Manbhum the historical land of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

It was January 16, 1941 Subhas Chandra left his house from Elgin road  at mid-night in disguise. Subhas was masked as Mohd. Ziauddin-  a travelling inspector of Life Insurance Company. Sisir Bose  his nephew was driving the Wanderer car  accompanying Subhas  in the rear seat.  The car moved through Howrah,Rishra..Burdwan ,Asonsole  and reached Gobindapur-a muffasil town of the then Manbhum. It was early dawn..Subhas was sleepless  ...sooner  the car came to Dhanbad-the sub-divisional town of Manbhum. End destination of Bose was Babri Colliery of Manbhum.. the whole day to be spent in the Bunglow of his relation-nephew AshokeNath.  Ziauddin got down from the car near to the Bunglow. Sisir Bose entered alone and talked to Ashokenath in details about the plan. A few minutes later Md.Ziauddin came and talked with the members in English. No body doubted him. He was given shelter in the outhouse. Ziauddin alias Subhas Chandra took his last lunch in the soil of Manbhum. After the lunch,Bose took rest and nabbed.  Ashkonath went to his office as usual and back in the evening. By this time Ziauddin left the Bunglow and was on the way. Askokenath told the caretakers  that he along with his wife be on nearby tour by car  and accordingly left the  house accompanied by Sisir Bose  .  Subhas was picked up from the road. From Birali 30 kms is Gomo station. Subhas would  ride the train at mid night.  All of them halted at Dumra kalibari in a priest’s hut- 10 kms away from Gumo.  Thereafter reached Gumo.. the Delhi Kalka mail came..Our beloved Subhas  boarded into the train.  The great escape of the great soul  was from the land of Manbhum. The Gumo station has recently been renamed ‘Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’— Manbhum’s Gumo station  is the mute witness of the last journey of the hero...

Subhas Chandra had a long relationship with Manbhum.  He was under prison from 25 October 1924

to 16  June 1927.  During this period his health deteriorated. After freeing from Jail he was advised to visit Shillong for recovery. By this time his Guru Deshbandhu left the eternal world. On returning back from Shillong  Subhas came to Purulia to meet Basanti Devi. His arrival has been documented in the Weekly news paper Mukti, Purulia. Basanti Devi- the wife of Chittaranjan Das used to stay in the garden-house ‘Retreat’. Das’s mother Nistari Devi breathed her last from here. However, Subhas used to call Basanti Devi ‘Ma’.  Ma blessed Bose affectionately.  Subhas Chandra also met Manbhum Janani-Labanya Prabha Ghosh  at her Silpashram. In his first visit Subhas Chandra did not join political agendas although young generations thronged to visit him.  However, after four months from first visit Subhas Chandra again came to Manbhum. He came to Ramchandrapur village, Santuri  to attend Manbhum Zilla Political Conference. On 6^th March 1928,  he travelled a lot right from Bankura,Kenjakura,Chhatna.. Raghunathpur etc. Raghunathpur Municipality honoured him on the way.  A meeting with the public was held at Raghunathpur town. On that very day  he was with high fever. Subhas came to Ramchandrapur via Barakar road which is now renamed as Netaji Subhas Road.

Ignoring social dogma Subhas dinned with the harijans and tribal. Some of the elite groups were not happy with this.  However, it was resolved. Subhas met Rishi Nibaran Chandra Das-the freedom fighter and a true Gandhian of Manbhum here. More than 20 thousands participated during the conference.  Subhas Chandra referred to the history of Panchakot and asked the mass to become fearless and independent and ready to fight with the British. National flag was hoisted by Bose chanting BandeMataram. The whole Manbhum was mesmerized by his one and half hr.long speech. A political tie up bonded between the  great leader and Manbhum.

Subhas Candra’s third visit in Purulia had been covered in Mukti-news paper 12 Nov.1928. In fact Subhas came here to take rest but the restless public wanted him to hear him. A mammoth gathering was in front of the Union Club Purulia. The vibrant speech urging for Purna Swaraj was voiced by him in the soil of Manbhum. The same was acceped in the National Congress 1929.

Subhas Chandra Bose stayedat Jambadoba,near Bhagaat  at his relative house for about one month during 1939. 

During 1930’s Subhas Chandra was undisputed trade union leaders of Manbhum Collieries He had come to Dhanbad m sub-divisional town of then Manbhum, several times and led the labour unions..

The people of Manbhum..owes much to Netaji. There are many events here which people retrieve till now.

My homage and tributes to the great today.