top of page
  • Writer's picturePrerak Srivastava

Rajendranath Lahiri: who inherited the spirit of Patriotism

Updated: Dec 25, 2022


rajendra lahiri kakori

9 August 1925 The Saharanpur-Lucknow passenger train that had left Kakori Railway Station near Lucknow was suddenly stopped by 27-year-old Rajendranath Lahiri by pulling the chain. This is followed by the sound of Mauser pistols made in Germany all around. Everyone got scared seeing this scene. But it was not like any terrorist incident that happened at Chhatrapati Shivji Terminal on 26/11. Rather, it was an attack by the revolutionary lions on the wolves that were gnawing at Mother India. History remembered it by the name Kakori Kand.


In the story of valor started by Apurva Bharat, we will talk about Rajendranath Lahiri on his martyrdom day, who, following the patriotic tradition of his family, dedicated his whole life to the freedom of the country. But the main reason for his fame was the Kakori incident. But the Kakori incident is not the only story of Rajendranath Lahiri, it was just a small part of his life that brought him fame. His story is much bigger and more interesting than that.

Bengal in 1900s

At the beginning of the 20th century, the year 1901, Bengal was not partitioned at this time, nor was there any kind of All-India movement that we got to see in 1905. Or it can be said like this, perhaps people in large populations were not fully aware that they were slaves, but even at that time, few such revolutionary patriots were working for India's freedom movement. The Anushilan Samiti of Bengal was a similar type of committee. Who was working for the independence of India? At the time of Rajendra Lahiri's birth on 29 June 1901, his father and elder brother were in jail for the alleged crime of being associated with this committee.


This story is slightly different from Madanlal Dhingra, where he did not inherit patriotism, rather he was born with it. But Rajendranath Lahiri not only inherited patriotism but also took birth in the lap of Mother India with that feeling. But after all, taking care of children is the moral quality of every parent, so Rajendranath Lahiri was sent by his family to Kashi Hindu University in the year 1909 from Bengal (today Bangladesh) to study. Now from here the revolutionary life of Rajendranath Lahiri begins when he meets revolutionary Shatindranath Sanyal. From here, Lahiri gradually joins the Hindustan Republican Association and fully engages in the Indian independence movement.


old image of BHU


A total of 39 revolutionaries are prosecuted in the Kakori incident, in which the death sentence of Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaq Ullah Khan, and Roshan Singh was fixed. Chandrashekhar Azad was not touched by the British. The same Rajendra Lahiri was also going to Bengal and training the youth to destroy the British Empire by making bombs. That's why the bomb exploded by mistake from his companion. The English police came there with the sound of an explosion and arrested Rajendranath Lahiri. Until now, his crime was considered only up to making bombs, so he was first sentenced to 10 years and then to 5 years. But later the British came to know that he was also the main character of the Kakori incident, so he was sentenced to death.


The day of 19th December was slowly approaching, a strange atmosphere was being seen in Gonda Jail. For the first time, the jailers were more afraid than the prisoner that Chandrashekhar Azad along with all the revolutionaries might attack the jail before 19th December. But keeping his fear aside, one day the jailer asked Rajendranath Lahiri, you are going to be hanged, so why do you exercise every day? Lahiri answered, "So should I change my routine for fear of death?"

Rajendranath Lahiri was neither going to change his routine nor his behavior due to the fear of death, but the police administration of Gonda Jail hanged Rajendra Lahiri two days before, fearing the attack of the revolutionaries, despite being armed.


rajendra lahidi

But revolutionaries do not die, they are immortal!

Comments


bottom of page