Kartar Singh Sarabha

Kartar Singh Sarabha

Kartar Singh Sarabha (24 May 1896 — 16 November 1915) was an Indian revolutionary. He was 15-years old when he became a member of Ghadar Party; he then became a leading luminary member and started fighting for the independence movement. He was one of the most active members of the movement. In November 1915 at Central Jail, Lahore, he was executed for his role in the movement when he was 19 years old.

Early life

Kartar Singh was born into a Grewal Jat Sikh family in Sarabha, a village near Ludhiana in Punjab. His father was Mangal Singh Grewal and his mother was Sahib Kaur. He was very young when his father died and his grandfather brought him up. After receiving his initial education in his village, Singh entered the Malwa Khalsa high school in Ludhiana; he studied there until 8th standard. Then he went to his uncle (father's brother) in Odisha and stayed there for over a year. After coming back to his grandfather, his family decided to board him to the United States for higher education. He sailed to San Francisco in July 1912. He was supposed to get enrolled in University of Berkeley but the evidence that he did study there varies. A historical note by Baba Jwala Singh mentions that when he went to Astoria, Oregon in December 1912, he found Kartar Singh working in a mill factory. Some say that he studied in the Berkeley, but the college did not find any record of enrollment with his name.

His association with Nalanda club of Indian students at Berkeley aroused his patriotic sentiments and he felt agitated about the treatment of immigrants from India, especially manual, worker received in the United States.

Sohan Singh Bhakna, the founder of the Ghadar Party, inspired Singh to campaign against British colonial rule for the sake of an independent country. Sohan Singh Bhakna called Kartar Singh "Baba Gernal". He learnt from Americans how to shoot a gun, and how to make detonating devices. Kartar Singh also took lessons for flying aeroplanes. He frequently spoke with other Indians, many of whom supported colonial rule, on the need for India to become independent from British rule.

Ghadar Party and newspaper

When the Ghadar party was founded in mid-1913 with Sohan Singh, a Sikh from Bhakna village in the Amritsar district, as president and Lala Hardyal as secretary, Kartar Singh stopped his university work, moved in with Lala Hardyal and became his helpmate in running the revolutionary newspaper Ghadar (revolt). He undertook the responsibility for printing of the Gurmukhi edition of the paper. He composed patriotic poetry for it and wrote articles.

On 15 July 1913, the Punjabi Indians of California assembled and formed the Ghadar Party (Revolution Party). The aim of the Ghadar Party was to get rid of British rule in India by means of an armed struggle. On 1 November 1913, the Ghadar Party started printing a paper named Ghadar, which was published in Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati and Pushto languages. Kartar Singh was quite heavily involved in the publishing of that paper.

This paper was sent to Indians living in all countries throughout the world. Its purpose was to convince both Indians and the Indian diaspora to support the freedom movement.

Within a short time, the Ghadar Party became famous through The Ghadar. It drew Indians from all walks of life.

Revolt in Punjab

With the start of World War I in 1914, British India became thoroughly engrossed in the Allied war effort. Thinking it to be a good opportunity, the leaders of the Ghadar Party published the "Decision of Declaration of War" against the British in issue of 'The Ghadar' dated 5 August 1914. Thousands of copies of the paper were distributed among army cantonments, villages and cities. Kartar Singh reached Calcutta via Colombo on board SS Salamin in October 1914: he accompanied two other Ghadar leaders, Satyen Sen and Vishnu Ganesh Pingle, along with a large number of Gadhar freedom fighters. With a letter of introduction from Jatin Mukherjee, the Jugantar leader, Singh and Pingle met Rash Behari Bose at Banaras to inform him that 20,000 more Ghadar members were expected very soon. A large number of leaders of the Ghadar Party were arrested by the government at the ports. In spite of these arrests, a meeting was held by members of the Ghadar Party at Ladhouwal near Ludhiana in which it was decided to commit robberies in the houses of the rich to meet requirements of finance for armed action. Two Ghadris, Waryam Singh and Bhai Ram Rakha, were killed in a bomb blast in one such raid.

After the arrival of Rash Behari Bose at Amritsar on 25 January 1915, it was decided in a meeting on 12 February that the uprising should be started on 21 February. It was planned that after capturing the cantonments of Mian Mir and Ferozepur, mutiny was to be engineered near Ambala and Delhi.

Betrayal

Kirpal Singh, a police informer in the ranks of the Ghadar Party, had a large number of members arrested on 19 February and informed the government of the planned revolt. The government disarmed the native soldiers and the revolt failed.

After the failure of the revolution, the members who had escaped arrest decided to leave India. Kartar, Harnam Singh Tundilat, Jagat Singh, and others were asked to go to Afghanistan and made a move towards that area. But Kartar's conscience did not permit him to run away when his comrades had been held. On 2 March 1915, he came back with two friends and went over to Chak No. 5 in Sargodha where there was a military stud and started propagating rebellion amongst the army men. Risaldar Ganda Singh had Kartar, Harnam Singh Tundilat, and Jagat Singh arrested from Chak No. 5, Lyallpur district.

Execution

All of these accused in the Conspiracy Case, for India's freedom who had worked long years and suffered privations and sacrificed everything that man runs after, were executed in the Lahore Central Jail on 17 November 1915. In the Court room, as also standing before the gallows the condemned men refused to accept their endeavour to be termed a 'conspiracy'. They contended that it was an open challenge to the foreigners who charged the patriots, those who were sacrificing everything for the freedom of their Motherland with the offence of sedition, of waging war against the King. Kartar was not at all sorry for what he had done; rather he felt proud for enjoying the privilege of throwing out the challenge at the face of a lot of usurpers. He was really sorry over the outcome of their efforts. He averred that every 'slave' had a right to revolt and it could never be a crime to rise in defence of the primary rights of the sons of the very soil. When he was being tried on the charge of sedition, he took the entire blame upon himself. The Judge was astounded to see such a young boy behaving in such a non-chalant manner. In view of his tender age, he advised the young revolutionary to modify his statement, but the result was the very opposite of what was desired by him. When asked to appeal he retorted,

"Why should I? If I had more lives than one, it would have been a great honour to me to sacrifice each of them for my country."

He was later sentenced to death and hanged in 1915. During the period of his detention in Lahore Central Jail, Kartar managed to get hold of some instruments. With their help, he wanted to cut the iron-bars of his window and escape in company with some other revolutionaries. The authorities who learnt about his designs well in time and seized the instruments from underneath an earthen pitcher in his room, But the plan was rendered abortive by the jail authorities. At the time of his execution Kartar was hardly nineteen years old. But such was his courage that in the course of his detention he gained 14 pounds of fresh weight.

Legacy

Bhagat Singh was inspired by him. "On Bhagat Singh's arrest, a photo of Sarabha was recovered from him. He always carried this photo in his pocket. Very often, Bhagat Singh would show me that photograph and say, 'Dear mother, this is my hero, friend and companion.' " - Bhagat Singh's mother.

Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha, an Indian Punjabi-language biographical film on the revolutionary was released in 1977.[14]

क्रांतिकारी शहीद करतारसिंह

क्रांतिकारी शहीद करतारसिंह

क्रांतिकारी शहीद करतारसिंह सराभा

जन्म- 24 मई 1896

शहीदी- 16 नवम्बर 1915

गोत्र - ग्रेवाल,

गाँव सराभा, जिला लुधियाना, पंजाब.

पिता के इकलोते पुत्र.

अमरीका में छपने वाले 'गदर' के संपादक रहे. कामागाटामारू जहाज से वापस आने पर सैनिक छावनियों में बगावत की चिनगारी लगाते हुए एक साथी की गद्दारी से पकडे गए. सरकार इन्हें उड़ना सांप कहती थी. इन्हें मात्र 19 वर्ष की आयु में फांसी दे दी गयी.

जीवन परिचय

सरदार करतारसिंह - आप जि० लुधियाना में गांव सरावा के जाट जमींदार स० मंगलसिंह के पुत्र थे। आपका जन्म सन् 1896 में सरावा गांव में हुआ था। रासबिहारी बोस और भाई परमानन्द एम० ए० तक इस वीर से आशान्वित थे। इन्हें अपने चाचा के पास उड़ीसा में पढ़ने के समय बंगाल के क्रान्तिकारियों का सम्पर्क मिला। ये पढ़ने के नाम पर ही अमेरिका, सानफ्रांसिस्को पहुंचे। वहां इनको लाला हरदयाल एम० ए० के साथ रहने का सुयोग मिला। उनके और अन्य सहयोगियों के साथ उन्होंने 1913 ई० में ‘गदर पार्टी’ की स्थापना की और ‘गदर’ नामक पत्र का प्रकाशन आरम्भ किया। इस पत्र में ब्रिटिश सरकार के विरुद्ध विद्रोही भावनाएं उभारी जाती थीं। 1914 ई० में महायुद्ध छिड़ने पर इन्होंने भारत आकर देहातियों को क्रान्ति सेना में भर्ती होने और सेनाओं को विद्रोह की तैयारी में जुटने के लिए उभारा। बंगाल में रासबिहारी और शचीन्द्रनाथ सान्याल के साथ सहयोग करके स्वतन्त्रता संग्राम की तैयारी की। एक ही दिन विद्रोह के लिए तय भी कर लिया किन्तु समय से पहले भेद खुल गया और काबुल जाते हुए एक छावनी के सैनिकों में सरकार के विरुद्ध प्रचार करते हुए सरदार करतारसिंह पकड़ लिए गए। उस समय उनकी आयु केवल 20 वर्ष की थी। इन पर डाकेजनी तथा सैनिक विद्रोह कराने का अभियोग लगाया तो इन्होंने सब स्वीकार कर लिया और कहा - “हम ब्रिटिश सरकार को भारत पर शासन नहीं करने दे सकते, मैंने इसी कार्य के लिए जनता और सेना को तैयार किया था, इसी के लिए मैं अमेरिका से लौटा था।” जज ने उनके बयान नहीं लिखे, उसे सोचकर बोलने के लिए अगला दिन दिया। अगले दिन भी इस वीर के बयान वही थे। वीरता पर मुग्घ हुए जज ने लिखा कि “यह करतारसिंह 61 अभियुक्तों में सबसे मुख्य है, इसने लगाए सभी आरोप स्वीकार कर लिए हैं। इसे अपने कारनामों पर भारी गर्व है।” फांसी का आदेश सुनकर उसने जज को “थैंक्यू” (आपका धन्यवाद) कहा और मुस्करा दिया।

स्मरण रहे इसी कार्य में भाई परमानन्द भी अभियुक्त थे। उन्होंने अपनी आत्मकथा में

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जाट वीरों का इतिहास: दलीप सिंह अहलावत, पृष्ठान्त-834

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लिखा है - “करतारसिंह को मैंने अमेरिका में देखा था। हथकड़ी बेड़ी में कसकर जब जेल में लाया गया तो अपने दो साथियों के साथ प्रसन्न होता हुआ और हंसता हुआ जेल में आया। शुरु में इसके पांवों में जंजीर डालकर जेल के दरवाजे से बांधा गया जबकि यह हथकड़ी भी पहने हुए था। भले ही यह 18-20 वर्ष का नौजवान था परन्तु सच तो यह है कि पंजाब में सारी हलचल का वास्तविक लीडर करतारसिंह था। उस लड़के का पुरुषार्थ और साहस आश्चर्यजनक था।”

करतार सिंह ग्रेवाल “सराभा”

आज ही के दिन मई 24 , 1896 को लुधियाना के पास सराभा गाँव में जन्म हुआ था । ग़दर पार्टी से जुड़े और मात्र 19 साल की छोटी सी उम्र में फाँसी तोड़े गए । हालाँकि , ग़दर पार्टी में बड़े बड़े लोग थे पर हम उस वक़्त के अख़बारों में लाहौर कॉसंपरेसी ट्रायल पर पढ़ेंगे तो समझ आएगा कि करतार सिंह उम्र में बेशक छोटे थे परंतु मुख्य भूमिका इनकी ही थी । उस समय (अप्रैल, मई 1915) के टाईम्स आॉफ इंडिया की कुछ कट्टिंग में देख सकते हैं कि हिंदू होटल , अनारकली में कैसे करतार सिंह अपना नाम नरसिंह बदल कर ठहरे थे , क्या क्या धराएँ इन लोगों पर लगाई गई थी ।

भगत सिंह आ गया , सराभा कित्थे रह गया ?

अब शहीदे आज़म भगत सिंह ने जिसको अपना आदर्श माना उसमें कुछ तो ख़ूबी रही होंगी ? पर देश समाज ने करतार सिंह सराभा को वो सम्मान वो मुक़ाम नहीं दिया जिसके वो सही हक़दार हैं ।

सरदार करतार सिंह सराभा

सरदार करतार सिंह सराभा

सरदार करतार सिंह सराभा (24-05-1896 - 16-11-1915)

सरदार करतार सिंह सराभा का जन्म 24 मई 1896 को लुधियाना के सराभा गांव में जाट जमींदार सरदार मंगल सिंह ग्रेवाल के घर में हुआ था। वह अपने पिता के एकमात्र पुत्र थे।

करतार सिंह को शिक्षा के लिए उनके चाचा के यहां उड़ीसा भेजा गया था। शिक्षा के समय वह बंगाल के क्रान्तिकारियों के संपर्क में आए थे। वे शिक्षा के नाम पर ही अमेरिका, सैनफ्रांसिस्को पहुंचे। वहां इनको लाला हरदयाल के साथ रहने का सुयोग मिला। उनके और अन्य सहयोगियों के साथ वर्ष 1913 में उन्होंने ‘गदर पार्टी’ की स्थापना की और ‘गदर’ नामक पत्र का प्रकाशन आरम्भ किया।

इस पत्र में ब्रिटिश सरकार के विरुद्ध विद्रोही भावनाएं उभारी जाती थीं। वर्ष 1914 में महायुद्ध छिड़ने पर इन्होंने भारत आकर देहातियों को क्रान्ति सेना में भर्ती होने और सेनाओं को विद्रोह की तैयारी में जुटने के लिए उभारा। बंगाल में रासबिहारी बोस और शचीन्द्रनाथ सान्याल के साथ सहयोग करके स्वतन्त्रता संग्राम की तैयारी की। एक दिन विद्रोह के लिए तय भी कर लिया किंतु कृपाल सिंह नाम के एक पुलिस मुखबिर ने अंग्रेजी पुलिस को इस दल के कार्यों और योजनाओं की सूचना दे दी। पुलिस ने अनेक गदर कार्यकर्ताओं को बंदी बना लिया और समय से पहले भेद खुल गया। करतार सिंह व अन्य क्रांतिकारी पकड़ लिए गए। उस समय उनकी आयु मात्र 20 वर्ष की थी।

करतार सिंह पर डाकेजनी तथा सैनिक विद्रोह कराने का अभियोग लगाया तो उन्होंने सब स्वीकार कर लिया और कहा - “हम ब्रिटिश सरकार को भारत पर शासन नहीं करने दे सकते, मैंने इसी कार्य के लिए जनता और सेना को तैयार किया था, इसी के लिए मैं अमेरिका से लौटा था।” जज ने उनके बयान नहीं लिखे व उन्हें सोचकर बोलने के लिए अगला दिन दिया। अगले दिन भी उनके वही बयान थे। उनकी वीरता से प्रभावित हुए जज ने लिखा कि “यह करतार सिंह 61 अभियुक्तों में सबसे मुख्य है, इसने लगाए गए सभी आरोप स्वीकार कर लिए हैं। इसे अपने कार्य पर भारी गर्व है।” फांसी का आदेश सुनकर भी उन्होंने जज को धन्यवाद कहा और मुस्करा दिए। 16 नवंबर 1915 को लाहौर सेंट्रल जेल में उन्हें फांसी दी गई।

भले ही वह 18-20 वर्ष के युवक थे, परंतु सच तो यह था कि पंजाब में सारी गतिविधियों के वास्तविक नायक सरदार करतार सिंह ही थे। उनका पुरुषार्थ और साहस आश्चर्यजनक था। भगत सिंह ने भी जिन्हें अपना आदर्श माना , तो उनमें कुछ विशेषता तो अवश्य ही रही होगी ? खेदजनक रूप से स्वतंत्र भारत में देश और समाज ने सरदार करतार सिंह सराभा को वो सम्मान नहीं दिया जिसके वो वास्तविक पात्र थे।

लेखक - रमेश शर्मा

Life Sketch in English

Kartar Singh Sarabha Grewal was born in a Grewal Sikh family at village Sarabha in the district of Ludhiana, Punjab, on 24 May 1896.

The name of his father was Sardar Mangal Singh, who passed away when Kartar Singh was a small child. His grandfather brought him up with great care. After receiving his primary education in his own village, Kartar Singh entered the Malwa Khalsa High school at Ludhiana for his matriculation. He was in tenth class when he went to live with his uncle in Orissa where he completed his high school level studies and then he joined there for college Education. At the age of about fifteen, his guardian put him on board a ship for America in search of work there. The ship landed at the American port of San Francisco in January 1912. There he started to meet some of the revolutionaries.

On 21 April 1913, the Indians of California assembled and formed the Ghadar Party with the aim to get rid of the slavery of the country from the British yoke by taking to arms and then set up a national democratic government in free India. Their slogan was "Put at stake everything for the freedom of the country." On 1 November 1913, the Ghadar Party started a paper named Ghadar which was a multi-lingual paper. Kartar Singh was also associated with it.

A group of the revolutionaries on return to India, to foment anti British revolution in Indian army, was arrested including therein the young Sarabha and sent to Lahore Jail in the First Lahore conspiracy case.

Along with several others, he was put to trial. He was considered one of the most dangerous of rebels by the British. "He is very proud of the crimes committed by him. He does not deserve mercy and should be sentenced to death".

Hanged to Death

He was hanged in the Central Jail of Lahore on 16 November 1915 at the age of 19.

References

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