Jhabua, MP, February 27: An extravagant fair will be organised today
in this district to mark the 105th birth anniversary of great
freedom fighter and martyr Chandrashekhar Sitaram Tiwari, better
known as Chandrashekhar Azad.
The fair has been organised every year to celebrate the birthday
of Azad, who was born on February 27, 1906, in Bhavra village of
Jhabua district in Madhya Pradesh.
Azad’s fierce patriotism and courage inspired others of his
generation to enter freedom struggle. He was the mentor of Bhagat
Singh, another great freedom fighter. He was considered as one of
the greatest revolutionaries that India has produced.
His parents were Pandit Sitaram Tiwari and Jagarani Devi. He
received his early schooling in Bhavra village. For higher studies
he went to the Sanskrit Pathashala in Varanasi.
He was an ardent follower of lord Hanuman and once disguised
himself as a priest in a Hanuman temple to escape the dragnet of
British police.
Azad was deeply disturbed by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in
Amritsar in 1919. In 1921, when Mahatma Gandhi launched
Non-Cooperation movement, he had actively participated in
revolutionary activities.
Azad received his first punishment at the age of 15. He was
caught while indulging in revolutionary activities. When the
Magistrate asked him his name, he said ”Azad” (meaning free).
Azad had vowed that he would never be arrested by the British
police and would die as a free man.
The important events in his life included Kakori Train Robbery
(1926), the attempt to blow up the Viceroy’s train (1926) and the
shooting of Saunders at Lahore (1928) to avenge the killing of Lala
Lajpat Rai.
He also formed Hindustan Socialist Republican Association with
his fellow compatriots Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru.
-Agencies