Do or Die. The words Mahatma Gandhi uttered to inspire Indians to call for an end to British rule. It inspired the masses. Nationwide protests erupted. The pushback from the authorities was fierce. But that didn’t stop the demonstrations. People flocked to the streets. And one of them was Matangini Hazra. She was a brave revolutionary. Inspired by Gandhi, she dedicated her life to independence. Who knew how far this elderly, frail woman was willing to go? And how did it all end in tragedy?
The Bold Stance against the Authority
Matangini Maity was born into poverty. She was born on October 19th, 1870 in Hogla village, Medinapore. This was under the jurisdiction of the Tamluk police station. Owing to her poverty, she married as a child. She returned to her village at the age of 18, widowed.
She decided to commit her time and energy to assisting those in need. And in the days of brutal British rule, Indians needed all the help they could get…
She started her own business in her village. She spent most of her time helping the elderly and sick around her home. She had no idea the future that lay ahead of her.
The nationalist movement began to gain traction across India in the early 1900s. Ghandi crisscrossed the country. He aimed to increase awareness and urge others to join in the fight for independence.
Widespread female participation defined the struggle for independence in Medinapore. Inspired by Gandhi, Hazra became involved in the independence movement in 1905.
But the turning point in her life occurred much later.
January 26th, 1932. At the age of 62, Hazra joined the village men in an awareness procession. This was about the current political situation. Her involvement in the independence movements made her infamous among the police. She was often detained. This frail old woman, often with a smile on her face.
She had crossed a line. And for her, there was no turning back.
The Jailhouse Rock
Because of her devotion to Gandhi, many people dubbed Hazra ‘Old Lady Gandhi’. Her many arrests did not affect her commitment to the independence cause. Much like Gandhi, Hazra’s frail body could not keep her from the front lines of the freedom movement.
She opposed British brutality. Yet she was about the feel the full force of it…
Hazra helped to abolish the Chowkidari levy, imposed on villagers by the British. This was to pay a small local group of police. Spies against the people. While during the smallpox outbreak, she tended to the sufferers.
She, like Ghandi, refused any foreign items and spun her khadi (yarn), as a symbol of protest. In 1932, she took part in the Non-Cooperation Movement. The police detained her for her role in the Salt Satyagraha movement.
Despite her release, she persisted in her demand for the removal of the Salt Tax. The police arrested her again and imprisoned her for six months in Baharampur. She was hurt in 1933 while attending an Indian National Congress sub-divisional meeting. It was a hot afternoon.
She led the march to the governor’s palace, where he stood on his balcony and watched out over the crowd. Hazra led from the front, waving the Indian independence flag. They got closer to the governor’s balcony. Hazra burst through the police barricade, shouting:
“Go back, Laat Sahib!”
Police swarmed around Hazra and beat her. She was 63. And lucky to survive…
Her method of protest was akin to Gandhi’s call for nonviolent resistance. Later in 1933, the then-Governor of Bengal, Sir John Anderson, visited India. Hazra managed to penetrate security. She reached his lectern, where she raised the black flag in protest.
Yet again, the British government sent her to prison. This time, for six months.
Her determination was strong. She fought back despite facing imprisonment several times in her life. But everything was about to come to a sudden, shocking end.
The Freedom March
In 1942, local workers staged a protest at police stations and government offices. 73-year-old Hazra led them. On September 29th, she led a group of 6,000 demonstrators, almost all women, in a siege of the Tamluk police station. The police attempted to halt the procession by claiming Section 144 of the IPC.
But Hazra moved forward, pleading with the police not to fire on the protestors.
The police did not listen. And they opened fire.
The police shot Hazra in the arm. Regardless, she kept pushing forward. In her hands, the independent India flag. With pride, she waved the flag, raised high. Her boldness was on display, but the British did not take kindly to such zeal.
In the middle of the chaos, Hazra once more appealed to the police. “Refrain from shooting at the protestors!” Her cries went unnoticed. The police had already shot her in her arm. The police then fired twice more at her. After the second shot, Hazra, now bleeding heavily, kept marching on.
But the final shot was fatal.
The final bullet struck Hazra in her forehead. She died at once. Her body was later found, covered in blood, although the flag, as the story goes, remained unspoiled. Not a single drop fell on the flag Hazra held onto with great pride as she fell to the ground.
She died on September 29th, 1942 at the age of 72.
Her death turned her into a martyr for many. She inspired revolutionaries to form their own parallel government in Medinapore. This lasted until 1944, ending at Gandhi’s insistence.
Hazra’s sacrifice was not in vain. She dedicated her life to the liberation of her country. Indians have never forgotten her. In 1977, she was the first woman revolutionary to have a statue constructed in Kolkata.
Hazra was one of those ordinary women who made their mark on the history of India’s fight for independence.
Only five years after her death, on August 15th, 1947, India gained independence. She never lived to see it, but she came so close.
She is one of many who led to that momentous day.
The Indian Fight for Freedom
Do or Die. The words of Mahatma Ghandi which inspired Hazra to take up her own nonviolent protest. She inspired the masses. And, despite the pushback from the authorities, people flocked to the streets. Nothing could stop the demonstrations. It was a fight for independence. And among the throng of revolutionaries, there was Hazra.
She dedicated her life to independence and paid the ultimate price.
She was an extraordinary woman. A woman of tremendous bravery and courage in the face of overwhelming adversity. Even at the end, she kept on marching. She knew the end was coming. Yet still she marched. She is a martyr who laid down her life in the face of a barrage of bullets fired by British police.
She died while chanting, “Vande Mataram!” or, “I praise thee, Mother!”
She inspired many generations of Indians. As well as all those fighting for freedom from oppression across our world. Even to this day. Her legacy is a monument to the strength of the human spirit.
Matangini Hazra’s life tells us that no matter what hurdles we face, we should strive to stay true to what we believe in. And never give up on that.
What do you think of Matangini Hazra, reader?
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My Other Blogs: The Indelible Life of Me | To Contrive & Jive
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Image Credit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matangini_Hazra
Post Sources
https://organiser.org/2022/09/25/94927/opinion/matangini-hazra-matron-saint/, https://indianculture.gov.in/node/2801049, https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-history/remembering-matangini-hazra-8961624/, https://digpu.com/india-news/story-of-matangini-hazra-gandhi-buri, https://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/history/who-was-matangini-hazra, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matangini_Hazra, https://mani-group.com/blog/matangini-hazra/, https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/fiercely-feminine-from-aruna-asaf-ali-to-matangini-hazra-5-women-who-led-the-quit-india-movement/articleshow/102531607.cms?from=mdr
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