An Article By: Hrithik.M (LLB Student – Seshadripuram Law College)
यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवताः।
यत्रैतास्तु न पूज्यन्ते सर्वास्तत्राफला क्रिया:॥
Introduction:
The land of Assam has played a very important and strategic role in protecting our nation’s North-Eastern Culture, Languages, Customs and Tradition historically and during our 1000years of freedom struggle. It is the Birth place of many great Dynasties like Kamarupa, Kamata, Bhuyan Chieftains, Kachari, Ahom, Koch Hajo etc… and also gave birth to many great freedom fighters who selflessly fought for our nation’s freedom against the invaders’ rule .They sacrificed their life for that cause irrespective of their age and gender .One such example is “Lachit Bhorphukan” , a great son of Assam who served as an army general of the Ahom Dynasty and fought Valorously against the Mughal invaders and defeated them on many occasions while protecting his kingdom.
Here let us remember The Great Daughter of Assam who fought against the British colonel rule during “Quit India Movement“, who was shot dead by the Britishers while trying to hoist the Indian Flag, who was just 17yrs old while she sacrificed her life for our nation’s freedom and her name was “Kanaklata Barua” also called as Birangana and Shaheed Kanaklata Barua.
Childhood and early life:
Kanaklata Barua was born on 22nd December 1924 to Krishna Kanta (Father) and Karneshwari Barua (Mother) at Borangabari Village, Gohpur, Darrang district, British Bharath presently known as Biswanath District, Assam, Bharath . She had a younger brother and sister , Rajanikanta Barua and Devabala Barua. She lost her mother when she was just five years old and her father Krishna Kanta re-married and after some years, he lost his life when Kanaklata was just 13yrs old. So to take care of her siblings, she dropped out of school and she completed her schooling only up to 3rd grade. Kanaklata Barua and her siblings where brought-up in her Grandmother’s Home in Gameri Village,while her Grandfather Ghana Kanta Barua was a famous hunter in Darrang and Her ancestors were from the Dolakasharia Barua kingdom of the erstwhile Ahom state who relinquished the Dolakasharia title and continued retaining the Barua title .
Participation in Freedom Struggle and Quit India Movement:
The Quit India Movement was a movement launched by the Indian National Congress on 8th August 1942 under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee demanding an end to the British Colonel rule in India and “Poorna Swaraj”. Mahatma Gandhi gave a Slogan “Do or Die” in his Quit India speech delivered in Bombay at the Gowalia Tank Maidan. After the British failed to secure Indian support for the British war effort with the Cripps Mission. Viceroy Linlithgow described the movement as “by far the most serious rebellion since 1857”.
Kanaklata Barua’s father was a freedom fighter associated in the Swadeshi movement and her uncles were also actively participating in the freedom struggle which played a very important role in shaping her future and exposure to the freedom movement at a very young age. Although while she was doing her household chores like an ordinary girl and taking care of her siblings, she had a great knowledge on our nation’s glorious past and how cruelly we were conquered by the outsiders and ruled for many years from the stories heard from her Grandfather and uncles. Most Importantly the agitation and Protest done by the “Chaiduar Ryot Sabha” under the leadership of “Jyoti Prasad Agarwala” in 1931 and the Persecution of freedom fighters like Cheniram Das, Mahim Chandra, Lakidhar Sarma and Mahadev Sarma from her hometown made a great impact in her life and created a hatred against Britishers and their colonel rule. This made the way for her to actively take part in the freedom movement and participate in the “Quit India Movement” which was a turning point in her life.
Joining Mrityu Bahini, Hoisting Flag on Police Station and Death:
After Mahatma Gandhi gave a call for “Quit India Movement” in 1942, the entire nation jumped into the freedom struggle and believed that this is the last chance for us to make our Nation free from the clutches of the British rule. The movement spread like a wildfire across the nation and protests started every nook and corner of the country and people started to boycott British goods. There were attacks on British officers, Police personals etc and many revolutionary camps were also set up across the nation to support the movement. A similar camp was set up in Tezpur District in present day Assam which was nearby Kanaklata’s home. Having been deeply influenced by the freedom movement, she decided to join the camp and participate in the freedom movement and the Great freedom fighter “Jyoti Prasad Agarwala” established an organization called “Mrityu Bhaini(Death Squad)” in Tezpur to support the Quit India Movement. Kanaklata Barua joined the Mrityu Bahini wing of Ghopur Subdivision.
Jyoti Prasad Agarwala decided to organize a peaceful protest and hoist the Tricolor flag on the Gohpur police station on 20th September 1942. It was decided that Kanaklata Barua would lead the protest and hoist the flag on the Gohpur police station. On 20th September 1942. She completed her daily household work as usual and for the last time she spoke to her siblings and told them to take care of themselves because she had a doubt that she might not return back home. With full heart she left her home and joined the protesters.She stood in front of the women Volunteers group by holding the tricolor flag and marched towards the Gohpur police station and when the protesters came near the gate of New Purubbari Tea Garden which is about 11/2Km from Gohpur Police Station , The Volunteers took rest and judged that they would face danger near the Thana Gate. The Men Volunteers suggested the women Volunteers to line up behind them and march towards the police station but Kanaklata Barua strongly opposed the idea and told them that the women Volunteers will march infront and would face anything bravely and also sacrifice their life if needed and continued their march by shouting the slogan “DO or Die”. When they reached Thana they made a queue before the western gate and another march from the eastern part of the Gohpur like Kalabari, Kamdewal, Dubia etc led by Golok Pujari, Nirod Boran Das, Chandra Bardoloi, Mineswar Kakaty, Uma Bardoloi, Bhubaneswar Kakaty, Thaneswar Bora reached Thana and made queue infront of the Eastern Gate. Both started marching towards the police station but the police incharge led by Rebati Mahan Sunia held the protesters in the western gate and urged them to go back or else they will face very bad consequences and their life also would be in danger. But Kanaklata held the tricolor flag and made her position infront of the female queue and started to convince the Police that they have come here to hoist the flag and they will do it at any cost and any force can’t stop them from doing it. She entered the compound by pushing the gun aside with her hand and telling “You can kill our human bodies but not our souls made of iron. O Britishers! Whatever measures you adopt to stop us will fail. We shall continue to proceed.None can stop us from Hoisting our National Flag at the police post” and then the police opened fired on the unarmed volunteers and a bullet hit Kanaklata’s chest.She fell down but did not let the flag touch the ground. Soon another volunteer named “Mukund Kakaty” took the flag from her but even he was shot dead by the police. But their goal of hoisting the National flag was achieved by another volunteer “Rampati Rajkhowa” of Kamdewal who hoisted the National flag on the police station .
Legacy:
Kanaklata Barua story was told in form of a movie by director Chandra Mudoi’s Epaah Phulil Epaah Xoril. and the Hindi version of the movie is Purab Ki Awaz, was also released to reach a wider audience.
The Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS Kanak Lata Barua of the Indian Coast Guard, commissioned in 1997, is named after Kanaklata Barua.
A life-size statue of her was unveiled in 2011 at a rock garden called “Kanaklata Udyan” at Gauripur .
Conclusion:
Kanaklata Barua was just 17yrs of age when she was martyred and her body was brought back to her village where her last rites took place and even Mukund Kakaty’s last rites were also performed on the same day.
Even though she lived a very short life of 17yrs she made a great impact in the freedom movement of our country and she became a great inspiration to many women’s in Assam and for the entire country to actively participate in the freedom struggle and also contribute towards the development of our nation.
