Veer Savarkar and Lokmanya Tilak

A relation where the person you idolize becomes your teacher(guru) and supports you for a very short span of time but it affects your whole life, that kind of relation was between Lokmanya Tilak and veer Savarkar. Lokmanya Tilak was called “The Father of Indian Peace” from the British dynasty.

While Studying in Pune, in a meeting with “Mitra-Mela”, he started a movement to ‘To use Indian made and boycott foreign made’. This movement from Savarkar was appreciated by Lokmanya. But, The relation between Savarkar and Lokmanya came to highlight when Savarkar burnt a truckload of foreign clothes in his and Shivrampant Paranjape's presence. Clothes were burning in Pune but the British dynasty was on fire in London. According to the British, this act was a ‘challenge’ to the British dynasty.

No doubt, British were not going to keep quiet, they pressured the current dean of the college to expel Savarkar from the hostel. To reprimand, Lokmanya Tilak wrote an article in ‘Kesari’, “हे आमचे गुरु नव्हेच” meaning “These are definitely NOT OUR TEACHERS”. This article was in favour of Savarkar and gave a very hard time to the British and the dean in that period of time.

While all of this was happening, Savarkar got to know about scholarships from Shyamaji Krishna Verma to learn in London. Lokmanya wrote a glorious recommendation for Savarkar to Shyamaji. After receiving such a letter from Lokmanya, Shyamaji immediately gave a scholarship to him. Lokmanya also helped Savarkar to pay his first instalment of education. Before boarding the ship to London, Savarkar invited Lokmanya for dinner at his house. This was their last meeting, but the respect for Lokmanya was increased more in Savarkar’s mind.

In Lokmanya’s autobiography 'Tilak Parva', Agarkar discusses the situation at that time. Savarkar writes, "Tilak did not act in the same way as the British loyalist parties in Maharashtra and the Congress itself acted to take the side of Hindus as it would anger the Muslims. On the contrary, Tilak did not shirk and started public Ganeshotsav by understanding the national Hindu festivals. Tilak laid the foundation of the Hindu organization in Maharashtra. Due to Tilak's many public services, the leadership of Maharashtra came to Tilak"

The news of Tilak's demise reached Savarkar in the Andamans on that night. Hearing this news, Savarkar became very upset. After the news was confirmed in the morning, Savarkar decided that everyone should fast and express their grief. Savarkar also expressed his feelings towards Guru by fasting in the Andaman jail. We salute to the spirit of such relations loyalty and purity as well as Swatantryaveer Savarkar and Lokmanya Tilak for their major leadership in the history of Indian Freedom Fighting.

- Poorva Hingne & Shrey Kothavade