OUR NATIONAL HERO VINAYAK DAMODAR SAVARKAR

Chronology  of  Savarkar's  Life

28 May 1883 - Born in Bhagur, a tiny village in Dist. Nasik, Maharashtra

1892 - Lost his mother Radhabai

1898 - Took an oath before the family deity to conduct armed revolt against British Rule
09 Sep 1898 - Lost his father Damodarpant

01 Jan 1900 - Founded Mitra Mela, a secret revolutionary society

01 Mar 1901 - Married Yamuna (Mai)

19 Dec 1901 - Passed Matriculation examination

24 Jan 1902 - Joined Fergusson College, Pune

May 1904 - Founded Abhinav Bharat - A revolutionary organisation

Nov 1905 - Organised the first public bonfire of foreign clothes in Pune

Dec 1905 - Passed B.A. examination

June 1906 - Left for London

10 May 1907 - Celebrated Golden Jubilee of Indian War of Independence 1857 in London

June 1907 - Wrote the book “Joseph Mazzini” which was later published by Babarao Savarkar

1908 - Wrote 'Indian War of Independence 1857'. It was secretly published in Holland

May 1909 - Passed Bar-at-Law examination, but granting of permission to practice was denied

01 July 1909 - Madanlal Dhingra shot dead Curzon Wyllie in London

24 Oct 1909 - Vijayadashmi celebrated under the Chairmanship of Gandhi at India House, London

13 Mar 1910 - Arrested on arrival in London from Paris

08 Jul 1910 - Epic escape through the port hole of SS Morea while being taken to India

24 Dec 1910 - Awarded Transportation for Life

31 Jan 1911 - Awarded Transportation for Life for the second time, the only person in the history of the British Empire to have received it twice

04 Jul 1911 - Entered the Cellular Jail, Andamans

April 1919 - Yesuvahini, the wife of his elder brother passed away

21 May 1921 - Both brothers brought back to the Indian mainland

1921-1923 - Lodged at Alipore and Ratnagiri  Jails

06 Jan 1924 - Released from Yerawada Prison and interned in Ratnagiri on condition that he would not participate in politics

07 Jan 1925 - Daughter Prabhat was born

10 Jan 1925 - A new weekly “Shraddhanand” launched in memory of Swami Shraddhanandji of Arya Samaj

Mar 1925 - Dr. Hedgewar, who was to found the RSS later, met  Savarkar

01 Mar 1927 - Gandhi  called  on  Savarkar  at  Ratnagiri

17 Mar 1928 - Son Vishwas  was  born

16 Nov 1930 - First interdining organized as a part of social reform campaign

Feb 1931 - Instrumental in establishment of Patitpavan Mandir open to all Hindus

25 Feb 1931 - Presided over Bombay Presidency Untouchability Eradication Conference

26 Apr 1931 - Chairman of the Somvanshi Mahar Parishad in the premises of Patitpavan Mandir

17 Sep 1931 - Arranged programmes such as keertan by a person belonging to the bhangi caste, interdining of 75 ladies as a part of social reform campaign
22 Sep 1931 - Prince of Nepal, Hem Bahadur Samsher Singh called on Savarkar

10 May 1937 - Unconditional release from internment at Ratnagiri

10 Dec 1937 - Elected as President of Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha at its 19th Session at Karnavati (Ahmedabad) and continued to be re-elected President for the next seven years

15 Apr 1938 - Elected as President of Marathi Sahitya Sammelan

01 Feb 1939 - Started unarmed resistance against the Nizam of Bhaganagar (Hyderabad)

22 Jun 1941 - Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose called on Savarkar

25 Dec 1941 - Bhagalpur struggle

May 1943 - Public felicitations on the occasion of 61st birth anniversary

14 Aug 1943 - University of Nagpur conferred Honorary D.Litt. on Savarkar

05 Nov 1943 - Elected president of Marathi Natya Sammelan at Sangli

16 Mar 1945 - Elder brother Babarao passed away

19 Apr 1945 - Presided over All India Princely States Hindu  Sabha  Conference at Baroda (Gujarat)

08 May 1945 - Daughter Prabhat married at Pune

Apr 1946 - Bombay Government lifted ban on Savarkar’s literature

15 Aug 1947 - Hoisted both Bhagwa and Tricolour Flags on Savarkar  Sadanto  celebrate India's independence

05 Feb 1948 - Arrested under the Preventive Detention Act after Gandhi's murder

10 Feb 1949 - Acquitted in Gandhi Murder Trial

19 Oct 1949 - Youngest brother Dr. Narayanrao Savarkar passed away

Dec 1949 - Inaugurated Calcutta session of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha

04 Apr 1950 - Was arrested and detained in Belgaum jail on the eve of arrival of Pakistani Prime Minister Liaquat Ali in Delhi

May 1952 - Public function held at Pune to announce the dissolution of Abhinav Bharat, the revolutionary society having achieved its aim of freeing India

Feb 1955 - Presided over Silver Jubilee celebrations of Patitpavan Mandir at Ratnagiri

23 Jul 1955 - Was the Chief Speaker at Lokmanya Tilak Centenary Celebrations in Pune

10 Nov 1957 - Main speaker at the Centenary Celebrations of the Indian War of Independence 1857 held in New Delhi

28 May 1958 - Accorded a civic reception by Greater Bombay Municipal Corporation on the occasion of his Diamond Jubilee

08 Oct 1959 - University of Pune conferred honorary D. Litt. at his residence

24 Dec 1960 - Mrityunjay Divas celebration - a day set down for the release of Savarkar after completing the sentences of two Transportation for Life

15 Apr 1962 - Sri Prakash, Governor of Bombay called upon Savarkar at his residence to pay his respects

29 May 1963 - Hospitalized for a fracture in the leg

08 Nov 1963 - Savarkar’s wife Yamuna passed away

Sep 1965 - Taken seriously ill

01 Feb 1966 - Takes a decision to fast unto death

26 Feb 1966 - 10.30 a.m., at the age of 83, Savarkar left his mortal coil

27 Feb 1966 - Cremation at the electric crematorium, the final salute given by 2500 uniformed swayamsevaks of the RSS and millions of admirers across the country

Cow-protection and cow-worship

Given below is an English translation of Savarkar’s assorted views on cow-protection and cow-worship.

 Gratitude to the cow is consistent with the Hindu trait of compassion towards all living beings

…That we should look upon that extremely useful animal (cow) with the same affection as for a family member is no doubt in keeping with humanism. To protect and sustain the cow is our personal and familial duty. At least in the case of Hindusthan, it is also our national duty.

…To have a feeling of gratitude towards an animal that is so useful to us is particularly consistent with the Hindu trait of compassion towards all living beings. 
(1936, vidnyannishtha nibandha or pro-science essays, Samagra Savarkar vangmaya, Vol. 3, p.340)

Cow is worthy of protection so long as this serves humanitarian and national interests

Animals such as the cow and buffalo and trees such as banyan and peepal are useful to man, hence we are fond of them; to that extent we might even consider them worthy of worship; their protection, sustenance and well-being is our duty, in that sense alone it is also ourdharma! Does it not follow then that when under certain circumstances, that animal or tree becomes a source of trouble to mankind, it ceases to be worthy of sustenance or protection and as such its destruction is in humanitarian or national interests and becomes a human or national dharma? 
(Samaj Chitre or portraits of society, Samagra Savarkar vangmaya, Vol. 2, p.678)

…When humanitarian interests are not served and in fact harmed by the cow and when humanism is shamed, self-defeating extreme cow protection should be rejected…(Samagra Savarkar vangmaya, Vol. 3, p.341)

…A substance is edible to the extent that it is beneficial to man. Attributing religious qualities to it gives it a godly status. Such a superstitious mindset destroys the nation’s intellect. 
(1935, Savarkaranchya goshti or tales of Savarkar, Samagra Savarkar vangmaya, Vol. 2, p.559)

Protect the cow, do not merely worship it

I criticized the false notions involved in cow worship with the aim of removing the chaff and preserving the essence so that cow protection may be better achieved. A worshipful attitude is necessary for protection. But it is improper to forget the duty of cow protection and indulging only in worship. The word ‘only’ used here is important. First protect the cow and then worship it if you so desire. 
(1938,Swatantryaveer Savarkar: Hindu Mahasabha parva or the phase of the Hindu Mahasabha, p. 173)

Do genuine cow protection

…Without spreading religious superstition, let the movement for cow protection be based and popularized on clear-cut and experimental economic and scientific principles. Then alone shall we achieve genuine cow protection like the Americans. (1934, Samagra Savarkar vangmaya, Vol. 3, p.171)

The cow should not be the emblem of the Hindu nation

The cow is but a milch symbol of the Hindu nation. By no means should it be considered its emblem (*Savarkar’s exact words are: gaay hi hindurashtraachaa ek dugdhabindu! Maanbindu navhech navhe!). The object of worship should be greater than its worshipper. Likewise, a national emblem should evoke the nation’s exemplary valour, brilliance, aspirations and make its people superhumans! The cow exploited and eaten at will, is an appropriate symbol of our present-day weakness. But at least the Hindu nation of tomorrow should not have such a pitiable symbol. (1936, Ksha kirane or X rays, Samagra Savarkar vangmaya, Vol. 3, p.237)

The symbol of Hindutva is not the cow but the man-lion (*Nrsinha or Narsimha is considered the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He was half-man, half-lion).

The qualities of god permeate into his worshipper. Whilst considering the cow to be divine and worshipping her, the entire Hindu nation became docile like the cow. It started eating grass. If we are to now found our nation on the basis of an animal, let that animal be the lion. Using its sharp claws in one leap, the lion fatally knocks and wounds the heads of wild mammoths. We need to worship such a Nrsinha. That and not the cow’s hooves, is the mark of Hindutva. (1935, Ksha kirane or X rays, Samagra Savarkar vangmaya, Vol. 3, p.167)

The non-Hindus should discard their hatred for the cow and do genuine cow protection

…The religious character that Hindus have given to cow protection howsoever naïve is not symptomatic of cruelty. This is because protecting animals such as cows and buffaloes that are extremely useful to man have an objective of safeguarding human interests. But the religious fanaticism of those non-Hindus whose religion itself is based on hatred for the cow is not only naïve but also cruel. They have no right whatsoever to mock at the Hindus.

There is an overdose of gratitude, compassion, notion of all living beings being one in the cow worship of Hindus. But the cow slaughter indulged in by non-Hindus has an excess of cruelty, ungratefulness and demonic (asuric) taking of life. It is not religious madness but irreligious wickedness. For this reason, these non-Hindus should discard their ‘religious’ cow hatred and consider cow protection done for economic reasons to be their duty. 
(1935, Ksha kirane or X rays, Samagra Savarkar vangmaya, Vol. 3, p.171-172)

जयोस्तुते श्रीमहन्मंगले ! शिवास्पदे शुभदे स्वतंत्रते भगवती ! त्वामहं यशोयुतां वंदे Victory to you, O Auspicious One, the Munificent and Holy! O Goddess of Freedom, I seek you blessings for success  You are the embodiment of our national spirit, our morality and our accomplishments. राष्ट्राचे चैतन्य मूर्त तू नीती-संपदांची स्वतंत्रते भगवती ! श्रीमती राज्ञी तू त्यांची परवशतेच्या नभात तूची आकाशी होसी स्वतंत्रते भगवती ! चांदणी चमचम लखलखसी वंदे त्वामहं यशोयुतां वंदे O glorious Goddess of Freedom, you are the Queen of righteousness  In the dark skies of enslavement O Goddess of Freedom, you are the shining star of hope. गालावरच्या कुसुमी किंवा कुसुमांच्या गाली स्वतंत्रते भगवती ! तूच जी विलसतसे लाली तू सूर्याचे तेज, उदधीचे गांभीर्यहि तूची स्वतंत्रते भगवती ! अन्यथा ग्रहण नष्ट तेची वंदे त्वामहं यशोयुतां वंदे Whether on flowers as soft as cheeks, or on cheeks as soft as flowers! O Goddess of Freedom, You are that blush of confidence!  You are the radiance of the Sun, the majesty of the Ocean  O Goddess of Freedom, but for you the Sun of Freedom is eclipsed. मोक्ष-मुक्ति ही तुझीच रूपे तुलाच वेदांती स्वतंत्रते भगवती ! योगिजन परब्रम्ह वदती जे जे उत्तम उदात्त उन्नत महन्मधुर ते ते स्वतंत्रते भगवती ! सर्व तव सहचारी होते वंदे त्वामहं यशोयुतां वंदे O Goddess of Freedom, you are the face of eternal happiness and liberation, That is why the scriptures hail you as the supreme soul. All that is ideal, magnificent and sweet, O Goddess of Freedom, is associated with you हे अधम-रक्तरंजिते, सुजन पूजिते, श्रीस्वतंत्रते तुजसाठि मरण ते जनन, तुजवीण जनन ते मरण तुज सकल चराचर शरण, चराचर शरण, श्रीस्वतंत्रते वंदे त्वामहं यशोयुतां वंदे You are the destroyer of evil (stained with their blood), O Goddess of Freedom Life is to die for you, Death is to live without you. All creation surrenders unto you! Victory to you, O Auspicious One, the Munificent and Holy! O Goddess of Freedom, I seek you blessings for success