Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (1883 – 1966) was born on 28th May,1883 at a small village Bhayur in Nashik district of Maharashtra. His family belonged to the clan of Chitpawan Brahmin caste. His father was Damodarpant Savarkar. His elder brother was Ganesh Savarkar and younger brother was Narayan Savarkar. These three brothers of Savarkar family played important role in Indian revolutionary movement in the form of the forerunners of Indian independence movement.
Due to his bravery in revolutionary movements, he was called as Veer Savarkar by people. He was an undefeated revolutionary. In 1904,he founded a revolutionary institution ‘Abhinav Bharat’. He lived in England during 1906 to 1910. while livening in England, he wrote a research-based book, ‘Bharatiya Swatantrata Samar’ which was seized before its publication. He was arrested in March 1910 in London.
After arrest, when he was being brought to India in a ship, he tried to abscond and jumped into the sea near the Marseilles Sea Port. This event gave him international fame. He was again arrested and sent to Andaman Jail where he spent very torturous 10 long years (1911-21). He was released in May 1937. After that, he played an important and active role in Indian politics. He was the chairperson of Hindu Mahasabha from 193 7 to 1949. His only goal of life was an independent and undivided India.
Nationalism of Veer Savarkar:
Veer Savarkar was a first – grade nationalist. He never – bowed down before the British Government. His nationalist thoughts are the central point of Indian political philosophy. According to him, the geographic expression of nationalism is the reflection of his Hindu nationalist culture. The man who considers the land from River Indus to coastal Bengal as his motherland is a Hindu and it is the only original parameter of nationalism. These thoughts must be infused in the heart of every Indian.
It does not matter to what caste or creed or belief he belongs to. It is the basis of our faith. Veer Savarkar said that the majority of Hindus would decide the future of India and its form. So,other groups and castes and religions should assimilate themselves in the social, economic and political life of India.They should mingle themselves in this country as sugar in milk and make the Indian culture the best.
To check the evangelists, he called upon the Hindus to avoid the caste system. He considered the caste system always inimical to the unity and strength of a country. He emphasis-ed to end the dividing nature of such type of evils. He supported intercaste marriage. According to him, Jains, Sikhs, Aryas and Brahma Samaj is are all Hindus.
He called upon the people who had converted their religion to come back in their original religion after Vedic purification. He warned them that if they did not do so, then there was no room in India for them. Hindus should play a deciding role in the fight for freedom, on the question of Islamic and Christian equality in India, he said,they might be equal to Hindus if they consider this country as their motherland and as their holy land.
He called upon the Indian youth and said that the foreign clothes that they were wearing with pride, must be burnt by them at once without any hesitation. They must take an oath before the holy fire to adopt everything that is made in their country and to dedicate themselves in the service of their motherland.
Veer Savarkar made an important contribution to India by successfully persuading the learned and prosperous youth to join the freedom movement. He encouraged them to follow Shivaji to weaken and overcome the British oppression. He also emphasis-ed on Hindu-Muslim unity. His sacrifices are the footprints of service to motherland for the modern Indian youth.
