Bal Gandharva Tilak: the Real Legendary Freedom Fighter

Bal Gangadhar Tilak took birth in a Marathi Chitpavan Brahmin family in Ratnagiri as Keshav Gangadhar Tilak, in present-day Maharashtra on 23 July 1856. His father, Gangadhar Shastri was a school teacher and a Sanskrit scholar who died when he was sixteen. In 1871, he was married to Tapibai when he was sixteen, a few months before his father’s death. After marriage, her name was changed to Satyabhamabai. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts with first class in Mathematics from Deccan College of Pune in 1877. He also was a Kustiveer (wrestler), he knew many moves and tricks of Kushti (wrestling).

He protested against the unequal treatment of the Indian students compared to their British peers and its total disregard for India’s cultural heritage. Deccan Education Society was initiated by him with collage batch mates, Vishnu Shastri Chiplunkar and Gopal Ganesh Agarkar to inspire nationalist education among Indian students. He published 2 newspapers ‘Kesri’ in Marathi and ‘Maratha’ in English.

After joining INC (Indian National Congress) in 1890, he propagated the extremist ideology and soon came into conflict with the moderate faction led by Gopal Krishna Gokhale. In 1893 he was one of the first people who established and started the public celebration of the Ganapati festival in Kasba, Pune in the regime of Shaniwarwada. He wrote provocative and energetic articles in newspapers against the excesses of plague commissioner W.C Rand in Pune during the outbreak of bubonic plague inspired Chaphekar brothersand they carried out the assassination of Commissioner Rand and Lt. Ayerst on 22 June 1897. As a result of this Tilak was imprisoned for 18 months on sedition charges for inciting murder.

He was jailed in Mandalay jail, Burma (present-day Myanmar) in 1908 – 1914. He wrote Gita Rahasya during this period. He came back to India in 1915 after his release and led the Home Rule League movement in 1916 along with Annie Besant.

His words, “Swarajya ha majha janmasidha hakh ahe aani toh mi milavnarach” (“Self-rule is my birthright and I shall have it”), inspired many Indians to fight against British rulers, and take India to Independence.

He was deeply disturbed by Jallianwalan Bagh tragedy and had become very weak due to diabetes. He breathed his last on 1st August 1920. I heartfelt salute to Lomanya Tilak and his all the works, he was a great freedom fighter and did many things against Britishers.