On a moonlit night in August 1925, the wheels of history turned on the tracks of a remote railway station in northern India. Welcome to Kakori, a place where ordinary men became extraordinary heroes, and a daring act of defiance echoed through the ages.
Picture this: A steam engine huffing and puffing its way through the night, carrying not just passengers, but the very lifeblood of British colonial rule in India - tax money bound for the coffers of the British Crown. Little did anyone know that this routine journey was about to become a pivotal moment in India’s struggle for independence.
Enter the Hindustan Republican Association, a group of fiery young revolutionaries with an audacious plan. Their mission? To strike at the heart of British authority and fund their fight for freedom. But who were these brave souls willing to risk everything?
Ram Prasad Bismil, the passionate poet-turned-revolutionary. Ashfaqullah Khan, whose unwavering commitment to a united India knew no bounds. Chandrashekhar Azad, the sharp-shooting strategist who vowed never to be captured alive. And Rajendra Lahiri, the quiet intellectual whose pen was as mighty as any weapon. They were further aided by Manmath Nath Gupta, Mukundi Lal, Roshan Singh, Murari Lal Gupta and Banwari Lal.
Also read | Train heist: a curious link between Kakori and Chennai
As the train screeched to a halt at Kakori station after Rajendra Lahiri pulled the chain, the revolutionaries sprang into action. With lightning speed and nerves of steel, they overpowered the guards and seized a princely sum of 8,000 rupees - a fortune in those days. But this was no ordinary robbery. It was a bold statement, a challenge to the mighty British Empire.
The British reaction was swift and merciless. A massive manhunt was launched, and one by one, most of the conspirators were captured. The trial that followed became the talk of the nation.
Bismil, Khan, Lahiri, and Roshan Singh paid the ultimate price, facing the gallows with unwavering courage. Others, like Manmath Nath Gupta, were sentenced to life in the notorious Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands. Among HRA’s senior leaders, only Chandrashekhar Azad could evade arrest.
With these harsh measures, the British authorities hoped to crush the spirit of rebellion. But they had miscalculated. The executions sparked widespread outrage. From bustling cities to remote villages, Indians of all backgrounds united in their condemnation. The Kakori Conspiracy, meant to be a cautionary tale, instead became a rallying cry for freedom.
Today, Kakori station stands as a silent witness to that fateful night. But the spirit of those brave revolutionaries lives on. While the Kakori Martyrs Memorial near it honours and remembers the revolutionaries.
In 2021, recognizing the true significance of this event, the Uttar Pradesh government officially changed its name from ‘Kakori Kand’ - implying a mere incident - to ‘Kakori Train Action’, honoring it as a deliberate act of revolution.
Now, a century later, Uttar Pradesh government is celebrating these heroes with year-long commemorations. The celebrations were inaugurated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in an event at the Kakori Martyrs Memorial on August 9 where he felicitated the family members of the martyrs while also issuing a postal cover to commemorate the event. The event also hosted an extensive exhibition of articles related to the Kakori case.
Visuals: Sandeep Saxena
Production and voiceover: Aniket Singh Chauhan
Published - August 14, 2024 06:38 pm IST
