Hi,
Everyone! On August 17, 1909, Madan Lal Dhingra was strung up on the gallows in
London for his political assassination of Sir Curzon Wylie. This incident shook
the very foundation of the British Raj! While revolutionary bombings and assassinations
were taking place in India at this time, this was the first time anyone had
dared to so boldly commit such an act in Britain itself. And that it should be
Madan Lal who should do so was adding further salt to the wound. Madan Lal came
from a very eminent Indian family and was socially accepted in London circles;
in fact he had won the confidence of Sir Curzon Wylie himself.
Transcript
of the Madan Lal Dhingra’s case are found here:
Madan Lal
Dhingra is most certainly a martyr of India and his role in the freedom
movement cannot be forgotten.
Madan Lal had crossed paths with Vinayak
Damodar Savarkar and his life was no more the same. He was stirred into patriotism
and a passion to serve his country and was a regular visitor at the India
House. Here I am giving excerpts from Dr. Shreerang Godbole’s article, Martyrdom Centenary of Madan Lal Dhingra,
Part I & II which gives details of Madan Lal’s sacrifice of his life:
“In the
illustrious list of fiery patriots, Madan Lal Dhingra stands out for his sheer
courage and supreme sacrifice. Madan Lal Dhingra went to the gallows on August
17, 1909. The centenary of his martyrdom is an occasion for us to remember his
immortal saga.
Madan Lal Dhingra was born on September 18, 1883 in Amritsar. His father was an
eye specialist and Civil Surgeon of Amritsar. Some say he was the first Indian
doctor to reach that eminent position. Madan Lal was the sixth of his seven
sons. Two of Madan Lal’s brothers were doctors, one was an MRCP (1895); two
other brothers were barristers. Madan Lal was married and had a son. If he had
desired, he could have lived a life of luxury. But he chose to be a martyr for
India’s freedom struggle. . . .
In one of
the Sunday meetings at India House, Savarkar was delivering an impassioned
speech on India’s freedom. Madan Lal and his friends were creating a ruckus in
the adjacent room. The din forced Savarkar to interrupt his speech and peep
into the adjacent room. There he saw Madan Lal and his friends enjoying
themselves. “What’s the matter, Madan? You talk of action and bravery and avoid
coming to our weekly meetings. Is this the bravery you keep talking about?”
reprimanded Savarkar. The words shamed Dhingra. He quietly left India House and
did not show his face to Savarkar for several days thereafter. When he mustered
courage to enter India House again, it was to find out if Savarkar was still annoyed
with him. When the two met, Savarkar behaved as if nothing had happened between
them. He spoke with the same affection. Emboldened, Dhingra asked, “Has the
time for martyrdom come?” Savarkar replied, “If a martyr has made up his mind
and is ready, it is generally understood that the time for martyrdom has come.”
Sir Curzon Wylie (October 5, 1848—July 1,
1909):
Dhingra
had now made up his mind. In July 1908, he deliberately joined the National
Indian Association. This Association was doing its best to discourage Indian
students from the militant path. Important British dignitaries attended their
functions. Dhingra denounced Savarkar and other revolutionaries in the company
of appropriate persons. He soon secured the trust of Miss Emma Josephine Beck,
the secretary of the National Indian Association, and came to know the timings
of visits of important English guests attending various functions. Eventually
the opportunity came and Dhingra took full advantage of it. Having decided on
his mission, Dhingra left India House to show that he disagreed with Savarkar.
He took lodgings with Mrs Harris at 108 Ledbury Road, London W11 after Easter
of 1909. . . .
Preparing for the assassination:
Dhingra
was personally acquainted with Curzon Wyllie. Wyllie had received a letter from
Kundan Lal Dhingra (Madan Lal’s eldest brother). On April 13, 1909, Wyllie
wrote to Madan Lal suggesting that he should meet Wyllie. Dhingra pretended
that he wanted to dicuss contents of that letter. On July 1, 1909, several
prominent Britishers (including Curzon Wylie) and Indians were to attend a
meeting of the National Indian Association at Jehangir Hall in the first floor
of the Imperial Institute. The reception was given in the name of Lady Lyall,
wife of Sir Alfred Lyall. Madanlal was an Associate Member of the Association.
That is how he could approach Wyllie. . . .
On July
29, 1909, Dhingra finalised his plans. He met Savarkar on that evening in Bipin
Chandra Pal’s house. Niranjan Pal was present at that meeting. Dhingra seemed
to be in good spirit. Savarkar and Dhingra spoke to each other with great
affection. Savarkar apprised Dhingra of the statement he was to make after
assassinating Curzon Wylie. Niranjan Pal typed the statement and Savarkar asked
Dhingra to memorise it. Savarkar then gifted Dhingra with a Belgian-make Browning
pistol and took his leave with great affection. Dhingra was overcome with
emotion. Savarkar said, “Do not show me your face again if you fail this time.”
Dhingra reassured him that this would not happen. The two friends departed. . .
.
On July 1, 1909, Dhingra went as
planned to the meeting at Imperial Institute. As luck would have it he had
forgotten to take the invitation pass. However, as he was an Associate Member,
he gained entry after signing in the visitors’ book. Koregankar also arrived
armed with a pistol. After the meeting was over, Curzone Wyllie seemed ready to
leave. Aji jaao na. kya karte ho! prompted Koregaonkar to Dhingra. Dhingra now
approached Curzon Wylie under the pretext of talking to him. The two opened the
glass door and left the hall.
The assassination:
As they reached the landing,
Dhingra lowered his voice as if he wanted to discuss something confidential.
Curzon Wylie brought his ear close to Dhingra. Sensing the opportunity, Dhingra
removed the Colt revolver from his right coat pocket and pumped two bullets at
point-blank range. The time was 11.20 pm. As Curzon Wyllie reeled, Dhingra
fired two more bullets. A Parsee doctor Cawas Lalkaka tried to come in between
but Dhingra fired at him as well. However, Dhingra’s attempt to shoot himself
failed and he was overpowered. Even in this situation, Dhingra wrestled with
his captors and even brought down one of them breaking his ribs. Dhingra was
pinned to the ground. Only after his revolver was taken away did his captors
heave a sigh of relief. In the scuffle, Dhingra’s spectacles were thrown away.
Dhingra calmly told his captors to handover his spectacles. When the examining
doctor felt Dhingra’s pulse, he was astounded to find that it was ‘even’. After
his arrest, the Police Officer asked Dhingra, "Do you want us to inform
any of your friends of your arrest?" Dhingra cleverly replied, "There
is no need. They will know about my arrest in tomorrow’s newspapers." The
Police were trying to find out if they could implicate any of Dhingra’s
friends. He proved a match for them. Dhingra was taken to Walton Street Police
station.
The trial:
The British Press made some vicious
allegations against Dhingra, taking advantage of remarks made by an ex-Army
officer at the inquest on Wyllie’s death. This was held at Kensington Town Hall
before Coroner Mr C. Luxmoore Drew. Dhingra refused to take part in the
proceedings. At the inquest, Captain Charles Rollerton, an ex-Army officer of
Broadhurst Gardens, Hampstead was present. This witness suggested the
possibility of Dhingra having taken the Indian drug called Bhang because of his
half dazed and dreamy manner. He added that natives of India very often took
Bhang if they were going to perpetrate a deed of this kind. The Coroner asked
Miss Beck, the Secretary of the National Indian Association, if she noticed
whether Dhingra was under the influence of some drug; but her reply was in the
negative. Dhingra, she said, seemed in a normal condition and was quite calm.
During the trial, Mrs Harris, Dhingra’s landlady, said she did not think he
took drugs. Dr John Buchnan of Vauxhall Bridge was the first doctor to arrive
at the scene of assassination. Dhingra, said the doctor, was perfectly calm. He
seemed the calmest man in the crowd. During his trial Dhingra was examined by
psychiatrists to decide if he was mentally subnormal. Their tests were
negative.
At the inquest held at Westminster before Coroner Mr John Troutbeck, Dhingra
expressed his deep regret for the accidental death of Lalkaka. He stated that
had Lalkaka not come in the way he would not have been killed. He had no reason
to kill him.
When produced before Mr Hoarce
Smith the Magistrate of Westminster Police Court, Dhingra said, " I do not
plead for mercy: nor do I recognise your authority over me…" Dhingra was
committed to the Sessions Court. Dhingra bluntly asked the Court, "...If
the Germans have no right to rule over England what right have the English got
to rule over India ?" During the trial Indians were not allowed inside the
Court.
In his last days, Dhingra had
wished that his clothes, books and other belongings should be sold and the
money thus raised be given to the National Fund. However, these were
confiscated by the Metropolitan Police (of London). Two trunks were taken away
by Chief Inspector McCarthy. Dhingra had given a letter authorising Nitinsen
Dwarakadas to be the owner of his personal belongings. But when the case came
to Bow Street Magistrtate’s court on December 31, 1909 it was ruled that as
Dhingra had made no will the police were not bound to return Dhingra’s
belongings to Nitinsen! (London Times, January 1, 1910).
When Dhingra shot dead Curzon
Wyllie, his brother Bhajan Lal was in London studying Law at Grays Inn. Four
days after the event Bhajan Lal attended the public meeting to condemn Madan
Lal. On account of that, Madan Lal refused to see Bhajan Lal when the latter
visited him in the Brixton prison. Soon after their brother was hanged, his
brothers dropped the surname Dhingra, with the exception of Dr Bihari Lal. As
their first names ended in Lal they adopted that as the surname. e.g Chaman Lal
Dhingra became Chaman Lal. (In a similar manner, many Indian freedom fighters
changed their names so that their relations would not be identified and
harassed by the British authorities.). When Veer Savarkar went to visit Dhingra,
he said, "I have come to seek your darshan". Both were overwhelmed on
seeing each other.
Martyrdom!
The day of Dhingra’s hanging finally dawned. It was August 17, 1909. Several of
Dhingra’s friends made efforts to meet him for one last time in the Pentonville
prison. At Savarkar’s suggestion, J. S. Master gave a written application to
that effect. He contended that he was Dhingra’s close friend and hence be
allowed inside the prison to meet him. He forwarded his application to the
Under-Sheriff of London and the Home Office and awaited their response. His
request was turned away at both places. Dhingra had assumed that he would die
without meeting his friends. However, to the end, he remained calm and composed
in the face of imminent death. He enjoyed a good slumber on the previous night
and had to be woken-up on the day of his hanging. He performed his morning
chores as usual and even had a hearty breakfast. Meanwhile, several Indian
youth had mournfully gathered outside the gates of the prison. They were
however denied entry inside. Entry was also denied to the waiting journalists.
At the stroke of nine, Madan Lal Dhingra began his last journey to the gallows.
A Christian preacher named Hudson walked-up to him to say the final Christian
prayer for him. But Dhingra turned him away saying that he was a Hindu. The
Deputy Under-Sheriff of London Metcalf read out the death warrant to Dhingra in
the presence of Deputy Governor Hales of Pentonville prison and asked him the
usual questions. But Dhingra ignored their questions and walked calmly to the
noose. His bravery left the accompanying officers dumb-founded. Officer
Pierpoint stood at the hangman’s noose waiting for Dhingra. Dhingra smiled at
him and ascended the steps to the platform. He himself placed the noose round
his neck. Soon thereafter, the wooden platform underneath was withdrawn.
Dhingra’s body dropped eight feet and lay hanging. As per convention, his limp
body was left hanging for half an hour. When his body was brought down, it
showed no trace of fear. Master was allowed to be present at the post-mortem
examination which was performed by Dr. Wyliss Shroeder and Asst. Medical
Officer Dr. Francis Forewood of Pentonville prison. He wrote the death
certificate in the presence of five witnesses. Master again requested that he
be allowed to claim Dhingra’s dead body so that his final rites could be
performed. However, this request was turned down. The Times, London of August
18, 1909 reported on page 7 column 2, "Shortly after 9, death was announced.
Pierpoint was the executioner. An application for leave to have the body
cremated was refused and it will be buried in accordance with the usual custom,
within the walls of prison."
Then Master followed Under-Sheriff outside the prison. The correspondent for
the Daily Mirror interviewed Master. He asked, "Will Dhingra be considered
a martyr by the Indians?" Master replied, "Certainly. He has laid
down his life for his country’s good. Whether his idea of this ‘good’ was right
or wrong is a matter of opinion."
Madan Lal Dhingra went to the
gallows in Pentonville prison in London on August 17, 1909. This prison was
built between 1840 and 1842. Two Indian revolutionaries went to the gallows
here. Madan Lal Dhingra on August 17, 1909, and Udham Singh on July 31, 1940.
Dhingra wished that his last rites according to Hindu dharma should be
performed on his dead body and it should be cremated. Many Hindus petitioned to
the Home Secretary Mr Herbert Gladstone that Dhingra’s body should be handed
over to them, as Brahmins were ready to perform the last rites. This request
was denied! The last wish of a man sent to the gallows was denied! His body was
put in a coffin, which was buried within the prison premises.
(Note :- The Cremation Society of England was founded in 1874. So, cremation
was definitely available in London in 1909.)
After Dhingra went to the gallows,
the Times, London wrote an editorial (July 24, 1909) titled ‘Conviction of
Dhingra’. The editorial said, "The nonchalance displayed by the assassin was
of a character, which is happily unusual in such trials in this country. He
asked no questions. He maintained a defiance of studied indifference. He walked
smiling from the dock."
Last statement
As desired by Gyan Chand Varma,
Sardar Singh Rana , who was then in Paris, published Dhingra’s last testament
on a postcard along with his photograph. Below the words Vande Mataram, was
written August 17, 1909 (the day of Dhingra’s martyrdom) and below this were
written the following words, "To the sacred and inspiring memory of
patriot Madan Lal Dhingra, who died for his country." Rana sent copies of
these to Veer Savarkar who was in London through Govind Amin. Savarkar in turn
sent a large number of these copies to India. The Government soon banned it.
Nonetheless, it became public. Madan Lal Dhingra’s final statement was as
inspiring as his actions. Titled Challenge it read as follows:
Challenge
"I admit the other day; I attempted to shed English blood as an humble
revenge for the inhuman hangings and deportations of patriotic Indian youths.
In this attempt, I have consulted none but my own conscience; I have conspired
with none, but my own duty. I believe that a nation held down in bondage with
the help of foreign bayonets is in a perpetual state of war. Since open battle
is rendered impossible to a disarmed race, I attacked by surprise; since guns
were denied to me, I drew forth my pistol and fired. As a Hindu I felt that a
wrong done to my country is an insult to God. Her cause is the cause of Sri
Ram! Her services are the services of Sri Krishna! Poor in health and
intellect, a son like myself has nothing else to offer to the Mother but his
own blood and so I have sacrificed the same on her altar.
"The only lesson required in
India at present is to learn how to die and the only way to teach it, is by
dying ourselves. Therefore I die and glory in my martyrdom! This war of
Independence will continue between India and England, so long as the Hindu and
the English races last (if the present unnatural relation does not cease!). My
only prayer to God is: May I be reborn of the same Mother and may I re-die in
the same sacred cause, till the cause is successful and she stands free for the
good of humanity and the glory of God!"
-Vande Mataram
Dr.
Shreerang Godbole is a Pune-based endocrinologist, social activist and author.
He has contributed in making www.savarkar.org.
