Unsung Heroes of Kalyana Karnataka
- In History & Culture
- 10:00 AM, Sep 22, 2020
- Shesha Kumar
The tragic story of Freedom Fighters from Backward Region of Karnataka who fought against two EVILS - British & Razaakars (Owaisi Party).
Hundreds of Hindus were murdered, more than 125 women were raped, some in public places mainly by the Razaakars.
We know the whole nation celebrates the Independence Day on 15th August every year since 1947, but the people of Kalyana Karnataka (Hyderabad Karnataka) celebrate Independence Day not only on 15th August but also on 17th September, since 1948.
The freedom movement in the region was in no way at low profile, it was as serious as in other parts of the country. But unfortunately, nobody highlighted this aspect in the history of the freedom movement.
H-K region originally consisted of three districts-Bidar, Gulbarga and Raichur which belonged to the Hyderabad state and later merged in Karnataka state.
Sardar Vallabhai made Nizam of Hyderabad surrender and join Bharat instead of Pakistan, but very few know about Freedom Fighters who died during this struggle.
The Freedom and Unification movement in Hyderabad Karnataka was more intensified, widespread and radical than in the other areas of Karnataka.
The intellectuals provided the historical cultural background to the political and national awakening as well as to the freedom movement itself.
The most important intellectuals were Ramachandra Pillai, Agornath Chattopadhaya, Laxman Rao Komaraju, Madapathi Hanumanth Rao, Suvarna Prathap Reddy, Hardekar Manjappa, Vittalrao Devulganwkar, Pojjya Doddappa Appa, Pandit Taranath and others.
The writings, speeches and songs encouraged and inspired the common man to participate in the freedom and unification movement. Even some of these intellectuals also participated in the freedom movement and underwent imprisonment.
The Hindus of the H-K had to fight not only against the British imperial power, but also against the Nizam’s feudalism and communal rule too.
The vernacular press and national schools played a very important role in bringing awareness on Library movements among the people of H-K. The library movement was closely associated with national movement. In 1918 Dodappa Appa started the Sharana Basveshwar Kannada Library.
The main aim of this was to take an active part in the national movement and create national awareness among the people.
In 1930 the founder of N V School, Vittalarao Devalganwakar established National Library Association, in 1931 Bartha Library was established at Chincholli.
With the support of Pandit Taranath, Jaganath Rao Fadnavis, R. G. Joshi and others established Bharath and Jayalakshmi Libraries in Raichur, Jagannath Desai established Dasappa Library at Kanakagiri of Ganagavathi Taluk.
In 1932 advocate Uday Banu and Gopal Dev Shastri established Arya Samaj Library at Basavakalayana, Shirur Virabhadrappa opened Vishwanath Library at Adur in 1932.
In the same year Basaweshwar Libraries were established at Itagi, Yalburga, Rajuri. Kannada Sahitya Sangha library started at Gulbarga.
In the freedom movement of H-K, libraries played very important role in bringing awareness about the freedom to the masses.
A trip down memory lane shows that it was no easy task for freedom fighters to secure independence from Nizam rule and the tyranny of the Razaakars.
As many as 30 camps were set up by the freedom fighters of H-K region along the borders of Raichur and Kalaburgi to wage an armed struggle against the Razaakars and to liberate their region from Nizam rule.
Former MP of Bidar Ramachandra Veerappa, Sardar Sharangouda Patil of Jewargi, M. Nagappa of Raichur, Shivakumaraswamy Alavandi, who later became the Lok Sabha member from Koppal, Bheemanna Khandre of Bhalki, Jayateerth Rajpurohit of Kanakagiri, Kolur Mallappa of Yadagir, Benakal Bheemasenrao of Karatagi, were some of the heroes who led the struggle from these camps.
The Gorta village in Basavakalyana taluk bore the brunt of Razaakar attack. More than 200 Hindus in the village were massacred and their residences set on fire. This massacre is called the “Jallianwala Bagh” of Karnataka.
Every year on September 17th, villagers of Malli in Jewargi Taluk, Karnataka pays homage to 11 Martyrs.
Just eight days before Hyderabad got freedom from the Nizam’s rule, 11 villagers became martyrs at the hands of Razaakars.
On 09-09-1947, Razaakars came in two trucks to Malli, massacred Mahipatiraya, Ramaraya, Narayanaraya, Gururaya of the Sardeshpande family, Siddharama, Sheshappa Pattar, Yallappa Kurubar, Halleppa Harijan, Nagoji, Janoji and Basalingappa. They were punished for sheltering fighters against the Nizam’s rule and also for hoisting the Indian flag on August 15, 1948.
Rangarao Kulkarni, brother of martyr Muralidhar Rao Kulkarni who was killed just a few days before the Malli incident, told IndianExpress that the Razaakars went directly to the house of the Sardeshpandes and killed four family members in front of their house.
This was in revenge for one of the family members — Krishnarao Sardeshpande, who was a student at Surpur town — launching the liberation movement and who was jailed in Surpur.
Not only they killed the Freedom Fighters, but looted the villages.
Siddaramaiah Hiremath, who is the lone survivor of the movement (IE interview appeared in 2017) told that Malli was a village of patriots. The villagers hoisted the national flag on August 15, 1947, even though Malli was under the clutches of the Nizams. Malli has been the karma bhoomi of many activists of the liberation movement, including Sardar Sharana Gouda Inamdar, Hanumanth Rao Sarnad and Muralidhar Rao Kulkarni.
After sacrificing so much for Independence....
After enduring heinous crimes of Muslims..
Few days ago, Muslims demanded Karnataka Government to stop celebrating Independence Day celebrations of Suvarna Karnataka as it hurts Muslim Sentiments.
Image Credits: Deccan Chronicle
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