Jhansi was a crucial base for Chandra Shekhar Azad during his revolutionary years. From 1926 to 1930, he used the city as a center for training revolutionaries, organizing secret meetings, and planning armed resistance against British rule.
🔹 Establishing a Secret Base in Jhansi
- Azad lived in Jhansi under the alias “Pandit Harishankar Bramhachari”, pretending to be a Sanskrit teacher and priest.
- He took shelter in Nana Rao Peshwa’s fort on the outskirts of the city.
- The fort served as a secret training ground for his revolutionary activities.
🔹 Training Young Revolutionaries
Jhansi became a military training center for members of HSRA (Hindustan Socialist Republican Association).
Combat and Weapon Training
- He trained Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, and other revolutionaries in:
- Shooting and target practice with country-made and foreign pistols.
- Guerilla warfare techniques, including ambush tactics.
- Hand-to-hand combat and self-defense strategies.
- He often practiced shooting near the Betwa River banks and in isolated forest areas.
Survival and Secrecy Training
- Azad trained revolutionaries to evade police, move undetected, and survive in hostile conditions.
- He emphasized physical fitness, endurance, and quick decision-making.
- The revolutionaries lived in small hidden groups, keeping their identities secret.
🔹 Building a Local Support Network
Azad gained the trust of the local population in Jhansi, who secretly supported his mission.
Connections with Locals
- He befriended Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, a journalist and freedom fighter, who provided logistical support.
- Locals supplied food, shelter, and crucial intelligence about British activities.
Funding the Revolution
- Azad collected funds through donations from sympathetic locals.
- He sometimes worked as a priest, performing rituals to earn money for the movement.
🔹 Revolutionary Activities Planned in Jhansi
Jhansi was not just a training center but also a place where major revolutionary actions were planned.
Preparing for the Lahore Conspiracy Case (1928)
- Azad discussed plans with Bhagat Singh and others about avenging Lala Lajpat Rai’s death.
- This led to the assassination of J.P. Saunders in Lahore.
Attempts to Free Bhagat Singh (1930-1931)
- After Bhagat Singh’s arrest, Azad plotted a plan to rescue him, which was never executed.
🔹 Leaving Jhansi and Continued Struggle
- By 1930, British intelligence had grown suspicious of Azad’s activities in Jhansi.
- He moved to Allahabad, where he continued his revolutionary mission until his martyrdom in 1931.
🔹 Legacy in Jhansi
- Even today, Nana Rao Fort and the banks of the Betwa River are remembered as Azad’s training grounds.
- A memorial in Jhansi honors his contributions to the independence struggle.
Chandra Shekhar Azad’s time in Jhansi was a crucial phase in his revolutionary journey, where he trained India’s future freedom fighters and planned historic actions against British rule. 🚩