Khudiram Bose

 

 


 

 


Khudiram Bose was born on 3rd Dec 1889 in Habibpur, Medinipur to Laxmipriya Devi and Troilokyanath Bose. The Bose couple had yearned for a male child but unfortunately did not live long enough to enjoy their happiness. They unexpectedly died when Khudiram was just six. The boy's elder sister Anurupadevi and his brother-in-law Amritalal had to shoulder the responsibility of bringing him up. He had to move on to Tamlook where he was admitted to Hamilton school. Like any other boy he was interested in reading detective novels and loved to play the flute. It was in his school days that he was inspired by the activists, Satyendranath and Gyanendranath Bose who headed a secret society to campaign and fight against British supremacy.  

A born patriot, even at the age of seven or eight years, Khudiram Bose thought, 'Bharat, our country is great. Our ancestors say that this has been the home of knowledge 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.'
These thoughts ruminated in his mind all day. Thus whether he read a book or sat down to eat he would see a red-faced, green-eyed Englishman glaring at him. This caused strange pain to his heart.
Even at that tender age, Khudiram had thought so deeply about the country's freedom. But how was he going to achieve it ? This was haunting him all the time. How could he perform his duty unto the country successfully?
When engrossed in this, one day Khudiram heard the cry 'Vande Mataram (I salute You O Motherland)' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai (Victory to Mother India)’. He was thrilled by these cries, his eyes glowed and he felt elated. 


Khudiram had always lived a virtuous and generous life. Since childhood he was fond of the sacred words of Vande Matram and in later years got inspired by the notions of karma and norms of Bhagvad Gita. During the partition of Bengal, discontent and anger against the Britishers compelled him to get involved in revolutionary activities. He was resolved to free India from the rule of British Empire. To learn more about the revolutionaries and their activities he joined Jugantar – the party of revolutionaries.
Bose, at the age of 16, threw the first bomb over the British who were crushing India. He had planted these bombs near the police station where many officials were killed. Further, he was arrested for placing a series of bomb but that was not the end. He along with his friend again planned to throw a bomb to assassinate the Chief Presidency Magistrate Kingsford who was known to make brutal and blatant judgments against freedom fighters.
Khudiram was arrested on the charges of bomb attack and was sentenced to death on August 11, 1908. He died with the holy book Bhagwad Gita in his hands and amiling with the slogan Vande Matram on his lips. 


 

A trial was carried out for two months on this Muzaffarpur bombing and other charges of bombing carried out by him. Although the leading Calcutta advocate Narendra Kumar Basu defended Khudiram's actions in defence of his motherland to his best, Khudiram was sentenced to death for the murder of women and children. The sentence was carried out, and he was hanged on August 11, 1908. Legend says that as he was hanged he was still smiling. 


 

Not only did Khudiram himself became immortal, but he also inspired others by his sacrifice, to become immortal. In course of time, thousands of young men and women followed in his footsteps. While Kingsford had to quit his post, the British had to quit Bharat itself.