Saturday, January 2, 2016

Striding along the forgotten alley

Not all those who wander are lost:

In our march of racy routine, amidst the plights of hurried trips up and down the trodden path, trampled are those innumerable magical butterflies. The blessings meant for us, lie silenced in the lips of unnoticed angels awaiting our mindful glance.

Such was a treasure that was right in front of the plain sight yet not visible; a treasure from a bygone era - places that were graced by one of the GREATEST LEADERs witnessed by the world; places which were 'Karmabhoomi' for numerous commoners who found immense inner strength under the great leadership of Netaji.

Those men were from across India - from many regions, languages, religions, social strata - stranded on alien soil, uprooted from the home ground and lost direction and hopes of going back home with the clutches of World War II tightening up; unaware of who is the real master of their fates, abandoned by the kingsmen of yesterday and unwelcomed by the new rulers of today, unsure of the life beyond that moment. Life seemed to be nothing but a mirage.

Then came the man - Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

When I started blogging on my grandfather Sri Aiyadurai Pillai's centennial year, I got to stride along the trickling stream of memories shared by him on World war and INA days in Malaya, and then a new secret popped out of a letter from my collection of his letters. Having myself read umpteen number of times, what struck me suddenly was the address that mentioned - "Syonan, Chancery Lane"

Then, I added this place to my laundry list of places-to-be-visited in and around Penang & KualaLumpur (KL) in Malaysia; since we knew he was working in a business firm in Malaya during the dark period of 2nd world war days; with no communication whatsoever with home since the war broke. Inspired by Netaji's goal and vision, he joined the IIL(Indian Independence League) and worked in Pahang branch of Malaya. But he got his training in Singapore HQ and worked for some time in Singapore Headquarters too.  My Malaysia trip tracing his footsteps is still to be made.

My favourite saying from Paulo Coelho's Alchemist goes this way: "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."
And that’s what happened.

Not long ago, may be a few months back, on my regular weekend trip via Bukit Timah Road, a signboard with "Chancery Lane" caught my attention and something flashed. So far my focus was on Malaysia (Penang & KL), and it never struck that Singapore (Syonan) was then part of Malaya.  Then this quest began with this new light on tracing the INA footsteps in Singapore. With the help of a book written by S.A.Ayer** a close confidant and comrade of Netaji "Story of the INA" and few other publications released by Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and Netaji Research Centre, I got to know of few key incidents that happened in this very same Singapore!

Lots have been destroyed - documents, records, evidences of wartime artefacts - afraid of the opponents - by both British and Japanese in those days of invasion and captivity. So a separate project was conducted in 1980s to interview lots of people who were part of various events, organizations (INA, IIL, Jhansi Rani Regiment, Balak Sena, etc), who attended various public meetings, and who have personally seen Netaji. All those recording are archived and made available online by National Archives of Singapore - A tremendous, commendable initiative and an impressive collection indeed.

All these added sufficient markers for our " A day striding along INA Footprints"

First place of visit: 'Memories at Old Ford Factory".

It was 15th Feb 1942 - British surrendered Singapore to Japanese in this very same building. A good collection of documents, newspapers, audio/video recording, wartime artefacts and the very room where the surrender happened - everything was on display.

Second Destination: "Chancery Lane", the INA Headquarters was in 3, Chancery Lane (19 Chancery Lane was also part of the INA as seen from my grandpa's letter)

When we reached there and alighted from the bus, the wind turned chill and it started raining - a typical Singapore monsoon rain which starts and ends abruptly. Felt a slight shiver - Oh is it just the cold wind? Once the rain paced down to a sprinkle, we continued walking the alley. This pathway had witnessed the march of majestic, magnificent, monumental men with burning ambition and fire within. INA men had had their morning walks and jogging in the nearby Dunearn Road via this lane and Netaji had crossed this same lane day in and day out, my grandfather had lived and breathed this lane, worked in a building that stood here where he worked as a Propagandist and Finance Controller directly under Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose - probably with S.A.Ayer.

Does this air remember and behold the breath of such Men of Great Sacrifice? Have we touched any of those innumerable footsteps taken for the Independence of the nation? Mindless of days and nights, with a sole purpose in mind, those people had performed penance in this Chancery Lane. I can feel my Thaathaa (Grandfather) reminiscing with pride on his days with Netaji - eyes glistening and voice chocked. Was it today that he told all those inspiring, stimulating events? Or was it 30 years back? Or am I somewhere teleported 70 years back? Moments of emotional high!!

Third Place of Visit: Padang Grounds

5th Jul 1943 - INA warriors have assembled, parade has started. Netaji is accepting the salute from the dais of the then Municipal Building and an impressive parade is happening in the Padang ground. Two days later, he made the soul-stirring speech and war cry of "Delhi Chalo" to the assembled army from the same place. Just like today, it started raining abruptly on that day, when Netaji started that monumental historic speech. Someone opens the umbrella and tries to shield Netaji from the torrents. He denies and brushes it away asking - "Can you offer the umbrella to all my INA Comrades now? Whatever is their fate will be mine too". He continued his 3 hour long speech. None moved a bit.

Drenched in the fiery speech, immersed with the high emotions stirred up by his speech, flooded by the emotions that ran as tears, the monsoon torrents had no effect on them for those 3 hours. To understand their emotional state, we should have an understanding of the state of those men - who had been treated not even as a human being, left vulnerable and not being worthy of anyone’s concern, and suddenly someone uplifting their soul and believing on them, that they can contribute to their Nation!!

Here we stand - same ground; same dais where HE stood to accept the INA salute. The Municipal building where he stood - that impressive building which served as Supreme Court for Singapore and now a National Art Gallery. What a magnificent building for a Municipal office? That parade ground houses a cricket club in another colonial building today.

Fourth Place of Visit: 61, Meyer Road

1943 - 1945: A grand colonial bungalow stands facing the sea. This was where he stayed during his Singapore tenure. A womb where many grand plans were conceived, a sacred altar where many nights midnight oil was burnt to detail on elaborate intricate plans of war strategy and governance plans were chartered. 

S.A.Ayer’s depiction fills the mind: It is in this house - Netaji drafted the 1500 word proclamation in a single stretch sitting up all night for his provisional government. Those were days of extreme tensions and he relied completely on his spiritual strength. Netaji used to sit on meditation in his pooja room or goes to the Ramakrishna Mission temple (it was in Norris Road then) for a late night meditation. When he finishes the meditation, he used to have regained his composure filled with positive vibrancy and his very touch would transmit that to his companions. Not many knew that Netaji was a highly introvert individual with a strong spiritual demeanour and he always carried a Bhagavad Gita which he read every day before sleep.

And today, there stands a luxurious condominium. “Does anyone of you residing here know or feel those vibrations eternally filled in this place?” – a question echoed in my mind

Final place of Visit: The Cathay Cinemas

21st Oct 1943 - the occasion was solemn; the hall was packed to capacity; every inch of standing space was occupied; tense expectation prevailed. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is to make the historic proclamation of the establishment of the provisional government of Free India.

It was pin drop silence and Netaji started: "In the name of God, in the name of bygone generations who have welded the Indian people into one nation and in the name of the dead heroes who have bequeathed to us a tradition of heroism and self-sacrifice - we call upon the Indian people to rally round our banner and strike for India's Freedom. We call upon them to launch the final struggle against the British and all their allies in India and to prosecute that struggle with valour and perseverance and with full faith in Final Victory - until the enemy is expelled from Indian soil and the Indian people are once again a Free Nation" 

After a lengthy proclamation Nethaji proceeded to take the oath of allegiance to India. The Cathay hall saw the most epic and poignant scene it has ever witnessed. 

Amidst cheers, Netaji read out the oath, "In the name of God, I take this sacred Oath that to Liberate India and 38 crores of my countrymen, I, Subhas Chandra Bose, will continue the sacred war of freedom till the last breath of my life ....." He then paused, he could not proceed, his voice was choked with emotion; tears started rolling down his cheeks; he pulled out his kerchief and wiped his eyes. He broke down and with difficulty resumed in a steady voice "I shall always remain a servant of India and look after the welfare of 38 crores of Indian brothers and sisters. This shall be for me my highest duty. Even after winning freedom I will always be prepared to shed the last drop of my blood for the preservation of India's freedom".

When Netaji finished the oath, the pent up feelings of his audience burst open- echo went sky-high in the auditorium - Jai Hind!! That reverberates in everyone’s heart - Jai Hind!! The blood pulsated with the only Mantra - Jai Hind!!!


-JAIHIND- 


** Minister for Publicity and Propaganda in Subhas Chandra Bose'sAzad Hind Government between 1943 and 1945 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._A._Ayer

Photo Collection: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10207570163509384.1073741848.1149053476&type=1&l=f0cc46c970

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