Punyasmaran Diwas (4)

मला देवाचे दर्शन घेउ द्या

डोळे भरून देवास मला पाहुं द्या II धृ II

      जो तुम्हिच करा दिनरात

      मळ काढित मळले हात

म्हणुनीच विमल हृदयात-

हृदय त्या वाहु द्या !

      मी तहान जल तो जाण

      मी कुडि माझा तो प्राण

मी भक्त नि तो भगवान-

चरण त्याचे शिवु द्या

      तो हिंदु-देव मी हिंदु

      मी दीन तो दया-सिंधू

तुम्ही माझे धर्माचे बंधू-

अडवु नका जाउ द्या…

Allow me to see my God… is the meaning of the first sentence of this poem. It might sound a bit childish or maybe a more saint like but the context to this poem is completely different.

Veer Savarkar, when he was not allowed to participate in Politics, took up many social causes during his stay in Ratnagiri. One of them was opening up temples for the so called “untouchables” at that time. He waged a very bitter struggle for the temple entry. He was instrumental in founding the Patit Pavan Mandir (Temple) at Ratnagiri in 1931. This was the first temple in India to open up to all Hindus irrespective of their caste.

Patit Pavan Mandir, Ratnagiri

To mark this occasion, Savarkar composed his poem and it was sung by two boys of the Untouchable (Valmiki) caste. This was a revolutionary step. And Savarkar has aptly described the situation which the downtrodden went through during tha last 2000 years. He must have been in tears while writing this poem, knowing his integrity.

Such an emotional Savarkarji, on 1st February, 1966 decided to give up his body as he felt that the task assigned to him for this world was over. He gave up food medicines and prepared himself to face the imminent fact of life, death…

He called it “Atmarpan” (a fast unto death). He even justified it in a article which he wrote; “Atmahatya Nahi Atmaarpan” in which he argued that when one’s life mission is over and the ability to serve society is left no more, it is better to end the life at will rather than waiting for death. His body ended this worldly journey on 26th February, 1966…

We bow down to this rational but a nationalist leader whom the people gave a lot of love and affection though the Nehruvian Congress has never acknowledged his contribution to Indian Independence and Indian Socity at large.