Let me go ma once, let me visit hang myself with smiling and the whole Bharat will see it Oh I will hang myself while smiling and the whole Bharat will see it Let me go ma once, let me visit After preparing a bomb Was standing beside the street o ma Instead of killing the boro Lat, I killed another English Let me go mother once, let me visit On Saturday, the court was full of people o ma O ma Khodiraam was sentenced to death Let me go ma once, let me visit 12 lakhs and 33 Crore Are your sons-daughters o ma With them live, make them your slaves Let me go ma once, let me visit After 10 months and 10 days I will be born in aunt’s house oh ma If you can’t recognize, see the rope in my neck O ma if you can’t recognize, see the rope in my neck Let me go ma once, let me visit [English Translation by : Arnab Tagore of the famous Bengali song: Ekbar Biday de Ma] At the age of nineteen, Khudiraam became a martyr. He had the Holy Bhagavad Gita in his hand and “Vande Mataram” in his mouth. At Medinipur in Bengal, an exhibition was held by the British rulers to hide their injustice. Their puppets joined them. Then a 16-year-old boy came with leaflets in his hands, with the title “Sonar Bangla” (Golden Bengal). The leaflets also carried, “Vande Mataram.” They tried to scare the little boy but he ignored them and continued distributed the leaflets. Then a police tried to stop him, but he hit the police and told him, “Take care, don't touch my body! I will see how you can arrest me without a warrant." The police tried to catch him but he disappeared within the crowd with his leaflets. These leaflets really moved the people and they started chanting, “Vande Mataram.” A case was filed against him but they let him go free because of his age. Khudiram Bose was born on 3rd December 1889 in the village Bahuvaini in Medinipur district. His father Trailokyanath Basu was the Tahsildar of the town of the Nadazol prince. His mother Lakshmipriya Devi was a pious lady, who was well known for her virtuous life and generosity. Most of her children died and only a daughter survived along with their last son, Khudiram Bose. The parents died when Khudiram was only 6 and his sister, Anurupadevi and his brother-in-law Amritlal took care of him. A born patriot, even at the age seven or eight years, Khudiram Bose thought, 'India is our country. It is a great country. Elders say that this has been the home of know- ledge for thousands of years. Why, then, are the red-faced British here? Under them, our people cannot even live as they wish. When I grow up, I must somehow drive them out.' He was always thinking about these things. Therefore, he could not concentrate on studies. Even though he was smart, he didn’t feel like studying. Once Khudiram went to a temple. A few people were lying on the bare ground in front of the temple. "Why are these people lying thus?", Khudiram asked. Someone said, "They are suffering from some disease or the other. They have made a vow and are lying here without food and water. They will get up and go after God appears in their dream and promises to cure their diseases." Khudiram thought for a moment and said, "One day I too will have to give up all 'thought of hunger and thirst and lie on the ground like these people." "What disease has struck you?" A man asked the boy. Khudiram laughed, and said, "Can there be a disease worse than slavery? I will have to drive it out." He slowly grew up like this with the mantra “Vande Mataram.” He spread the values of Vande Mataram among people. Around 1905, the revolutionary activities in Bengal started to increase. It was more coming from the Hindu majority. Therefore, the English decided to stop these and divided the Bengal on the basis of religion giving the East to the Muslims. It created enormous dispute. Khudiram protested against. The British stopped the famous revolutionary newspaper Vande Mataram. They charged against it. Therefore, everyday thousands of youths used to gather and scream, “Vande Mataram.” On the 26th August, 1907, many youths similarly gathered. They haven’t started shouting the divine mantra but the police started beating them. No one said anything but Sushilkumar Sen, fifteen-year-old, who was standing at a distance, stepped forward, and said, "Why are you beating the people without any reason?" He tried to stop him. "Who are you? Get out!" the Englishman shouted and hit Sushil. Sushil said, "I will show you who I am." Then he hit the policemen. He started beating the policemen until he was bleeding. The policeman started screaming in pain and then other police came and stopped the boy and arrested him. Kingsford, a cruel British, conducted the case of Sushil. He said "You have broken the law by attacking a British Policeman engaged in maintaining peace," "Then why did your 'peace-loving' police man attack our people standing peace fully?" Sushilkumar without fear asked. "An impertinent fellow! I order a punishment of fifteen lashes. Take him away," Kingsfor asked The police took out Sushil, and stripped him. They mercilessly gave him fifteen lashes. Sushil did not weep, nor did his smile fade. At every stroke, he cried 'Vande Mataram'! Surendranath Bannerji, an elderly leader, admired Sushilkumar's courage and blessed him with the gift of a gold medal. The National College, in which he was studying, was closed for a day in his honor. The British realized the anger among people against Kingsford, so they decided to remove him to some place else. He was transferred to Muzaffor but still he didn’t stop his cruel acts. Therefore, on 1908, the revolutionaries, decided to kill him. They arranged a meeting about the plot of killing Kingsford. Aravinda Ghosh, Subodh Mallik, Charudatta and others were present at the meeting. Many people were willing to take this task but the leader was worried about the choice of person. Suddenly, he looked at Khudiram. He asked Khudiram, if he was willing to do his task. He also warned Khudiram about danger if he gets caught. Khudiram said, “I know. At the worst they can hang me. Master, I take it as a boon. Bharat Mata is my father, mother and all. To give up my life for her is, I consider, an act of merit. My sole desire is only this. Till our country wins freedom, I will be born here again and again, and sacrifice my life." The leader then sent Prafulla, another young revolutionary with Khudiram. They were given bomb and revolver. On April 30, 1908, they met at European Club at Muzaffarpur with the bomb and revolver. Khudiram threw the bomb at the Kingsford but he missed. He ended up killing another two English. Then he was arrested and tried for it. During his trial many people shed tears. However, he was smiling even before he was hanged. He had the Bhagavad Gita in his hand just before he died he said, “Vande Mataram.” A true hero of Hinduism. He makes us proud and feels like doing something for this glorious culture.
