore as well. Thus, Pronab Kumar Mukherjee added in a lighter note, “Apart from what the world was facing outside, I also very clearly remember our naughty days from childhood in Kolkata. We were almost never given any money to spend on our own, but we always wanted to spend on little tidbits to eat outside our school. Thus, we often used to bribe our cook into giving us money in return for some English words we used to teach him in the name of ‘educating him in a foreign language’. I still believe he owes me a great deal of money from our childhood days.”
SharedJoys
With a different socio-cultural setup operating within various families- very different from the present age of nucleus families, the time also signaled a different feel of values for many as adds Prof. Barun Kumar Chakraborty, former Head of the Department of Folklore, Kalyani University and Emeritus Fellow, UGC (University Grants Commission) of Rabindra Bharati University, and who also worked for long as Assistant Editor, educational broadcast, All India Radio, Kolkata, “We had a large joint family and always used to listen to our elders. Even our neighbours used to scold us if we did anything wrong or even come home late in the evening. There also used to be a great gathering for and during Durga Puja at our home, which was started during the days of my grandfather. This was quite unlike the disintegrated family and social feeling in present times. Every gathering in our house was like a huge celebration of festivals.” Chakraborty, born in 1942, still follows the tradition of the Durga Puja, being the 3rd oldest Sarbojonin Durgotsab in the city, called Khidderpore Sarbojanin Durgotsab.
Keeping it Personal
As the history of a nation changes through time and space, it is more than mere political definitions that frame and refine words that go into creating history for future generations. With memories contributing as a large part of intangible aspect of human existence, the history of mankind owes a lot to the framing and remoulding of images, visions and experiences that go into making the history of man, and thereby, stands today as the true spirit of a nation. Thus, it is the essence of understanding the true experiences from the past, which can once again help to revisit and realise the hardships that went into the making of the independence as we celebrate it today in accordance with other public holidays of the nation.
