Biography of Virindra Ghosh
We should not forget him: Krantiveer Virindra Ghosh who served 11 years of black water sentence.
In the year 1893, when Sri Aurobindo was returning to India from the west, Vivekananda was going west to hoist the flag of Hinduism from India. Both of them are considered the fathers of modern Indian spirituality, but their younger brothers sowed the seeds of revolution for the renaissance, the results proved to be epoch-making. The two names that are prominently used to ignite the fire of freedom struggle in Bengal are – Varindra Ghosh and Bhupendranath Dutt. Varindra Ghosh was the younger brother of Sri Aurobindo, while Bhupendranath Dutt was the younger brother of Swami Vivekananda. Both of them were young revolutionaries who laid the foundation of the fire-breathing newspaper 'Yugantar'. Even among these, the life of Varindra Ghosh was full of formidable struggles and there was too much movement in it.
Virindra Ghosh as coach of political saints
Varindra Ghosh was born in 1880 in England. After the death of his father Krishnadhan, he had to return to India in compulsion. Staying in Deoghar, he passed the pre-university examination, stayed for some time in Patna and then Dhaka College and completed his studies. After which he went to his elder brother Sri Aurobindo, who was then in Baroda. Strange as it may sound, but in some respects, Varindra Ghosh was two steps ahead of his elder brother. Varindra felt that revolution needed such young sannyasins, who are ready to leave their homes and jump into the struggle, who have the fire of spirituality and also the courage to take up arms. He was inspired by the story of 'Anandmath'. He was really looking for such fearless ascetics who would be ready to make sacrifices at the feet of Mother India. Varindra Ghosh built a large ashram of political ascetics, where revolution could be trained well. The center was located on two acres of land in Maniktala, near Calcutta, where bomb-making exercises were conducted in isolation.
Guru's initiation to brother of Virindra Ghosh
Sri Aurobindo had planned the 'Bhavani Mandir' at the behest of his younger brother. The core of the 'Bhavani Mandir' plan was that every Indian should make himself a temple of Bharat Bhavani. On this theme, Shri Aurobindo composed the famous poem 'Bhavani Bharati' in Sanskrit, which was confiscated by the British government even before its publication. The spiritual help that Sri Aurobindo received from Vishnu Bhaskar Lele while in Baroda was also due to his younger brother, Varindra. Varindra had already taken initiation from Lele before him. His deep feelings could not be hidden from Sri Aurobindo. When Sri Aurobindo expressed his desire to meet Lele, it was Varindra who had sent a telegram to Lele and called him to Baroda. For this, Shri Aurobindo remained forever indebted to his younger brother throughout his life.
Assertiveness is the only option
When Varindra Ghosh along with his colleagues planned to bring out the weekly paper 'Yugantar', then he was only 25 years old and his dreams were also really epoch-making. The activities of 'Yugantar' were not light-hearted, it was an open rebellion against the British government. Varindra Ghosh's clear policy was that no peaceful means could be used to overthrow the British Empire. So he along with his companions started planning to kill the British officers by attacking them day and night. Looting for the supply of money was also included in their activities. All that he used to do, it was also clearly printed in 'Yugantar'. The office of 'Yugantar' was raided several times, the press was confiscated and the writer and editor of 'Yugantar' Bhupendranath Dutt was severely punished. Now instead of taking out the letter in front of Varindra Ghosh, there was only option of direct attack.
Virindra Ghosh's epoch-making exploits
Varindra Ghosh was an extraordinary warrior with a multifaceted personality. The delegates who had arrived from Bengal in the Congress session of Surat in 1907 were led by Varindra Ghosh. Varindra Ghosh was the voice of Garam Dal. After the Congress split in Surat, there was a big change in the way of working of Varindra Ghosh. He completely started working for that secret organization named 'Yugantar', which was formed by the young revolutionaries of Bengal and in which there were also fearless revolutionaries like Khudiram Bose. This organization had selected Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki to kill Douglas Kingsford. Khudiram Bose was sentenced to death due to this and many revolutionaries including Sri Aurobindo and Varindra Ghosh were imprisoned in Alipore jail. Where Varindra Ghosh was first sentenced to death, then it was converted into a life sentence.
Life dedicated to Mother India
Varindra Ghosh underwent severe torture while in the Cellular Jail in Port Blair for 11 years. The British government freed Varindra Ghosh under a pardon, after which he again became active in revolutionary activities. After staying with Sri Aurobindo in Pondicherry for some time, he returned to Calcutta and started the weekly 'The Don of India'. He was also associated with the 'Statesman'. The newspaper 'Dainik Vasumati' was brought out under his editing. In addition to being a fearless journalist, Varindra Ghosh was a writer and painter of a high order. The poignant autobiography and many other books written by him include those innumerable experiences of Kala Pani, which make you go to bed. Varindra Ghosh died on April 18, 1959. Till his last breath his life was devoted to Mother India.
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