Maharashtra Board Class 8 History Chapter 10 Armed Revolutionary Movement PDF Download

Armed Revolutionary Movement

The agitations against the British imperialism were carried out in various ways in India. In this chapter, we shall get acquainted with it.

We have studied the uprisings before 1857 against the British and the freedom movement of 1857. In the later period, Ramsinh Kuka organised a rebellion against the Government in Punjab.

Vasudev Balwant Phadke

In Maharashtra, Vasudev Balwant Phadke gave an armed struggle against the British. He assumed that there should be armed struggle to fight against the British. He took the training of arms from Vastad Lahuji Salve. He organised the Ramoshis and revolted against the British. This rebellion became unsuccessful. The British Government sent him to Eden jail. There he died in 1883. He built up an armed struggle for independence.

Teacher's Note

Vasudev Balwant Phadke was the first Indian to start an armed fight against the British in Maharashtra. Like a soldier fighting for his country, he gave everything for freedom.

Exam Trick

Remember: Phadke = armed struggle. He trained like a soldier and fought the British with weapons. Just like your soldier protects India today, Phadke protected India's freedom.

Points to Remember

Vasudev Balwant Phadke fought with weapons against the British.
He trained from Vastad Lahuji Salve.
He organised the Ramoshis to rebel.
The British put him in Eden jail.
He died in jail in 1883.

Chafekar Brothers

In 1897, the Plague Commissioner Rand had resorted to tyranny and force while managing the epidemic of plague in Pune. As a revenge the Chafekar brothers, Damodar and Balkrishna, shot him dead on 22 June 1897. Damodar, Balkrishna and Vasudev these three brothers and their associate Mahadev Ranade were hanged to death. From the same house, three brothers accepted martyrdom for the service of the country. During the same period Munda tribe in Bihar under the leadership of Birsa Munda made great revolt against the Government.

Teacher's Note

The Chafekar brothers were brave young men from one family. All three brothers died for India's freedom. This shows how families in India fought together against the British.

Exam Trick

Remember: Three brothers from one house were hanged together. Rand was the Plague Commissioner in Pune. They killed him on 22 June 1897.

Points to Remember

Rand was a cruel British officer.
Damodar and Balkrishna Chafekar shot Rand dead.
Three brothers were hanged for this.
They showed great bravery and sacrifice.
Birsa Munda led a revolt in Bihar at the same time.

Abhinav Bharat

In 1900, Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar founded 'Mitramela'- a secret organisation of revolutionaries in Nasik. The same organisation was renamed as 'Abhinav Bharat' in 1904. Savarkar went to England for higher education. From there he began sending revolutionary literature, guns etc. to the members of Abhinav Bharat in India. He wrote an inspiring biography of Joseph Mazzini, the famous Italian revolutionary. The 1857 rebellion was the first war of independence was stated in the book 'The Indian War of Independence 1857' written by him.

Swatantryaveer Savarkar was sentenced to fifty years of rigorous imprisonment at Andaman. He was there for ten years. In his autobiography 'Majhi Janmathep' he wrote down his experiences of the terrible days in Andaman. Later the Government took him to Ratnagiri and detained there. There Savarkar started many social movements such as removal of caste differences, removal of untouchability, common dining, purification of language etc. He was a great writer. He was the President of Marathi Sahitya Sammelan at Mumbai in 1938.

Teacher's Note

Savarkar founded Abhinav Bharat, a secret group of freedom fighters. Even in jail, he kept working for India's freedom. It is like a soldier who never gives up, even when punished.

Exam Trick

Remember: Mitramela became Abhinav Bharat. Savarkar = 50 years in jail. He wrote a famous book saying 1857 was India's first war of independence.

Points to Remember

Mitramela was founded in 1900 and renamed Abhinav Bharat in 1904.
Savarkar sent guns and books to revolutionaries.
He wrote about Joseph Mazzini and the 1857 rebellion.
He was jailed for 50 years in Andaman.
He started social reforms like removing caste differences.

Revolutionary Movement in Bengal

The Government came to know about the activities of Abhinav Bharat. Therefore the Government arrested Babarao Savarkar. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. As a revenge to this punishment, a youth named Anant Laxman Kanhere killed Jackson, the Collector of Nasik. The Government started arresting all those people who were connected with Abhinav Bharat organisation. The murder of Jackson was linked with Swatantryaveer Savarkar by the Government, he was arrested and put under trial. The court ordered him rigorous punishment for 50 years.

After the partition of Bengal, the outrage against British became more severe. In place of local rebellions comprehensive revolutionary movements started rising at national level. In various parts of the country the youths inspired by revolutionary thoughts started establishing their secret organisations. To keep control over British officers, to loosen the Government machinery, to wipe out the fear in the minds of Indians regarding the British Government, overthrowing the British rule were some of its main objectives.

In Bengal a revolutionary organisation called 'Anushilan Samiti' was active. The Anushilan Samiti had more than 500 branches. Barindrakumar Ghosh, brother of Aurobindo Ghosh, was the chief of this organisation. This organisation received counsel and guidance from Aurobindo Ghosh. The Anushilan Samiti had a bomb manufacturing centre at Maniktala near Kolkata. In 1908, Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki, members of Anushilan Samiti planned to kill a judge named Kingsford. But the vehicle on which they threw the bomb was not the one carrying Kingsford. Two English women were killed in this attack. Prafulla Chaki shot himself with a bullet so that he will not fall in the hands of British. Khudiram Bose was caught by the police. During the investigation the police got information about the working of Anushilan Samiti. They started arresting the members of this organisation. Aurobindo Ghosh was also arrested. But the Government was unsuccessful in linking him to manufacturing of bombs and hence the court set him free. Other members were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment.

Teacher's Note

After Bengal was divided, young people became angry with the British. They formed secret groups like Anushilan Samiti to fight back. Over 500 groups worked together across Bengal.

Exam Trick

Remember: Anushilan Samiti had 500 branches. Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki tried to kill judge Kingsford but threw bomb on wrong car. Prafulla shot himself.

Points to Remember

Anushilan Samiti was started in Bengal after partition.
It had more than 500 branches.
Barindrakumar Ghosh was the chief.
They had a bomb factory at Maniktala near Kolkata.
Members tried to kill judge Kingsford in 1908.

Rash Behari Bose and Sachindra Nath Sanyal spread the network of revolutionary organisations outside Bengal. The centres of revolutionary work were set up at Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Rash Behari Bose and his associate made a daring act of throwing bomb at the Viceroy Lord Hardinge. But he got saved from the attack.

The revolutionary work was carried out in Madras Province as well. Vanchhi Iyyer, a revolutionary, killed a British officer named Ash. Later he shot himself with a bullet and sacrificed his own life.

India House

The revolutionary work in India received assistance from Indian revolutionaries staying abroad. India House, in London, was an important centre which provided for such kind of assistance. Pandit Shyamji Krishna Varma, an Indian patriot, had established India House. Through this organisation Indian youths were given scholarships for higher education in England. Swatantryaveer Savarkar received such scholarship. Madam Cama raised the issue of India's independence at the World Socialist Conference held at Stuggart in Germany. In the same conference she unfurled the flag of India. Another revolutionary associated with India House was a youth named Madanlal Dhingra. He killed Curzon Wylie, a British Officer, due to which Dhingra was hanged to death.

Teacher's Note

India House in London helped Indian students and revolutionaries. Pandit Shyamji Krishna Varma gave money to young Indians to study and fight for freedom. Like a father helping his children, he supported many freedom fighters.

Exam Trick

Remember: India House = in London. Shyamji Krishna Varma founded it. Madam Cama raised India's flag there. Madanlal Dhingra killed British officer Curzon Wylie.

Points to Remember

India House was in London.
Pandit Shyamji Krishna Varma established it.
It gave scholarships to Indian youths.
Madam Cama unfurled India's flag there.
Madanlal Dhingra killed British officer Curzon Wylie.

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