Two great sons of India, Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das and the freedom fighter he memorably defended in court against the British, Aurobindo Ghose, were remembered together on the former's 152nd birth anniversary on November 5. The venue was Sri Aurobindo Bhawan and the occasion also coincided with the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Sri Aurobindo.
At his inaugural speech, the trustee of Sri Aurobindo Bhawan, Biswajit Gangopadhay, spoke about the close association between the two and their contribution in the freedom struggle and their relevance in today’s India.
Speaking on the famous case
The lectures and speeches highlighted how Deshbandhu’s spirited defence of Sri Aurobindo and his subsequent acquittal from all charges had earned him (Deshbandhu) an immortal position in the annals of the Indian judicial system and the history of freedom struggle.
This is how Deshbandhu concluded his defence of Aurobindo in 1909:
“Long after this controversy is hushed in silence, long after this turmoil ceases, long after Aurobindo Ghose is dead and gone, he will be looked upon as the poet of patriotism, as the prophet of nationalism and the lover of humanity. Long after the mortal in him has perished, his words will be echoed and re-echoed across distant seas and lands.”
Among the dignitaries who attended the event were retired Justice Chittatosh Mukherjee, who is also the president of Dakshin Kalikata Sevasram, Justice Sambuddha Chakraborty, Gautam Biswas, assistant professor, department of history, PN Das College, and Sanat Kumar Naskar, professor, department of Bengali language and literature, Calcutta University, and others.
Justice Chittatosh Mukherjee addresses the audience
Celebrations at DKS
DKS students sing hymns and songs at the event
Students of Dakshin Kalikata Sevasram lit the ceremonial lamp and sang hymns and songs in honour of the great souls. Welcoming all, DKS secretary, Subhendra Maulik, said, “It was he (Sri Aurobindo) who showed us that there was a definite goal, a definite mission in our lives and that was to attain divinity in our existences – that was the ultimate goal.” Deshbandhu had founded DKS in 1924. Netaji was its founding secretary.
Photographs of Deshbandhu and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose were garlanded in the presence of the joint president, Dr Ashok Ghosh, and other dignitaries. Thereafter, speeches were delivered and the boarders participated in a discussion remembering the ideals and vision of Deshbandhu and Netaji. At the hour-long ceremony, letters written by both were shown.
Justice Mukherjee spoke of DKS’s tradition in preparing the “right humans” for society. He thanked those who stood by DKS through its 98-year-old tenure.
He reminded the gathering of the tremendous impact of the meeting between Sri Aurobindo and Deshbandhu. He concluded by reminding all about the relevance of Sri Aurobindo and Deshbandhu and said that future generations must draw inspiration from them and their teachings.
